Childers’ Charm

S and I visited Childers. This is a town of memories for S, some good and some not so. The town itself has been a cane growing town for many decades and goes all the way back to the beginning of cane farming. These days it still supports the cane industry as well as the tourism industry with back packers in to help the locals. It also tries to present an artistic side for the passing tourist trade by presenting the towns history on it’s pavements.

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Childers does have a dark history which is not really acknowledged. South sea islander people were brought to the town as slaves. These slaves known as Kanaks, built the sugar industry and the only mention was a sculpture in the main street that was erected by the descendants of the Kanaks that were not sent back when the country decided that slavery was a bad idea.

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The town has been prosperous which is shown by some of the architecture. Some of the buildings are simple wooden structures while others are brick with many decorative features. Many do show their age but in their time were quite pretty. In it heyday, the town was popular with more than five pubs and a special train on Saturday nights to bring revellers in from smaller towns.

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I cannot finish this post without mentioning the fire at the backpacker hostel that killed so many. The location has been rebuilt with local, state, federal and international help and is now a tourist information hub. This plaque is on the entrance to the building;