Landing of the Fitzgerald PartyPrint Page

The cairn commemorates the landing of Fitzgerald and his party in Innisfail in 1879. 

In 1879 Thomas Henry Fitzgerald set out for North Queensland in an effort to find suitable sugar lands. He travelled much the same route as Dalrymple, and looked over the areas surrounding the Daintree, Mulgrave, Russell and Johnstone rivers. Fitzgerald was more impressed by the Johnstone river area which he became determined to settle for sugar growing.

Thomas Henry Fitzgerald led the private enterprise Johnstone River Settlement Party, assisted by Sub-Inspector Johnstone and his men. The Party, which included 11 Europeans and 22 South Sea Islanders, landed on the banks of the Johnstone on 23 April 1880. With backing from the Catholic Church, he established a plantation and settlement which was to become Innisfail.

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