MERCER LANE

Was Mercer Lane, like Mount Mercer now known as Warren’s Hill, named for John Mercer who is recorded as being the district’s first overland mail contractor? He was a pioneering homesteader who together with his wife Rebecca took up land on the south bank of the Herbert River.  Their first child, John, was born in 1870 and was the first European child born in the Lower Herbert, now Ingham area. 

It is possible that Mercer Lane was also named after John Mercer. Mercer Lane was once a laneway accessible for vehicles to the off street car park which is situated between Palm Creek and Lannercost Street. In 2009 a substantial amount of money was approved by Government to upgrade and improve Lannercost Street. The improvement included a closing of Mercer Land to vehicular traffic and construction of a 60 metre covered walkway the length of the Lane.

Today the laneway houses 42 metres of mosaic art panels depicting the history of the sugar cane industry of the Herbert River district. The concept was the brain child of local business woman Karen Venables and conceived by artist Kate Carr as an Artslink Queensland community public art project.  Community enthusiasm for the project is reflected in the funding provided by individuals, clubs, council and local businesses and the contribution of labour by over 2 000 locals and visitors. The medium of mosaics was used because it is an artistic form that can be quickly learned, and also because it is associated with the artwork of ancient Italy and Italians who to this day, make up a significant percentage of the local population.

The panels not only depict the sugar industry in all its phases, historically and industrially, but also the people who were affected by and contributed to the industry. The progression of the industry from hand held and horse drawn implements, to the mechanization of field work has been graphically detailed. The life style of a time long past when farmers could only attend meetings on a night when the full moon would light their way, to children dancing in a shower of cane fire ash or ‘black snow’, to a farmer’s wife carrying smoko to the paddock to a tired, dirty, hungry gang, all jump from the mosaic in life-like reality.

The representation of the historical events was drawn from research provided by historian, Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui and brought to life by the artistic interpretation rendered by Kate Carr. Interpretative story boards enable the viewer to appreciate the panels as both story and art work.    

Furthermore local families sponsored ‘tiles’ on which have been superimposed the story of their family’s contribution to the Herbert River sugar industry. In this way from cane cutter, to farmer, baker to shopkeeper, miller to inventor all those who have contributed to the industry that still sustains the Herbert River district are recalled.

 

Mercer Lane circa 1971. Source: http://www.cbcbank.com.au/images/Branches/QLD/QLD%20country%20I-L.htm

Mercer Lane 2019.

Dancing in the 'Black Snow'. Source: Photograph taken by Christopher Parry

Interpretative Plaque. Source: Photograph taken by Christopher Parry