Article and images on Clark Bartlett supplied by Monto Historian Beryl Bleys.
This article tells the story of the man who discovered most of the walks in Cania that we enjoy today, and who was instrumental in starting tourism in Cania Gorge.
Cania Gold was discovered in 1870, but Clark didn’t come to Cania as a miner until 1926. He returned to his family in Ceratodus and returned to Cania with his wife Ivy and baby son Norman in 1936.
They first lived on Three Moon Creek, then moved to the top side of the road where Clark built a dirt floor hut and a sawn timber shed, it was in these buildings they reared 6 children.
Clark was a miner on and off and still had licences in 1991. He was a mailman and shopper for miners and settlers. He also repaired mowers and had a number of visitors wanting information about the area.
In 1948 Clark was visited by a “Post” (an early newspaper) reporter from Brisbane to do a story on his hermit lifestyle. Clark was absolutely addicted to Cania Gorge, so Clark spent days walking the reporter over all the walks he had discovered. The reporter went back and wrote about the “LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN” the Bartlett family lived in at Cania Gorge. The Truth and Sunday mail did the same, now the tourists came’ to share our Little Bit of Heaven.
To finish the story of Clark, he continued to care for the tourists by taking them on walks-fishing – gold panning and showing them how to make bread until he went blind and had to leave his beloved Cania Gorge. He wanted to be buried there, but it was not possible. He is buried in the Monto cemetery.
Council has acknowledged Clark’s dedication and contributions to Cania Gorge and the tourists by setting a Memorial Cairn at the Hut site which is on the left side of Cania Road. His family rebuilt the old hut supplying all the materials and this can be seen at the Cania Gorge Big 4 Caravan Park.
