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Conrad Martens and the Bush of
South-East Queensland
Rod Fensham
The work of colonial artists has provided precious insights into the nature of the
Australian landscape as it was at the time immediately following white settlement.
The works of Glover, Lewin and von Guerard, for example, have been employed
by historical geographers' and have fuelled some fascinating debates about the
nature of the landscape as it was under Aboriginal management.' Of course, the
work of some of these artists forms more faithful historical documentation than that
of others. The stylised works of l.S. Lycett, the emancipated convict turned painter,
are almost certainly unreliable as accurate landscape documentation, as his criminal
conviction for forgery may suggest (Plate I). It is likely that Lycett never visited
some of the locations he painted and much of his work was probably commissioned
as immigration propaganda, intended to placate the fears of the Britons equivocating
about a move to the awesome and intimidating southern land.
By contrast, the body of work from Conrad Martens' time in south-east
Queensland from the 1840s and 1850s suggests an artistic agenda that is pure to
the subject of his landscapes. We can be fairly certain that Martens provided an
accurate representation because in many cases it is possible to relocate the precise
position where he set up his easel. The curve of the hills and shape of the horizon
is almost as true as a photograph. The density and tone in his landscapes remain
faithful to the Australian bush, whether his subject was rainforest or open woodland,
and he was probably among the first to capture the distinctive form of its supreme
icon, the eucalypt tree.
Martens' works are valued as historical documents because of the accuracy of
their depiction and because they are contemporaneous with the period of European
settlement in south-east Queensland. The fledgling colony at Brisbane was only
about 25 years old at the time of Martens' visit and his time in the Darling Downs
was little more than a decade after the Leslie brothers took up the first selection
in the district. The paintings of Conrad Martens provide a benchmark for the
landscapes that have been subject to dramatic development in the last 100 years.
This is most obvious in his works of Brisbane depicting the open eucalypt forests,'
which, although undoubtedly thinned by timber cutters, were also making way for
the burgeoning town. Of course houses have now inevitably replaced these forests,
49
ROD FENSHAM
although the city is reasonably well endowed with bushland parks that preserve
some remnants. Some of Martens' paintings in and around Brisbane reveal vines
and hoop pines (Araucaria cunninghamii), confirming rainforest elements on the
steep rocky banks' or in the side gullies' feeding the Brisbane River.
Sometimes M:irtens' paintings reveal that the landscape has changed in unexpected
ways. Prominent bands of mangroves have appeared in the Brisbane River around
the current city, where they were sparse or absent during the 1850s.' The foreground
of his painting of the granite tors within the current Girraween National Park
reveals a far more open landscape than can be witnessed at this site today.'
Martens' work in the Darling Downs provides a particularly important testament
to the nature of the original landscape. He entered the district on the track across
the Great Dividing Range through Cunningham's Gap. The range catches sufficient
coastal rainfall to support well-developed rainforest that still exists today with
essentially the same character as represented in Martens' pictures' As he travelled
west of the range, Martens entered the 'Downs' where the transformation to open
woodlands and plains is dramatic and highlights the character of the country in the
vast beyond of the interior. Martens' pictures in the Darling Downs reveal relatively
little clearance of the natural vegetation, although there is an occasional suggestion
of tree cutting, probably for the timber fences used to keep stock out of house yards
and gardens.' Martens painted the home-paddock at 'Goomburra', which probably
provided crops and animals for domestic use. 10 In general there was little cause for
extensive clearing as the naturally open character of the country abundant with
native grasses provided excellent pasture for sheep.
The Darling Downs was, and still is, a pastoral and agricultural Eldorado,
representing one of the most fertile districts in Australia. Given the natural wealth
of the country, it is not surprising that the district was almost entirely occupied by
the time of Martens' visit. There was no effective government control on the
frontier of settlement and the squatters claimed vast areas of country, such that by
1864 the entire district was represented by about 50 individual properties (Plate 2).
After the extirpation of the original Aboriginal inhabitants, the disproportionately
large size of the runs ensured that a place in the early settlement of the Darling
Downs provided the opportunity for great prosperity.
