DS Maintenance & Contracting

11/04/2022

New camp at Lake Julius .

28/03/2022

New colourbond fencing and sliding gate install in town .

25/03/2022

25/03/2022

Works start on Monday the 28th .

05/02/2022

New basketball ball equipment installed this week

05/02/2022

New basketball equipment installed this week .

12/01/2022

🗑 New rubbish bin receptacles are being installed throughout the central business district of Mount Isa. Older or damaged bin holders will be replaced with these new stainless steel structures.

♻️ The older bin holders will be retained, repaired and redeployed in new locations in the future. Tactile tiles are also scheduled to be replaced in the first week of February 2022.

05/01/2022

New lighting installed at Black Rock and Kingfisher Park Boat Ramp’s and public toilets .

27/12/2021

This old fence

So I’m showing you this photo for a different reason

I have been amazed by this fence for as long as I set eyes on it (and any similar) back in 1985.
The reason for the amazement, the history.
This is an old sheep fence…let me tell you what I know just by looking at it
Each post hole was hand dug, considering the hardness of the ground, that is what I would call hard work.
Each post would have been cut by hand, each hole in each post drilled by hand, each wire threaded through each hole by hand, tightened by hand. Maybe by a forky stick, cut for purpose for the job.

It is a boundary fence.

Let me tell you what I assume about the construction of the fence line
You can see the water tower of Boulia from the ridges on this fence line, so that gives you an indication how close it is from town (10-15km in places)…but I would say that the team that built this fence didn’t visit town too often…they would have carted their own water, tucker, and all they needed and camped out while construction happened. Tucker would consist of salted beef, cold mutton, tin food…maybe they had a cook. Then the food may have had a bit more variety. There would have been no ice or refrigeration.
If they were lucky, they could have had a truck. You would hope they were able to erect this fence line during the cooler months of the year.
I would say the team was all male.
The wire, both barb and plain, isn’t an easy gauge to handle.
The fact it is still standing shows how well constructed it is.
I look at fixtures like this and think “if only they could talk” and tell us the stories of yesterday in the outback.

I wonder if the builders of this fence, ever thought that decades after they finished it, people would admire their work with approval and respect…or they were just thankful it was finished. I hope somewhere in their minds they were proud of their work, because they should have been, or was it all part of life. Get in, get it done and move on.

This fence hasn’t held sheep for about 20 years now, but it still holds cattle on both sides.

If we constructed a fence line in this fences place today, there would be post driver involved. Both for the wooden stays and the steel pickets. There would be a barb wire roller on the back of the Toyota. Humans would tie the barb to the posts after each wire was strained up with wire strainers. Humans would arrive at work every day and go home every evening. It would be constructed a lot quicker. Car fridges, ice, mobile phone range.

I wonder in the decades to come, will others look at our “modern” fences and wonder about the history and work put into it!
Let us hope, for everyone’s sake that the Osphranter rufus is still hopping around near whatever fences there are, in decades to come.

21/12/2021

Some great projects to be involved in this month too finish off another great year .
The new Gallipoli Park Pump track and a new family friendly bbq , beach and handicap accessible pontoon at our Lake Moondarra.

11/11/2021

Awesome upgrade to this outdoor area 🌞

Simply adding a cost effective outdoor roofing, storage and bench space has created a whole new entertainment area that can be enjoyed all year round 🥂🪵🔥

12/10/2021

Start of new contract for safety upgrades at Lake Moondarra.
Resurfacing and repairs too damaged sections of scenic road , rock fall prevention fencing.