Samuel Johnston (Waterview)

Samuel Johnston Snr
A photo of Samuel Johnston Snr, circa 1890.
Born	1840 County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Cane Farmer, Sawmiller, Entrepreneur
Spouse(s)	Annie Johnston
Children	William Samuel Johnston Samuel Johnston Jnr

Samuel Johnston Snr (Born 1840, Drumsara, County Londonderry;^[1] died November 10, 1924) was an Australian pioneer, arriving in Victoria, in 1858 from County Londonderry; like so many immigrants of the time he made his way to the gold diggings. Gold mining and industry eventually led him to Queensland, where he proved himself to be a most useful pioneer to whose efforts the state owes the rapid development of previously unsettled and practically unknown portions of her territory.^[2]

Heading north, he ended up in Rockhampton; which, when in its infancy he owned a sawmill on the Fitzroy River. After a period spent in Rockhampton, he moved further south to the Burnett. In 1867 he purchased a site on the northern banks of the Burnett River to erect his sawmill, which he bought in by the ketch "Violet"; the first vessel to enter the river. He is the man responsible for establishing the Waterview Estate.^[3]

In 1868 the town of Bundaberg was established by the government, no doubt due to the presence of the small settlement, composed of the Stewarts, Watsons, Alexanders and Samuel Johnston.

After aiding in pioneering industry with his sawmill, he expanded his operations and pioneered the sugar industry in the Bundaberg district; he established a sugar mill and plantation, again carrying the Waterview name.

Many years after beginning in the Burnett region, and after the early settlements had expanded to the far north, he continued to show his enterprise by extending his interests to Port Douglas, becoming the owner of "Drumsara" (named after his place of birth), a sugar estate on the Mossman River.

He had four sons and eight daughters.^[4] Many of whom continued the pioneering Johnston spirit and became integral members of the community from the cape to the central coast.

Career

Apart from designing and owning the Waterview sawmills, Samuel Johnston became the Chairman of the Mew Moonta Copper Mine and was also one of its Provisional Trustees.

In January 1876, Samuel Johnson was honored as a chairman at Bundaberg. He was also appointed as one of the magistrates of Bundaberg. He conducted pleasure trips to the heads in his craft S V Burnett.

Waterview Estate

The first establishment in Waterview estate was the Waterview sawmill, which began operating in December 29, 1868. Samuel Johnston also started the Waterview sugar mill in the 1860s. By 1872, commercial production of sugar was in full swing at Waterview.

The Waterview saw mill was affected in the 1875 flood but was rebuilt. By 1888, the Waterview saw mill had 70 horsepower engines, two storeys, a planning room, 50 employees, and supplied Rockhampton as well as local lumber. As the mill prospered, the government extended the railway that linked North Bundaberg with Mount Perry eastward towards Waterview Mill.

The sawmill closed in 1903 after being destroyed by flood.^[5]

Waterview Distillery

Samuel Johnston and Mr. Forshaw established the Waterview Distillery in November 11, 1892, immediately opposite the Millaquin Refinery. Waterview Distillery obtained molasses from the Waterview Sugar Refinery. The proximity of the distillery also made water carriage convenient, because the distillery was situated at a distance of not more than fifty yards from the river’s edge, where every facility for shipping was present.

Waterview Distillery measured 100 feet in length by 30 feet in width. Mr. Forshaw manufactured the entire distilling plants, including improvements on the old process of distillation.

Personality

Samuel Johnston was not only a pioneer, but also an innovator — not one to stand by and watch the others play unfairly.

References