DAINTREE 351 



Wheeler, etc., in the south (" Progress Report on a Portion of the 

 Rockhampton Mining District "), Daintree wrote his " General 

 Report on the Northern District," dated Maryvale, 2nd February, 

 1870, being a sketch of the geological features designed to make up 

 for the want of the complete geological map which he had hoped 

 to issue. In this report he claims to have made discoveries of 

 economic importance as follows : 



(1) " Eighteen months before a digger had prospected the 

 Cape Range, I had indicated the area of the present Cape diggings 

 as a future goldfield." 



(2) " It is now more than three years since I pointed out that 

 auriferous tracts would be found to extend from the heads of the 

 Gilbert, by way of Kirchner's Range, towards the Endeavour 

 River." 



On 29th August, 1870, he wrote " Report by Mr. Richard 

 Daintree, late Government Geologist, North Queensland, on the 

 RAVENSWOOD, MOUNT WYATT AND CAPE RIVER GOLDFIELDS, etc." 

 This was the record of a tour embracing the above-named places, 

 and also the BOWEN RIVER COALFIELD, the tour having had for its 

 primary object the collection of specimens for the LONDON 

 EXHIBITION. In 1871, he went to London in charge of the mineral 

 exhibits. On the close of the Exhibition, he was appointed AGENT- 

 GENERAL for the Colony of Queensland. Early in his incumbency of 

 this office he wrote a handbook entitled Queensland, Australia : 

 Its Territory, Climate and Products, Agricultural, Pastoral and 

 Mineral, etc., etc. (no date). Besides profuse illustrations, this 

 handbook contains a " MAP SHOWING MINERAL AREAS," and it also 

 shows " Mount Daintree " (named by Hann), and sketches Hann's 

 " Northern Exploration " route. The latter shows the date of 

 publication to be about 1873, because during that year the report 

 of Hann's trip of June-November, 1872, was published. During his 

 stay in London he received the distinction of C.M.G. 



On 24th April, 1872, Daintree read " NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY 

 OF THE COLONY OF QUEENSLAND " before the Geological Society 

 of London. This paper still ranks as a classic in the geology of 

 Queensland, and it was accompanied by a small GEOLOGICAL MAP 

 of the Colony, on which the " work " significantly stops short 

 at the Mitchell River. It is stated that the data for the paper were 

 " collected while prosecuting the search for new goldfields on 

 behalf of the Queensland Government." It is a resume and review 

 of his field work, and inasmuch as it gives an analysis of the Saxby 

 River hot spring " near Gibson's Station," it confirms the surmise 

 that he had personally travelled in the Lower Flinders region. 



Failing health led to his resignation of the Agent-Generalship, 

 and in 1876 he was succeeded by the Hon. Arthur Macalister. 

 He died at Mentone on 2oth June, 1878. 



