The art deco influence is evident in the Queensland sugar town of Ayr, 88 kilometres south of Townsville , as this unusual clock and weather vane , a memorial to a strong minded Burdekin pastoralist , John Drysdale, of the Pioneer Sugar Mill , shows . Regarded as the local sugar king, Drysdale , a canny Scot, intolerant of government interference in the industry, opposed trade union activities , arbitration courts , price regulation and the Australian Sugar Producers' Association , died in 1928.
In 1910 he had taken up 1280 acres of land in the Burdekin River area and with a government concession built the Inkerman Mill and tied up many local cane producers on long term agreements with high payments and obstructed attempts to build a rival cooperative mill in the district.
When community groups held talks to discuss how to erect a memorial to commemorate his contribution to the district , a minister of religion suggested the establishment of a centre for youths, which was disregarded , the unusual clock getting the tick of approval .
An interesting fact is that Drysdale was the great uncle of artist Sir (George) Russell Drysdale , famous for his pioneering , stark paintings of outback Australia .
In 1930 young Russell worked for a few months at Pioneer, coming up from Melbourne where he attended Geelong Grammar . Russell had gone with an uncle , Cluny , from Pioneer , on a business trip back to Britain the following year .
In 1930 young Russell worked for a few months at Pioneer, coming up from Melbourne where he attended Geelong Grammar . Russell had gone with an uncle , Cluny , from Pioneer , on a business trip back to Britain the following year .
The artist was appointed to the board of the Pioneer Sugar Mills Pty. Ltd. in 1947 and made regular visits to North Queensland , calling Pioneer ,where his father had worked for a time before moving to Melbourne , his "spiritual home " . He was knighted for his contribution to Australian art .
The 1964 book, John Drysdale and the Burdekin, by Roy Connolly, published by Ure Smith , included sketches of the industrious engineer by his grand -nephew, Sir Russell Drysdale. Two streets in the Ayr district bear the Drysdale name .
The 1964 book, John Drysdale and the Burdekin, by Roy Connolly, published by Ure Smith , included sketches of the industrious engineer by his grand -nephew, Sir Russell Drysdale. Two streets in the Ayr district bear the Drysdale name .
A short distance from the clock is the art deco like fronted Delta Cinema , saved by the international golfer Karrie Webb whose parents now run the business .The history of the building goes back to 1909 and it supposedly was the first country cinema in Queensland to show talking pictures . In 1961 it was converted into a supermarket , a Chinese restaurant ,an office supplies store , a nightclub and a ladies clothing store.
Left empty for years, it was brought back to life in the late 1990s when Karrie Webb , brought up in Ayr, bought it to give back something to her hometown .
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Geometric pattern above the entrance to the cinema . Below: The Delta in 1910 at the time of its opening . A bachelors' ball was held followed by an amateur theatrical military comedy drama , All for Gold ...Burdekin Shire Council photograph .
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