Timeline: Prince Alfred's disastrous visit

In 1868, the western railway line reached Jondaryan.

His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, was on a two-year visit to Australia. When visiting Queensland, he was taken to Jondaryan to open the new extension to the railway line, which was one of the greatest achievements of the government of the time.

The visit was a disaster right from the start.

The special train carrying the Prince and his retinue of dignitaries ran hours late, arriving at Jondaryan after dark, throwing all the arrangements out for the official welcome and opening celebrations.

The following is an extract taken from the writings of the Reverend John Milner, who accompanied Prince Alfred on his Australian tour.

"Because of the lateness of the arrival of the train, all the welcoming arrangements had to be reorganised, causing some two hours further delay.

"The Duke was confined to a small room at the railway station with his attending staff, while the squatters and other gentlemen who had assembled to welcome the Duke, took possession of the vacant carriages and settled down to their pipes and conversation, it being unclear what the next move was to be.

"The Duke was highly amused by the oddness of the whole affair and asked, 'What came we out to see?'"

The Commodore went to see what was going on and found that preparations were being made for a dinner, as it was so late.

About 10 o'clock in the evening dinner was announced by which time everyone was afflicted with considerable hunger pains. Some 50 guests sat down with the Duke's party in a large tent decorated with flags and flowers.

After the Governor had made the Royal toast, the manager of Jondaryan station Mr Graham, made a very amusing speech, presenting the Duke with a very large damper that had been especially made on the station for him, as a gift from the station people.

The Duke in accepting the damper, said that he could not possibly eat it all himself and received it as eaten.

At this point another gentleman proposed the health of His Excellency, the acting Governor. He took the opportunity of saying how desirous the squatters were that he should be confirmed in the appointment, appealing to the Duke to use his influence with the Queen for that purpose.

At that point a voice desired him to sit down, but this request made him persevere the more, as he saw that the majority was definitely with him.

After the dinner was concluded, Mr Graham invited the Duke and his party to accompany him to the Jondaryan homestead, some two miles distant, where he offered to put the party up for the night.

However, an over-zealous government official insisted that the Duke should spend the night in the accommodation that had been arranged for him at the railway station.

So the remainder of the Duke's party departed with Mr Graham for Jondaryan, leaving the Duke to the enjoyment of his dreary quarters.

The following morning, Mr Graham invited the Duke and his party to spend the day hunting, as there were plenty of kangaroos, emus and plain turkeys to be had on the Downs.

The Duke being a keen sportsman, expressed his delight at the invitation, adding that it would help to loosen up his cramped muscles from the past night's sleep.

However, the official organising the tour said the Duke's schedule could not allow him the time to do that, as so much time had been lost on the previous day.

Prince Alfred was not impressed with his visit to Jondaryan, for on his return to England, he is reported as having told his mother Queen Victoria,

"In New South Wales they shot at me, in Victoria they mobbed me, but in Queensland they sent me to Jondaryan and inflicted me with over zealous officials."