FEATURE - A local ‘loco’ legend

Clive Plater OAM has done more for the town of Nambour than one can possibly write about in an article, but Rebecca Mugridge has done her best to cover some of his achievements in a two-part story! (Part 2 in October’s HT)

by Rebecca Mugridge

Clive Plater OAM, historian, author, civil engineer, expert restorer, and Foundation Member and President of the Nambour Historical Museum, has been protecting the past and preserving history for a lifetime. 

Along with his Order of Australia Medal, Clive has also been recognised by the Nambour RSL for 30 years of providing transport to Veterans at Anzac Day services with his Military Jeeps, by the Rural Flying Doctors for more than 30 years of support, is the Eudlo Honorary Flag Officer and, along with wife Lorelle, was awarded a Norfolk Island Council of Elders Award.

Clive is the celebrated author of the intricately detailed book, Locomotives of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, which has had two editions and covers.

“The locomotives operated by the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company between 1904 and 2003,” shares Clive.

He dedicates the book, the historical masterpiece it is, to his father, Edgar Clive Plater, who, “had a deep interest in local history which has obviously carried over into me,” it reads. 

Clive warmly acknowledges the immaculate records, photos and the helpful writing of his father in his diaries, while at the mill. These notes helped shape the book, and also preserve so much local history with accuracy. 

Edgar worked in the sugar mill in Nambour for 51 years, and during that time he impressively rose from a points boy at just 14 years of age, through several roles, including loco driving, to the important role of Assistant Chief Cane Inspector and was also the honorary historian for the sugar mill.

Clive’s connection to the Moreton Central Sugar Mill and Nambour’s history runs deep indeed; he is the great-grandson of George Land Bury, the first elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for the mill, which began its journey with its very first crushing season in 1897. 

Bury Street in Nambour was named in honour of G.L. Bury. The street comes off Currie Street, passes the library and the museum, before ending where the Moreton Central Sugar Mill once stood. 

G.L. Bury was a pioneer settler, landowner, member and chairman with Maroochy Divisional Board and Maroochy Shire Council, a Director of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill and an accomplished builder and hotelier. A historical, famous figure of Nambour who is well-loved and respected. 

Clive has two great-grandfathers, two grandfathers, his father and three uncles (one of whom drove the first diesel there), who have worked for the local sugar industry, from cane farmer to bridge foreman to locomotive driver. It is a massive part of his own family history as well as the town’s. 

“One of my grandfathers worked during the crushing season,” says Clive. “He had a dairy farm up on Hospital Road and had a contract to supply the milk to the hospital. The house is still there, number 15, it was built around 1930.” 

Once Clive’s dad retired,the mill would still ring him up and ask questions,like where the boundary of the mill was, or about the tram line’s history,” recalls Clive.

“Dad was interested in history; he collected old photos of the town and was involved with the Queensland Museum and Indigenous artefacts. 

“As a Cane Inspector for a big part of his career, farmers were always finding Indigenous artefacts in the paddock, and they would pile them in the corner of their sheds for him. 

“He preserved them and organised for the Queensland Museum Archaeology Department to come up. They collected some that they had never seen before. He saved lots that would have been lost,” remembers Clive.

The skill of the keen eye was passed down from father to son. “When I got into civil engineering, you always walked around and kept your eye on the ground. Especially after rain,” Clive says.

“My dad was also a Loco Fireman and Driver. Around the time I was born, he had moved into the office, in charge of all the tram lines, the loco crews, and was the cane inspector. 

“I grew up where dad used to have to go over on a Sunday morning and work out the deliveries of the cane trucks for the next day, and if you wanted to spend time with your dad, you had to go to work with him!” Clive smiles.

“And so I'd go over there, ride down to the marshalling yards, down the bottom of Howard Street on my bike, and count all the empty cane trucks for him. And that way you could get finished before lunch on a Sunday. And then we’d go for a Sunday drive.”

Clive shares warm memories of these Sunday adventures. They were special times. 

“We’d pick up my grandmother and go for a Sunday drive down to the beach. That was the standard procedure. Or sometimes we'd have to go a particular way because he needed to for work. 

“It was a drive. A drive with a plan, he smiles. “I'd be sitting to one side counting cane trucks [wagons]. Dad's driving along fairly fast, and he's counting. I loved it.” 

Another family connection was Clive’s uncle, Sandy. Clive stands next to the Nambour Museum’s ‘Sandy’ train as he talks about him. This impressive train is presented with detailed exhibit information that has clearly been a work of love and respect. 

“This is the train named after my uncle, Sergeant Les ‘Sandy’ Plater, who was killed in the Middle East during WWII. He drove for the mill before he served, and then after the war, the sugar mill bought and named a loco after him. 

“Like a lot of sugar mills at the time, they bought some of these ex-army petrol locos, built for working ammunition depots during the war. There were about 90 of these locos built, and after the war, they sold them. When some turned up here, my uncle's mates said, ‘Hey, we'd better name one after Sandy’.” 

Clive restored Sandy after a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs. An event celebrated by people of Nambour and train enthusiasts alike. 

“It doesn't work, but it's fantastic! Jean Chapman wrote a storybook about it,” Clive adds.

(Part 2 in the October HT)