Welcome to Irvinebank
Went to Irvinebank on the Herberton-chillagoe road this week.
Irvinebank is a little bit different and is often described as being “Deliverance” country by its detractors.
Maybe it is a little bit Deliverance, just a tiny bit, but in a good way (for those of you unfortunate enough to have not been around when the move Deliverance hit the big screen, Google it).
Irvinebank is isolated. It’s in the mountains and there are people there who like their privacy and put up signs saying, “Stop. No Entry. Piss off”.
Needless to say, I’m not going to press the point by going up the driveway to ask them what they like most about living in Irvinebank.
It’s a tucked away little village with a pub and some great old buildings including the old School of Arts (open twice monthly for social functions), Queensland National Bank (closed), Post Office (closed), police station (closed) and mine owner’s residence that is now a wonderful museum.
There is something in this museum that is pretty special. It’s a WW1 letter from Cpl W. J. Speirs at Gallipoli to his mum in Irvinebank.
His Rising Sun badge is enclosed in the envelope with the letter. The badge is buckled and wrapped around a lead shrapnel ball. Cpl Speirs explains to his mum how the badge saved his life when a bomb exploded while he and his mates were being towed ashore in a barge on the day of the Gallipoli landing, April 25 1915.
The bomb sent shrapnel flying, killing one man on the barge while Cpl Speirs’ own life was saved by the badge attached to the collar at the neck. The badge stopped the shrapnel piercing his jugular. Irvinebank is a tin mining town.
There were 126 people there at the time of the 2016 census, but I reckon they might have counted the dogs, cats, wallabies and horses to arrive at that number.
It’s an interesting place and the preservation of its old 19th century buildings is a credit to the local community.
There is a festival there on August 5-6.
Free camping in town. Irvinebank is 45 km from Atherton via Herberton.