Members of this newly formed squattocracy were Martens' hosts and patrons
during his time in the Darling Downs. From his bases at 'Canning Downs', 'Cecil
Plains', 'Goomburra', 'Rosalie Plains' and 'Talgai' he completed his work. The
classic topographic sequence in the Darling Downs is from wooded hills to more
open and often clumped vegetation on the foot-slopes, opening out to virtually
treeless plains on the broad flats of the valleys (Plate 3). Typically the dominant
eucalypt of the hills is mountain coolibah (Eucalyptus orgadophila) and on the
foot-slopes poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea), both species that are absent to the
east of the Great Dividing Range that borders the district. This landscape sequence
was obviously a favourite subject of Martens, as he repeated the general scene in
many locations." Given the high fertility of the plains, their treeless character is
curious and they are beautifully depicted in Martens' whimsical but delightful sketch
of a mirage (Plate 4)." The treeless plains are dissected by streams such as the
50
'CONRAD MARTENS AND THE BUSH OF SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND'
Condamine River that are lined by a band of forest composed of majestic river red
gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)."
The original vegetation patterns in the Darling Downs have been pieced together
with the aid of old survey plans" and are visually represented by other colonial
artists less accomplished than Martens. such as the Reverend Thomas Biddulph
Hutton, John Andrew Bonar and J.G. Sawkins (in the 1850s), Henry Grant L10yd
(in the late 1860s and early 1870s) and W.G. Wilson (in the 1890s). Many of the
original vegetation types have been reduced to sparse remnants and their natural
sequence as depicted by Martens obliterated with clearing of the foot-slope woodlands
and cultivation in the valleys. The vast grassland of the Condamine flood plain is
a chequerboard of highly productive cultivation. yielding a range of both summer
and winter crops in the same year, including cotton, sorghum and wheat. Conservation
efforts seek to retain and provide appropriate management for the last remaining
one percent of the grasslands where they exist on stock routes and occasional
paddocks.
In some cases there were large grass trees on the plains. These plants, although
not technically trees, were noted by Ludwig Leichhardt who visited the Darling
Downs in 1843 before returning for the commencement of his extraordinary expedition
to Cobourg Peninsula: 'Here and there the grass tree is seen either single. or in
groups and groves. It is one foot and more in diameter, and eight to ten feet high.
Till then I had never seen the grass-tree in rich soil; on the contrary, it was the sign
of the poorest sandstone rock and sand. Here the case is reversed, the grass-tree
grows in the finest soil, and generally in plains.' IS The plains grass trees of the
Darling Downs were almost certainly Xanthorrhoea glauca and they have been
totally obliterated from the plains country, although a few individual specimens
remain on Kings Creek near Clifton. They are still reasonably common in the hills
and ranges in the district and are easily accessible on the Bunya Mountains. In
Near Pilton, Xanthorea or Grass trees. Dec. 24th 1851, Martens provides a
precious glimpse of the unusual plains dwelling grass trees and photographs (see
Plate 5) testify to their persistence at least until the turn of the twentieth century.16
Martens was obviously captivated by the forms of the Australian plants. Not
only did he produce a botanically precise image of the grass tree but also of the
narrow-leaved bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) that has been extensively cleared
from its natural habitat, although still planted as a street tree in many western
Queensland towns. 17 He also produced a study of the distinctive dome shaped
crown of the Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii), familiar to most Queenslanders and
a favourite food source for Aboriginal people.
Some of Martens' images provide cause to rethink our existing paradigms of
landscape patterns. Conventional wisdom has it that the broad river flats to the east
of the Great Dividing Range were blue gum woodland and they have been mapped
as such in the reconstructed 'pre-clearing' vegetation maps produced by the
l
Queensland Herbarium. But Martens' depictions of the flats at Franklyn Vale ' in
the Lockyer Valley (Plate 6) and at Coochin Coochin 20 near Boonah testify that
treeless grassland also existed in these districts. It is possible that these open flats
had been partially cleared by the time of Martens' visit, but the irregular boundary
I'
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Plate I. Joseph Lycett (ca 1775-1828), (Aborigines Using Fire to Hunt Kangaroos), ca 1817, watercolour, accession no. 2962939, National Library
of Australia. Reproduced with permission.
'CONRAD MARTENS AND THE BUSH OF SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND'
Plate 2. Squatting map of the Darling Downs district, Queensland, 1864. Reproduced
courtesy of the Cobb and Co. Museum, Toowoomba.
53
ROD FENSHAM
Plate 3. Conrad Martens, Killarney, Canning Downs, 1854. Watercolour. Purchased with
funds raised through the Conrad Martens Queensland Art Gallery Foundation Appeal and
with the assistance of the Queensland Government's special Centenary Fund.
Collection: Queensland Art Gallery.
Plate 4. Conrad Martens, The Mirage on the Great Condamine Plain. 1852.
Pencil. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
54
'CONRAD MARTENS AND THE BUSH OF SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND'
Plate 5, Headington Hill Station ca 1897, Photo courtesy of John Oxley Library.
Plate 6, Conrad Martens, (View a/Glen, Franklill Vale), 1853, Watercolour, 17.5 x 25.5 cm.
