She read stories from two booklets called Stories from the Camooweal Caves launched at the Dugalunji Camp recently. 

The first story was called Violence on the Frontier, collected by interviewing local Ruby Saltmere who recalled the story of how her grandmother – who lived in the Lawn Hill area - survived a massacre caused by Native Mounted Police troopers.

“All armed, you know, guns, pocket guns and everything,” Mrs Saltmere said. 

“And they shot all the people while they were still in bed some of them.

“But Gran and another old lady [then a girl] survived all night. 

“The dog nearly gave them away because the little dog knew where they were, under the bushes.” 

Ms Sheldon read a lighter story which told how Phyllis King once came to own Crocket’s Café. 

A publican asked her former waitress Mrs King to run an old café next to the pub. 

“I said ‘Me? I’m only a bloody waitress!” Mrs King said, but decided to buy the café through instalments, and once it was paid off her husband built her another. Mrs King died before her interview was published but her sister Carol attended the launch. 

After the launch, Ms Sheldon said the corporation wanted to collect all types of material that brought the community together. 

“It was very important to us because that’s how people remember the history of the area.’’

She said the booklets could be distributed to tourists at Outback at the Isa. 

Myuma Manager Tanya Willis said the books were funded through the Australian Government’s Your Community Heritage Grant.