Historical Site Bartlett’s Memorial

The Historical Site of Bartlett’s Memorial is along Cania Rd at Cania. Clark Barlett first came to Cania in the 1920s as a miner. He left for a while and returned in 1936 with his wife Ivy and built the dirt floor hut near Three Moon Creek where they reared 6 children, 3 boys and 3 girls.

In 1948, Clark was visited by a reporter from Brisbane and spend days walking the reporter over all the walks he had discovered while hunting and convinced them he lived in the best place in the world. The reporter wrote about “Little Bit of Heaven” the Bartlett family lived at Cania Gorge and a couple of other papers did the same.

Cania Gorge was a reserve, not a national park, the picnic area was a camping ground that was overcrowded at times. Clark proudly took visitors on the many walks he discovered and collected 8 signed visitors books with over 12,000 signatures.

Clark continued to show visitors around Cania Gorge until he was unable to due to going blind from glaucoma. The huts were infested with white ants and had to be destroyed.

Across the road, the cliffs of Cania Gorge National Park  can be seen from the roadside. The afternoon sun on the exposed sandstone cliffs is gorgeous.

The memorial plaque reads:

This is the site where Clark and Ivy Bartlett + Six Children had their humble home

1836 – 1990

Reporters came to visit Clark at his Cania home
A dirt floor hut connected to the telephone
I live in a little bit of heaven, Clark would say
I have found many walks, come, I’ll show you the way
Post and Sunday newspapers each ran big spreads
On this bit of heaven, where Clark cooked home made bread
Tourists flocked to see Cania and Clark’s humble home
He showed them bush pleasures and where to roam
They experienced the walks found while hunting meat
He carried a water bottle, but never put shoes on his feet
Clark Bartlett is a Cania legend that will forever stand tall
He satisfied tourists by answering their every call
Sadly, Clark’s gates are now closed, blindness was his fate
In February 1999 he went to meet his eternal mate.

Vale Ivy Barlett (Nee Carter) 18-02-1912 – 11-05-1999
Vale Clark Bartlett 01-12-1905 – 18-02-1999

Written by Beryl Bleys
in appreciation of Clark’s contribution to the tourist industry.