The origins of ropemaking go back thousands of years. An early ropemaking tool, dating from 40,000 years ago, was made from a simple piece of ivory, with four aligned holes carved into it – the holes used for threading through plant fibres, the ivory then continually twisted to form rope. While rope had many essential purposes – hauling (eg the building of the Pyramids), fishing nets, lashing logs together for shelter – all critical to man’s progression, it was the rigging of sailing ships which required the greatest quantities of strong, large ropes.
Malcolm Jinkson first saw ropemaking about 10 years ago, in Biloela – “an old bloke”, he says, “using a traditional rope maker”. He copied the machine… learnt the craft… and now does demonstrations at events and festivals throughout Queensland. Plying 9 strands of bailing twine, he can make whatever length rope is needed, the only limitation, since it is all done by hand, is “running out of puff doing the winding!”