From marriage certificate - Donald married Mary Fredrica Slattery at St Joseph's Presbytery, Townsville on 2nd August 1911. # status - bachelor. # birthplace - Taree Estates, NSW. # Occupation - Exporter. # fathers Name - John McInnes. (occupation - Farmer)# Mothers Name - Mary McPherson
From his death notice in the Townsville Daily bulletin on Monday 9th June 1945 - The death occurred in Townsville on Sunday night of Mr. Donald McInnes, In his 80th year and North Queensland -lost one of its most colorful characters. Generous to a fault, he will be missed by a circle of friends who are scattered all over Australia.
Don-McInnes was a native of New South Wales. He was born at Taree, on the Manning River, and. was one of a family of eleven children— ten sons and one daughter. After leaving school he took up butchering and worked at Lismore, where he delivered meat to farms on the Clarence River by punt, and took produce back to the town.
THE LATE Mr. MclNNES
Gold was being found in various places in West Australia, and young, McInnes went there, and supplied meat to -the diggers. Then he went across to the Rand, in South Africa. When the Boer War broke out he engaged, in the import of horses from Australia, and he also imported huge numbers of cattle and sheep. His activities brought him much success. He took an Interest in racing, and /often told of his disgust at losing a Johannesburg Cup— because the judge did not see the Mc Innes colors out wide under the box. From South Africa, Mr. McInnes went to the Philippine Islands. He opened a horse bazaar In Manila and did a steady trade In Stock imported from Australia, mostly from Townsville, where the late Mr. Jack Fanning selected many horses and ponies for him. Every trip to the East the old Taiyuan and Changaha carried stock from Townsville to Manila for the McInnes bazaar. It was in 1909 that Mr. McInnes came to Townsville. He had met with an accident, and broken a leg, and it was still in splints when he boarded the steamer In Manila. When he was well again he conducted his horse shipping business from North Queensland. He acquired a large area of land at Rosslea Estate, and built a comfort able home on the bank of Ross River. His holding included the present golf links and much other land, which was later cut up into blocks and built upon. It was natural for a man with his interests to become interested in Townsville racing. He raced several horses at Cluden, but saw the possibilities of race promotion himself and ran unregistered racing at Cleveland. Going back to the registered ranks, Mr. Mclnnes raced at Cluden again, and also became a bookmaker. He was very successful and built fine premises in Flinders Street, where he announced himself as 'the right man on the wrong side.'
Donald had died before I met and married his grand-daughter Anne but Nana Mary lived until she was 103. Anne and I had a lot to do with Nana Mary but she never revealed much of her husbands life before they married. Don was 37 and Mary 17 when they married.
