The Treasure of Muscat flat

In 1870 the tiny township of Musket Flat QLD, was a bustling community of hotels stores, blacksmiths and a butchers shop.

Today little remains except some ruins and a legend of an elusive Treasure Mr Robert James Grout, an early owner of the Musket Flat Hotel.

He became intrigued with the legendary treasure and many still believe that it exists.

The story starts back into the mid 1870's when Musket Flat was a popular camping spot for the bullock drivers as they passed through to various early townships in Southern Queensland.

In those distant days money was plentiful and people spent it freely, especially the teamsters who were fond of a wee drop of rum, which was of primary Importance to the thirsty team steers whom made Musket Flat a popular waterhole and drinking contests were frequent, with the winner decided by who could drink the most in the shortest of time.

It was not uncommon at Christmas time for the contest to last up to three months or until their credit ran out or the liquor ran out.

As always good things seem to come to a end and on one occasion the grog ran out causing great consternation amongst the bullock driving fraternity.

About this time an individual known as big Jim conceived the idea of an illicit still as he was sure the supply of cheap grog would be an excellent profit making speculation and soon put his idea into practice he soon made a big trade for himself and when the legal hoteliers discovered their trade was falling away they banded together to institute inquires as to why.

In a short time police was watching Big Jim and where able to stop the supply of sly grog but could never find trace of the still, which placed Big Jim in something of a quandary, unable to get rid of the sly grog and keep his freedom he began to drink heavily.

It took months for Big Jim to drink his through his supplies and then suddenly, one day he awoke with a tremendous hangover only to find that he had ran out of grog.

Big Jim loved the grog but was not too fond of hard work but required money to buy his grog and took to bush ranging.

After committing several depredations the police went after him several times they chased him coming close to capture, but Jim knew the bush pretty well and got away each chase.

After many attempts to capture police gave up chasing after Big Jim and after several months in hiding Jim decided it was safe to venture out to Musket Flat and began drinking at the hotel.

The police waited until Jim drank himself into a stupor to arrest him and before he was taken away to stand trial big Jim made the following statement to all present.

"Boys I know I am done for my sentence will be for life I have a lot of money planted in a cave."

"There is a kettle filled with sovereigns that will be of no use to me now and some of you may as well have it and the police will never find it."

Even as Big Jim was hauled away to some residents believed that he was a failure at whatever he did and just laughed it off, while others believed Big Jim was a successful Bushranger.

Whilst in prison Big Jim managed to smuggle a message out to one of his friends which read the place you will find the kettle is about seven miles from hear where the creeks meet.

Look for the high rock and a rock bridge across the creek.

You won't see them until you are right up against them search there for a cave So long.

It's still a mystery to this day whether the information given by Jim was correct as many have tried to discover the cave but failed to do so.

One the the cave may be found but who knows but if it is the police will know for sure where Big Jim had his still.

- My thanks goes to Mrs Joyce Dale for the information used in this story.