James Earl - Lakeland

James Earl (1835–1907) was a merchant in Far North Queensland of cartage and started cattle breeding.

He is well known for his contributions to the local area.

Butcher's Hill was historically referred to in order to describe locations, for example references to north, south etc. of Butchers Hill. In modern times Lakeland is more commonly used and referred to as a landmark in the local area.

The Lakeland road stop is situated en-route to Cooktown from Cairns / Port Douglas / other southern locations. This road stop has various information that are in memory of James Earl.

James Earl lookout is a local tourist attraction and located nearby.

Biography James Earl was a native of Cambridgeshire. arrived in Cooktown, travelling on foot or on horseback to Palmer.

This influx of people provided business opportunities for the Earl family.

The brothers started their lucrative cartage business which included routes beteeen Cooktown and Palmer as well as other areas in the Cook district.

One of the resting stops on the road was Butcher's Hill and there is now a roadhouse and tourist/passerby stop in Lakeland previously known as Butcher's Hill station.

Earl took up the station in 1874 without his brothers by dissolving the partnership while relocating his share of the Yacamunda Station stock to the new station. This was lucrative because of the influx of population to the Palmer area because of the recently discovered Palmer goldfields.

Earl diversified into selling meat to the public via butcheries locally in the goldfields area (supplying Lakeland and Palmer River) and Cooktown.

“Red Water Fever” decimated cattle supplies. Earl diversified into horses.

Earl later retired and moved to Townsville where he died in the hospital there after a lengthy illness.