A straggly old Date Palm growing at the intersection of Kerry and Stockyard Creek roads at Darlington, marks the site of a cream stand where local dairy farmers would leave their cream cans to be transported by horse drawn wagon to Beaudesert.
It also served as a depot for ordered goods and mail which were delivered from town along with the empty cream cans.
Locals believe that the seeds that produced this date palm were planted by ‘a hungry O’Reilly’ who raided the Guest House groceries and buried the evidence.
The O’Reilly boys arrived in 1911 to take up their selections on Roberts’ Plateau.
Their first access was via the timber tracks in Cainbable Gorge, a total of sixteen gruelling miles.
When Lamington National Park was proclaimed, all remaining blocks were removed from sale, isolating the O’Reillys with little prospect of the promised Government road.
So, they built their own track, down the Stockyard Creek Gorge and out to Kerry Road which halved the distance.
The first part was blasted out of a volcanic cliff.
The track was completed and riding parties, fifty strong, would trail up on Sundays and return with extravagant tales of the scenery.
When dairying commenced, the cream was separated by hand and carried at night by two packhorses to the cream stand on Kerry Road.
After the decision was made to build a Guesthouse, all building materials were carried up the Stockyard Track by packhorse or O’Reilly backs.
All guests also arrived on horseback this way until the mid 1930s when Lahey’s Road from Canungra was completed.
