The Spirit of O'Reillys

---

Peter O’Reilly’s book, The Spirit of  O’Reillys, will also be on sale. This is a wonderful story, especially interesting for people who are keen on the history and cultural heritage of this part of the world, and the extraordinary story of this pioneering family.

This year, the O’Reillys are celebrating the centenary of their arrival on Green Mountains, having originally selected their land in 1911. At that time, land selection requirements by the Queensland Government included clearing the rainforest which then covered the land. The cleared country was then grassed and opened up as dairy farms. Four years later Lamington National Park was gazetted. It surrounded the O’Reilly selections, and denied the family any opportunity to construct a road out from the farms. Undaunted, the boys set about building a horse track down to the Kerry Valley via Stockyard Creek, both to cart their cream out, and to bring supplies in.

Gradually more and more people rode up Stockyard Creek to visit and enjoy the spectacular scenery, and to stay in the O’Reilly’s huts. The boys put tracks to the waterfalls and lookouts, and eventually the family decided to build a guesthouse.

The early history of this unique family saga is eloquently described in Bernard O’Reilly’s book, Green Mountains and Cullenbenbong. Peter O’Reilly picks up the story where Bernard left off, tracing the more modern developments of the guesthouse and the continuing family involvement in running the place, up until quite recent times.