Kirrama Timbermen Book

'Timber and Timbermen' is the title of the recently published book from Mr Ed Healy of Wondecla.  The book tells the story of the timber industry and timbermen of Cardwell and the Kirrama Range from the first days of settlement in 1864 up to the introduction of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Listing in 1988.  After a long career in Education, Ed had enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Studies in Australian History and the core of his book began with the research and writing of the 'Track to Road' study which dealt with the building of the Kirrama Range Road by the PEI scheme during the 1930's.  Ed had spent much of his childhood on the Kirrama Range and amongst the timbermen of that district and this interest led, later in life, to the realisation that those involved in that industry was 'dying-off' and he set out to do oral interviews with those still living.  It took some twenty years of working off and on to complete this new volume on North Queensland history which was launched at the recent Annual General Meeting of the Cardwell & District Historical Society at the JC Hubinger Museum in Cardwell.  This new book has sufficient detail and statistics to interest the more serious history buff along with plenty of stories and photos from the social history of the people involved to keep those with a more general interest in the local timber industry happy.  Mr Healy has produced a fine study of this subject which is also needed for other areas of the North.  It is a little difficult to obtain a copy of this work as it is only been printed in limited numbers and only when needed which also make it rather expensive but it is a must for anyone interested in our northern history and particularly in the timber industry.