Far North Qld bushies celebrate book launch with corned beef and damper
Published on 31 July, 2006
About 120 cattle station owners, old ringers and boss drovers made the roof beams ring at the Charters Towers Racetrack reception for veteran CQU Press author Marion Houldsworth last Friday (July 28).
Ms Houldsworth had travelled to Queensland from Sussex in the UK for the celebration.
Ms Houldsworth is the author of best-sellers, Barefoot through the Bindies, Red Dust Rising, From the Gulf to God Knows Where and The Morningside of the Hill.
The Northern Miner, the NQ Register, the North West star and the Townsville Bulletin all published full page stories with photographs of Marion Houldsworth who is now regarded as one of Australia’s foremost oral historians, especially of the Far North Queensland region. ABC regional radio stations interviewed Marion in Mt Isa, Townsville and Charters Towers.
Charters Towers Mayor Brian Beveridge and Dalrymple Shire Mayor John Caldicott both delivered speeches lauding the books of Ms Houldsworth and thanking CQU Press for preserving the history and heritage of Far North Queenslad and the Gulf.
Old Boss Drovers Bluey Ellis, Anne Brunner and Esther cooked a campfire oven dinner of corned beef, pumpkin, spuds and cabbage. There was a concert of outback songs sung to the guitar.
Director of CQU Press, Professor David Myers thanked the large audience for their enthusiasm and reminded them that there would be another Houldsworth book of Queensland oral history to be launched in Charters Towers in 2007 at the same time and the same place.
He also thanked famous bush author Marie Mahood for driving for 15 hours to attend and said that CQU Press had been founded on her diminutive shoulders and big heart.
CQU Press donated copies of Houldsworth’s books to the occasion. They were auctioned and raised $450 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Professor Myers was deputized to forward the donation to the RFDS in Cairns.
CQU Press sold over 100 books on the evening and handed out hundreds of CQU Press outback colour catalogues.
Marion Houldsworth will appear at the CQU Multicultural Fair in Rockhampton on Sunday, August 13, where she is the guest of the Vice-Chancellor Professor John Rickard.
Photo above: Charters Towers Mayor Brian Beveridge (right) with celebrated outback author Marion Houldsworth with baby niece and son Michael, from Townsville.
Photo left: Mayor of Dalrymple Shire John Caldicott (middle) with author Marion Houldsworth (on right) and some of the main cattle station owners who star in From the Gulf to God Knows Where.