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FROM FRASER TO FORESTY
by Isobel S. Doggrell

Several months after gold was found in Gympie the Two Mile property called "Assynt" now known as WoodWorks Museum, was brought by immigrants from Inverness Scotland - James and Hellen Fraser.

In the days of my grandparents, the Frasers, it was firstly grazing land for the horses used by them for hauling commodities from Maryborough to Gympie to feed the miners and their families, then later for horses used in teams hauling timber on wagons from outside areas to mills in Gympie. These were long, tiring days, starting at the crack of dawn, and finishing with the feeding of horses after their final trip for the day, this being either in the very late afternoon or after dark.

James took a leading part in the welfare of the area, and was instrumental in calling the first meeting at his home for the local school, held in May, 1881. He was a member of the first school committee.

In February 1895 James became a member of the Widgee Divisional Board (later the Widgee Shire Council) for 17 years, being Chairman for five years. During his term as Chairman, Bell's Bridge was opened in May, 1908. This timber bridge was good enough to survive the biggest flood this century in the Mary River (March-April 1955).

As the Two Mile home Hellen and James Fraser reared a family of five sons and two daughters, most of whom settled around Gympie. Hellen passed away in 1914 and James a year later.

The property then passed to their younger daughter, Elizabeth, who had by then married Walter Fryar from South Australia. After coming from Brisbane to care for her elderly father, Elizabeth settled in at the Two Mile, her husband arriving shortly afterwards. They produced a family of six children, two sons and four daughters, and I cannot help feeling just a little bit proud that I was the only one in the family born on the "Assynt" property.

A large and very nice home had been built on the property by the Frasers, a house which provided plenty of living space for the Fryar family. With many outside commodious buildings it often gave people the impression that it was an early staging post for Cobb and Co. Coaches.

Living here also was Edie, the eldest daughter of Mary and Jack Leslie, Mary being the elder daughter of the Fraser family. Edie's coming to live with her grandparents made school and schoolwork much easier for her, and after their passing away she continued to stay on with her aunt and uncle, the Fryars, having passed her exams, and becoming a teacher at schools such as Central, Two Mile, Pomona, and a number of others. With horse and buggy transport it was easy to transport her to and from the Railway Station, which made things much simpler than had she stayed at her home at East Deep Creek.

Soon after the acquiring of the land by my parents they chose to enlarge the area of "Assynt" by purchasing another 10 acres adjoining it at the back, and also the area of 10 acres held by two brothers of my Mother's, James and William Fraser, plus another 23 acres adjoining this land. With a wide laneway between the two areas, both pieces of land, each of 23 acres, became the Fryar property.

This area provided land for horses, cattle, crops, and all the extras needed around a farm. I think of all the animals around the farm horses were the most lovable, especially the draught horses and the sons and daughters of "Jenny Gray", a lovely white mare of Arab blood from the family of "Oakfield", brought from England to give blood for certain inoculation purposes. On my Grandfather's retirement from civic duties he chose rather that the purse of sovereigns usually given, the horse "Oakfield". The one foal he begot was "Trixie", mother of "Jenny Gray", beloved by all. One day while riding "Whiskers", daughter of "Jenny Gray" in Mary Street, my elder sister was stopped by a bearded gentleman who held the bridle and said "Where did you get the Oakfield?". The memory remains that the whole strain twisted the off hind leg a little after putting it to the ground.

The Two Mile is a very pretty, attractive place with both low and high hills, creeks and flats, with mountains further inland which seem to hold this lovely area in their bounds, whilst matching the sun rise early in the east and gently easing its way over behind the higher areas in the evenings. In the early years of Gympie, still remembered by some of us, the Two Mile was a place alive with birds and their nests, numbers of animals both large and small and many trees, creepers, shrubs, etc., to delight the number of children who lived around that area in those times. To so many children (and adults too I guess) who lived there in those days it was perfection personified. How lovely to have been a "Two Miler!"

We pass now to a time when the Fryars had all left "Assynt" some having passed away and others having married and left for other areas. My husband, Reg Doggrell, who was District Forester in Gympie at that time (for around 20 years), was making discreet enquires for a site to suit the Queensland Forestry Department, which needed an area big enough to house, not only the Forests Office, but a complete Integrated Complex. After investigating a number of sites around Gympie, which were put to the Brisbane Forestry Department, they after investigating the sites chose the former Assynt area. This they purchased - an 11
hectare site, in 1971.

It has been a delight to watch it growing, not only the buildings but trees which the Department have planted. Some of these, put in by my parents, are still living and are doing well, and even more interesting were some planted by my grandparents, leaving
their age unknown to us all. Two kauri pines faring very nicely were planted by my brother Dan, between the time when he was back from World War 11 and when he was killed in New Britain whilst working there after the War, leaving us with one brother Clayton who also served in the Middle East and New Guinea but fortunately came home unscathed.

It is good to know that the bare flat adjoining the Forestry Complex is now being handled by Foresters, and we feel sure that the area, with the beautification of trees, etc., and the dedication of the memorial to the pioneers who toiled so hard and built Gympie up for following dwellers will be a fitting and deeply-remembered gift of kindly feelings from the folk of today who have never forgotten them.

May all folks who spend happy times on the "Araleun" flat remember with love, kindness and gratitude the pioneers who came to Gympie under great hardship, put their shoulders to the wheel and did the initial part of the work in making Gympie what it is today.

May we never forget them.
Isobel S. Doggrell

FROM:  THE TWO MILE STORY

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