The above well- illustrated volume, covering the history of the Northwest Queensland town of McKinlay , recently came our way. It contains an early chapter headed McKINLAY BEFORE THE CROCODILE , by Frank Allison .
This is a reference to the fact that in l985 the town was taken over for several weeks to film parts of the fabulously successful Australian film, Crocodile Dundee , the hotel a central part. Originally built in 1900, it was called the Federal Hotel and at one stage was the shire hall .
There is a page devoted to the event which includes a series of photographs and details of one of the " funny incidents" that took part .
A member of the film crew asked a woman where her husband was, and she replied that he was out the back stocking the Donkey. Not knowing that the Donkey was a wood heated hot water system , the questioner replied , "Gosh, they do some funny things in McKinlay."
West of McKinlay is the South 32 Cannington mine ,established in 1997, said to be the world's largest silver and lead mine . Silver from it was supplied for the Sydney Olympics and Para Olympic Games and also the 2008 Beijing Games.
(Crocodile . Film. McKinlay.)
