Community
28 October, 2023
Family cane history book
A FAMILY history book about the cane industry, May the Cane Prosper – A Queensland story, written by Pene Greet and Avis-Ann Ballard is being launched next week.
Ms Ballard said the duo had a mutual great grandmother (Louise Tielkemeyer), their grandmothers (Louise Vass and Minnie Hall) were sisters and Pene’s mother Dell Greet and her father Eric Hall were cousins.
“The book begins with impoverished German villagers Louise, and her first husband August Schilling, arriving in Queensland in 1884,” she said.
“Three days after arriving in Rockhampton on the Roma, son Merx (Max) was born. By 1889 they were tenant farmers of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company at Mundoo in the Innisfail district.
“Three of Louise’s brothers (Theo, Heinrich and Adolph Backhaus) along with their families joined them there.
“Another brother, August, went to Western Australia mining. Louise married a neighbour, Friedrich Tielkemeyer, after Mr Schilling died of dengue fever in 1894.
“The book covers their lives, their children and grandchildren, as well as the brother’s families. “Schilling, Backhaus, and Hall are well known local Innisfail district names. Eric Hall senior was chairman of the Johnstone Shire Council from 1927 to 1930. Tielkemeyer and Vass families moved to Home Hill by 1923 and their story continues there.”
An author’s talk has been organised at the Innisfail Library on Tuesday, October 31 between 12-1pm. “Pene will speak about the family association with the district. I might add Pene (who lives in New Zealand) is the author and I (live in Redcliffe, Queensland) provided the research.”
