Try paddling down the Mary River from “start to finish”

The Mary River.

The Mary River rises at Booroobin, west of Maleny in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. In 1847 the Mary River was named after the wife of Governor Fitzroy, Lady Mary Lennox.

The river then flows north through the towns of Conondale, Kenilworth, Gympie, Tiaro and Maryborough before emptying into the Great Sandy Strait, near Maryborough between the Queensland coast mainland and Fraser Island.

Both Obi Obi Creek and Little Yabba Creek flow into the Mary River.

It is the home of the endangered Mary River Turtle (Elusor macrurus), the Queensland Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) and the endangered Mary River Cod (Maccullochella mariensis)

During times of heavy rainfall the Mary River brings heavy flooding to the towns that have grown along its banks, towns such as Gympie and Maryborough.

Not too many people can claim to have paddled down the entire length from Conondale to Maryborough.

Today we worry whenever our children are out of our sight. Very seldom are they allowed the adventures that were allowed youngsters of our greandparents early years.

The Flesser family settled Witta, then called Teutoberg in the late 1880’s. They came from the area around Beenleigh. The area they came to was still an uncleared rainforest area.

Christian Flesser brought his wife, Caroline (nee Vandriek). Christian Flesser had been a timber cutter prior to coming to Witta so he was well prepared for settling into the area. Jack was the younger child of the family and he was born at home at Witta. His other siblings, August, Charlie and sisters, Bertha and May remained living at Beenleigh.

In 1913 the Flessers obtained property in Conondale adjacent to the property owned by George Ahern. His grandson, Mike Ahern was later to become Premier of

Queensland for a short time. It was from this this home in 1914 that Jack and Charlie decided to paddle down the Mary from its headwaters to the mouth.

During February and March 1914 there was heavy rains in the headwaters of the Mary River and as a result the Mary was quick flowing all the way through to the coast. Taking the equivalent of $10 each and launching at the junction of The Mary River and Harpers Creek begins an early story of the region of a cautionary

Continued from previous Page