Page 6 - eMuse Vol.9 No.04_Classical

Part Three
BILLY MATEER

THE MAN WHO RACED THE FLOOD
by Athony Hammill

Heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary Somerset Dam Under construction
things. By that measure, Billy Mateer was a hero years earlier? Quite possibly Henry’s crossing of the Bris-
and much more. Unfortunately, he is also a he seized on the first explana- bane River has been questioned;
neglected hero. tion suggested. I do not regard however, in England Henry did
BILLY’S LEGACY SUNDRY POINTS it as credible evidence, yet even much rowing and sailing, and
So what has Billy’s legacy Some further points need to this report has Billy reaching in Queensland crossed many
till recently been? It can be be made: his destination and sending flooded creeks and rivers in his
summed up in one word: ne- Nobody has ever denied that the telegram, albeit too late to travels, and sailed on Moreton
glect. Because officials failed the ride took place. However, in be used. And Henry’s scornful Bay as his memoirs reveal. He
to act, Billy was doomed to an official booklet prepared for words ring out down through was, therefore, just the man for
obscurity. Considering the cir- the official opening of Somerset the years, “...he (the P.M.G.) the job of rowing across a river
cumstances he would no doubt Dam in 1958, an unnamed writer wrote me a letter...thanking me in flood while towing two hors-
have been feted as a hero had using unnamed sources states: for the warning he regretted not es, naturally being carried a fair
Brisbane been warned of the ‘When the second flood oc- having understood!!!”, as do way downstream in the process.
second big flood. Few people curred a fortnight later, the late Johanna’s in her less-polished There was simply no other way to
knew his story; local tradition Mr. Somerset found telegraphic style, “ I understand him to say transport a rider and two horses
alone kept it alive. I have spo- communication cut off, and sent that they took no notice of it.” across a flooded river! Henry’s
ken to men in their eighties a man from his Caboonbah prop- The wire reached its destination statements in this regard have a
from the Samford and District erty with two good horses over on Friday afternoon alright! solid ring of truth about them,
Historical Society, one of whom the range into North Pine (Petrie) .
worked all his life as a timber- After the second horse be-
getter on the range, and they came bogged the man covered
had never heard of him. Geoff the last of the journey on foot
Cossins said he had never heard and arrived too late .’
his name raised amongst the I discussed this uncorrobo-
workers and engineers engaged rated report with Geoff Cossins
on the Somerset Dam project. who, like me, dismisse d it as
Charlie Kenman of Toogoola- a beatup or scuttlebutt. Henry
wah, who owned properties says both horse and rider ar-
and crossed the range many rived safely at North Pine. Jo-
times in his younger days, had hanna Mateer indicates that no
never heard of him. attention was paid to the tel-
It was the same with Harry egram, not that it was sent too
‘Breaker’ Morant, the English- late. The range area and cross-
man who enlisted as an Austral- ings are rocky, and in any case
ian soldier and was executed Billy as a highly experienced
by the British in 1902 during rider would not be likely to fall
the Boer War for shooting Boer into that trap or to be unable
prisoners. In the eighties I to extricate his horse if he did.
talked with old diggers who said Finally, Geoff said Billy’s name
his name never came up in the never came up while he was
trenches. It was only when Fred associated with engineers and
Cutlack published his story in dam workers, so where would
‘Breaker Morant: A Horseman this unidentified writer have
Who Made History’ in 1962 that obtained his information re-
he became well-known. May it garding an unpublicised event
now also be so with Billy. that occurred nearly seventy Carboonbah Homestead May 2009

6 eMuse April 2020