Page 89 - Port Douglas Magazine 34

PHOTO CREDIT: Tropical Tourism North Queensland

I spent time examining the photos displayed of the trucks and vehicles that personal belongings was limited, some miners began leaving their pay packets
had become croppers on the infamous CREB track - one of Australia’s most at the Lion’s Den and writing how much money they had spent, or still had,
spectacular and challenging four wheel drive trails located nearby. Gravity up on the wall. The amount was written and recorded for the next time they
and mud hadn’t been kind with some teetering on their front grill bars, some returned to the pub and in turn each miner knew how much money they had
poised at an angle in a ditch and others doing impersonations of hippos in to spend while on the premises.
flood waters. One owner, Bert Cummings, wrote a book in an attempt to retain his
sanity after being there 13 years. He wrote about “observing the antics of
“The Lion’s Den is so much more than a hotel. It is a the general public in a bush pub”. His insight into human nature made him
“convinced that the planet earth would have to be the dumping ground for all
place ingrained in the local’s hearts and souls.” the misfits, morons, deadbeats, oddballs, dropouts and imbalanced creatures
from other more stable planets - otherwise we could never have got such a
collection of them together in one heap!”
Maybe the inspiration behind the Mos Eisly cantina scene in Star Wars.
No visit to the Lion’s Den is complete without writing one’s name on the
wall, a custom that began over 150 years ago. The signatures that adorn the One thing is for sure, the next owner will certainly be taking on a piece of
wall of the Lions Den stem from a tradition that began in the early days. The history. With walls that can tell a thousand stories and a widely flung array
hotel was frequented for many years by miners working at the various tin of different types of visitors... what happens in the Lion’s Den, stays in the
mines around the area. In these early days, when education and security of Lion’s Den - if you can remember.
PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE 89