Bullocky Tom’s Legacy Lives On In New Mural

Locally loved artist, Katie Louise, has graced the region once again, painting a beautiful mural on the wall of the infamous Frosty Mango building located 40km South of Ingham along the mighty Bruce Highway.

Hailing from Townsville, Katie’s paint brushes have coloured many surfaces across North Queensland where she has artistically captured the unique qualities of several communities including the Atherton Tablelands, Charters Towers, and now Cardwell.

Katie’s recent piece within the shire tells the tale of Bullocky Tom, a local pioneer who resided within the area in the 1800s alongside his wife Ruth, and four children. Since his death 128 years ago, Bullocky Tom has become a local legend with many noting Crystal Creek’s popular Bullocky Tom’s Track as a lasting reminder of the Irish man’s time spent within the region.

Bullocky Tom, formerly known as Thomas Edward Andrews, was born in Wicklow, Ireland in 1848. He lived at the junction of Big Crystal Creek and Little Crystal Creek for the majority of his life where he raised his children and worked a mail route through what’s now known as the Bullocky Tom’s Track. The trail connects the top of the Paluma Range with the rest of the coastal escarpment and quickly became the second busiest pack-track of it’s time, allowing miners to transport hundreds of thousands of supplies and tin between neighbouring sites. After Bullocky Tom’s death on the 13th of January 1897, he was laid to rest at Mount Ruth at a grave subtly marked by two orange trees roughly 800 meters from Mutarnee, and a small creek now called Bullocky Tom’s Creek.

Although it’s changed vastly since the 1800s, experienced hikers can still explore approximately 15 kilometres of the grade four trail through the Paluma Range National Park, beginning from the Paluma Dam, and finishing at Crystal Creek’s Paradise Waterhole.

With the mural now complete, Katie has received plenty of praise from locals passing her by whilst painting one of her most history rich pieces yet.

“The Bullocky Tom mural took me around 10 days to complete, and throughout the process I was met with so much encouragement and positivity from the public,” Katie explained.

“It’s been really heartwarming to hear how much the piece resonates with people - even some of Bullocky Tom’s descendants reached out to express their gratitude, which meant a lot to me.”

Pop on over to visit the Frosty Mango this August and witness Katie’s work for yourself!

“It’s been such a special project to be part of, and I’m really proud of how it all came together.”