A History of the Townsville Saint unmasks the local larrikin responsible for iconic landmark

It’s been one of North Queensland’s best kept secrets for 60 years, but the mask has finally come off the man responsible for one of Townsville’s most iconic landmarks.

The man who painted the landmark Barrie Snarski. Picture: Evan Morgan.

It’s been one of North Queensland’s best kept secrets for 60 years, but the mask has finally come off the local larrikin responsible for one of Townsville’s most iconic landmarks.

The Saint on Castle Hill has become synonymous with the city, wearing a Santa hat to celebrate Christmas and even an Akubra to highlight the North Queensland Cowboys’ grand final glory.

A new book, A History of the Townsville Saint, was written by Dr Lyall Ford who was one of the participants who first painted the Saint to mark its 60th anniversary.

He said the book was written to set the record straight and to reveal for the first time who went over the black abyss in the middle of the night to paint the Saint on the hill.

“For sixty years we have been listening to people and reading comments about what happened to the Saint over the past 60 years and most of them have been wrong so we thought it was time to tell everyone what really happened,” he said ahead of the book’s launch at C-Bar on Tuesday.

Rod Froyland, Barry Snarski, Peter Higgins, Bob Southman and Lyall Ford have released a book detailing the history of the Saint. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Not just the event in March 1962 but some of the adventures the Saint has had since then. There have been several attempts to wipe him out.

“There have been other events that have affected him like being heritage listed and trademarked.”

St Patrick’s Day earlier this year marked the 60th anniversary of when seven Mackay schoolmates, under cover of darkness, painted the original Saint on the hill in 1962.

The seven were all aged 17 to 19 and first year James Cook University students studying science and dentistry.

On the Saint’s 40th anniversary the group, Graeme Bowen, Rod Froyland, David Greve, Bob Sothman, Lyall Ford, Barrie Snarski and Peter Higgins, publicly revealed themselves for the first time.

But like a mystery from the original Saint TV series, one secret had always remained.

Which one of the seven went down the cliff face and painted the Saint on the hill for the first time.

Now with the book’s release Barrie Snarski has put his hand up and speaks about the experience for the first time.

“I was actually the idiot on the end of the rope. It was my moment of madness,” he said.

“Well I opened my big mouth too early whether I would do it and thinking none of the ropes and other things would be supplied and when they were I thought I had to fall on my sword or dig deep.

“So I had to dig deep, but at the end of day when you are looking down 900ft at night-time with a lot of street lights, it was not a good feeling especially when you are not an abseiler any such thing.’

“It is one of those times your heart beat quickens and that’s the end of it.

“You were looking down on an abyss basically I have been down falls and wells and things like that but never been hanging that far up in mid-air.

Barrie Snarski holds the book recording a piece of Townsville history. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I always thought the guy at the top of the cliff who had to move me around had the most dangerous job but they eventually had a safety line on him.

“I did not worry about him too much but if fell past and hit me I would have been in a lot of trouble.”

He said none of them expected the Saint would become a Townsville icon.

“It is a little sobering I think but the icon it has become had nothing to do with us it was the people of Townsville that made it that and it has gathered in momentum over the years.”

Another participant Peter Higgins said they finished the painting at 3.30am in the morning and came back down to Gregory Street but it was still dark.

“When the sun rose we had a look and said ‘well, well, well, that’s a great job’. We were so happy, it looked beautiful,” Mr Higgins said.

The book is available at Mary Who Bookshop or from Peter Higgins on 0437798167 with proceeds donated to a Townsville charity.

Originally published as A History of the Townsville Saint unmasks the local larrikin responsible for iconic landmark