Private collection. (Martens' original spelling ofFranklyn Vale is retained in the title.)
55
ROD FENSHAM
Plate 7. Yam daisy (Microseris lanceolala syn. M. scapigem). Photo courtesy of Beth Gott.
between the grasslands and woodlands confirms a natural landscape. The land
survey record should assist in determining the extent of these previously overlooked
open grasslands but it will be far more challenging to locate remnants of the
grasslands in this region, as they occur On prime agricultural soils.
Martens' images remind us of our ignorance of the botanical culture of the
Indigenous peoples. It is a pointed coincidence that One of Martens' images of
Aboriginal people is from Gladfield. 21 Gladfield in the Darling Downs is the
northernmost location of the yam daisy (Microseris lanceolala) where it is only
known by a single collection from 1891." It would seem to have since disappeared,
having eluded extensive searches by local botanists. The yam daisy (Plate 7) was
excavated ell masse by Aboriginal tribes On the grassy plains further to the south,
and Beth Gott has collated historical records to document its significance as a staple
56
'CONRAD MARTENS AND THE BUSH OF SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND'
carbohydrate. 2J Beth Gott has also described how variable the tubers are in size
and palatability throughout the species range. Unfortunately we have no way of
knowing the character of these tubers on the Darling Downs or their significance
for its. Indigenous inhabitants. Who knows, we may have been able to develop a
subtropical tuber suitable for European palates from the Darling Downs yam daisy!
Martens' works not only testify to the character of the landscapes at the time of
settlement but also inspire inquiry. Certainly the range of historical sources from the
nineteenth century provides fertile ground for a deeper understanding of our natural
heritage.
Notes
See RJ. Fensham, 'The pre·European vegetation of the Midlands, Tasmania: floristic and
historical analysis of vegetation patterns', Journal of Biogeography 16 (1989): 29~5; D. Benson
and J. Howell, Taken for Granted: The Bushland of Sydney and Its Suburbs (Sydney: Kangaroo
Press, 1990).
J.S. Benson and P.A. Redpath, 'The nature of pre·European native vegetation in south·eastem
Australia: a critique of Ryan, D.G., Ryan. J.R. and Start, Bol. (1995) The Australian Landscape
_ Observations of Explorers and Early Settlers'. Cunninghamia 5 (1997): 285-328.
Conrad Martens, Brisbane in 1852, 1852. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales,
Sydney, in Steele, Plate 2; ConTad Martens, North and South Brisbane from the South Brisbane
Rocks, 1851, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, in Steele, Figure 7; Conrad Martens, Part of
Brisbane with Kangaroo Point. Queensland 1853, National Library of Australia, Canberra in
2
3
4
5
6
Steele, Plate 3.
Conrad Martens. Brisbane, 1855. Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane: reproduction at http://
www.visualans.qld.goy.au/martens.
Conrad Martens, Kangaroo Point. Brisbane. 1852, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South
Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Plate 4; Conrad Martens, Kangaroo Point. Nav 1851,1851, John Oxley
Library, Brisbane, in Steele, Figure 15.
Conrad Martens, View of Brisbane (in 1851), 1862, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, in Steele,
Figure 10; Conrad Martens, North and South Brisbane from the South Brisbane Rocks, 1851.
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, in Steele, Figure 7; Conrad Martens, North and South Brisbane,
Moreton Bay. New South Wales, c.1852, National Library of Australia, Canberra, in Steele,
Figure 9.
Conrad Martens. Terrawambella on Nichol's run, New England. March 19th 1852, 1852, Dixson
Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Figure 110; J.G. Steele, personal
communication with the author, 11 Aug. 200 I.
8 Conrad Martens, Scrub in Cunningham's Gap, Dec. 12th 1851, 1851, Mitchell Library, State
Library of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Figure 38; ConTad Martens, Scrub in Cunningham 's
. Gap, 1851, National Library of Australia, Canberra. reproduced at http://nla.gov.au/nla.pican2390628-y; Conrad Martens. Cunningham's Gap, 1874, private collection, in Steele, Figure 39;
Conrad Martens, Forest, Cunningham's Gap, 1856, Queensland Art Gallery. Brisbane, in Julie
Ewingwn, Conrad Martens and the Darling Downs (Brisbane: Queensland Art Gallery. 1998).
9 Conrad Martens, View from Dray toll Range, 1853. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South
7
Wales, Sydney. in Steele. Plate 7.
10 Conrad Martens, House and Garden. Goomburra, c.1853, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.
reproduced at http://www.visualans.qld.gov.au/martens.
