Allen and Evelyn Hinchcliffe are looking forward to new beginnings when they move from their Boyland property at the end of October.
It will be the end of over 100 years of family history for Allen, whose grandfather, Harry Hinchcliffe, bought the 98 acre property in 1908.
“I think he paid 500 pounds, which would have been a lot of money in those days,” laughed Allen.
The family had a dairy farm and they sent the milk to Kingston on the railway.
“Mr Barrett used to take it into Beaudesert on the horse and wagon, but when the railway was built it was very handy to take it to Kingston.”
The Boyland Railway Station was located close to the back of the property, and in its heyday it boasted a large home and Station Master.
Allen has lived on the property his whole life, his father William ‘Bill’ Hinchcliffe continued the dairy farm which, like many properties in the area, eventually changed to beef cattle.
He has seen many changes over his time in the area, and remembers when the local cattlemen used to drove cattle to the sale yards on horseback.
“Arthur Finch used to drive cattle to the Beaudesert sale and Dad used to go in sometimes.”
“They used to leave the cattle in Hart’s dip yard overnight and sleep at Jesse Hart’s place.”
“There was a chap on Tamborine Mountain, who has passed away now, Ned Hansford, who told me he used to bring cattle from Tamborine Mountain down the goat track, meet up with Finches, then from the dip yard he’d ride back up the track.”
At 83 years, he and Evelyn felt it was time to downsize to a smaller property near Boonah.
“We’re going from 100 acres to one acre – downsizing the acreage,” said Evelyn.
They are looking forward to exploring the area in the west of the Scenic Rim.
Allen and Evelyn are both keen bushwalkers and Allen has hiked up Tamborine Mountain from his Boyland property several times .
“I can still get about, just not as fast,” he laughed.
