In late 1889 Charles Gibbard moved his hotel from Mount Britton to the gold diggings at Broken River, on the Eungella Range 30 km north of Mount Britton. However, because of the rugged ranges the journey was much more than twice that distance, and because there was no road it was rough and difficult. The hotel was dismantled and loaded onto three wagons, each pulled by a team of fourteen horses. After overcoming many difficulties they made it up the Blenheim Range and down to Broken River. When finally they crossed Broken River for the 6th time they were welcomed by the thirsty diggers, and found that they were the first horse teams to have ever arrived at the Eungella gold diggings. The epic journey had taken them 4 days. Gibbard erected his hotel on the bank of the river and called it Broken River Hotel. He later dismantled it again and moved it down river, to be closer to the diggings! In this painting one of the three horse teams is making the last crossing of Broken River, as they arrive at the Eungella diggings. In this painting one of the three horse teams is making the last crossing of Broken River, as they arrive at the Eungella diggings.

This is one of twelve paintings from THE MOUNT BRITTON COLLECTION depicting people and places or events around the pioneering gold-mining town of Mount Britton, near Nebo, which is 100km west of Mackay in Queensland.