57
ROD FENSHAM
11 ConTact Martens. Mount Mitchell from Gladfield.,1858, Mitchell Library. State Library of New
South Wales, Sydney; Conrad Martens, Killamey, Canning Downs, March 13th 1852, 1852,
Mitchell Library, Stale Library of New South Wales, Sydney. in Sleele. Figure 105: Conrad
Martens, Killarney, Canning Downs, 1854, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane in Ewington;
Conrad Martens, Heifer Station, Canning Downs, 1852, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane. in
Ewington; Conrad Martens, Cattle Plain, Goomburra. 1858. Mitchell Library. State Library of
New South Wales, Sydney; Conrad Martens, Goomburra crossing place. 1853, Mitchell Library.
State Library of New South Wales. Sydney.
12 Conract Martens, The Mirage on the Great Condamine Plain, 1852, Mitchell Library, State
Library of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Figure 89.
13 Conrad Martens. Crossing Place, Canning Downs, 1854, Queensland Art Gallery. Brisbane. in
Ewington; Conrad Martens, Crossing Place, Condamine, Canning Downs, March 12th 1852.
1852, Mitchell Library, Stale Library of New South Wales. Sydney, in Steele. Figure 10 I; Conrad
Martens, Warwickfram the Right Bank of the "Condamine", March 12th 1852. 1852, Mitchell
Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. in Steele. Figure 102.
14 RJ. Fensham and RJ. Fairfax, 'The use of the land survey record to reconstruct pre-European
vegetation patterns in the Darling Downs, Queensland. Australia', journal of Biogeography
24 (1997): 827-836.
15 M. French. ed., Travellers ill a Landscape: Visitors' 1mpressions of the Darling Downs
1827-1954 (Toowoomba: USQ Press, 1994); B. Gott. 'Murnong-Microseris scapigera: a study
of a staple food of Victorian Aborigines', Australian Aboriginal Studies 2 (1983): 2-18.
16 Conrad Martens, Near Pilton, Xanthorea or Grass trees, Dec. 24th 1851, 1851, Dixson Library,
State Library of New South Wales. Sydney, in Steele. Figure 48.
l7 Conrad Martens, Bottle Tree, Rosalie Plains - Ramse)' Esq., Feb, 16th 1852, 1852, Mitchell
Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele. Figure 81; Conrad Martens, Bottle
Tree, 1851, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, in Steele. Figure 37.
18 Conrad Martens. The Bunya Pine. Cooyar. Feb. 13th 1852. 1852. Mitchell Library. State Library
of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Figure 80.
19 Conrad Martens. Franklyn Vale from the Range. c,1853, private collection; Conrad Martens,
Franklyn Vale. c.1854, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, reproduced at
http://www.visualarts.qld.gov.au/martens; Conrad Martens, Franklin Vale, Jail, 20th 1852,1852,
Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, in Steele, Figure 69; Conrad
Martens. (Franklyn Vale), 1861, private collection, in Steele, Plate 10: Conrad Martens, (View
afGlen, Franklin Vale), 1853, private collection. reproduced at http://www.visualans.qld.gov.au/
martens;.Conrad Martens, Franklin Vale, Jan. 22, 1852. Mitchell Library. State Library of New
South Wales. Sydney, in Steele, Figure 70.
20 Conrad Martens. Coochin Run. 1854. Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, in Ewington; Conrad
Martens, Coochin Coochin, 1875, Dixson Library, State Library of New South Wales. Sydney;
Conrad Martens. Coochin, 1851, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane. in Ewington; Conrad Martens,
"Mooni", Coachin, Dec. 5th 1851, J851. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales,
Sydney, in Steele, Figure 32.
21 Conrad Martens. Black's Camp at Gladfield, Dec. 29th 1851, 1851, Mitchell Library, State
Library of New South Wales. Sydney. in Steele, Figure 54.
22 Beth Gott has misinterpreted this as a South Australian specimen. The collector is C.l. Gwyther
and the Queensland Herbarium has 70 of his specimens from south-east Queensland. The
'Gladfield' location of this specimen is certainly the Darling Downs, Queensland. As noted by
Gatt. F.M. Bailey (Director. Queensland Herbarium) has made a note on the specimen: 'In the
early days of S. Australia the colonists used to eat the fleshy roots of this plant - following
the practice of the natives by whom it was largely used for food. I was fond of it as a boy its
flavour was somewhat like a sweet nut.'
23 B. Gott, 'Murnong·Microseris scapigera: a study of a staple food of Victorian Aborigines',
Australian Aboriginal StudieJ 2 (1983): 2-18.
58