Helidon
22–23 November 1915
The Civic Guard formed a guard of honour as 52 Dungarees headed east out of Toowoomba to the edge of the range, on the morning of 22 November 1915. They halted at the top of the Toowoomba Toll Bar Road for a final farewell prior to their descent to the valley below. The mayor suggested that more Toowoomba men might join the march later as many were still making up their minds.
The men stopped for lunch at the Postman’s Ridge School, then marched on to Helidon around 4pm. Local school children joined them for the last half mile singing patriotic songs and carrying flags.
The Dungarees had a refreshing swim in Lockyer Creek prior to dinner and another local recruitment drive, before setting up camp for the night in the reserve on the creek bank near the bridge. A local vehicle was provided to bring the kit bags from the train and a railway goods shed was made available in case of rain.
