File:StateLibQld 1 134997 Thomas Hanlon's Ferry Hotel at Yatala, 1872.jpg

English: Thomas Hanlon's Ferry Hotel at Yatala, 1872

The early part of William Boag's career was spent in Sydney where he was in partnership with portrait photographer Joseph Charles Milligan. (Images made by Boag are in the collection of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society.). Boag arrived in Queensland in November 1871. He travelled around the south-east, along the foreshore of Moreton Bay and the township of Cleveland. He then moved into the Logan and Albert area where he captured images of local crushing mills and sugar plantations. While at Yatala, he took on a partner, John Henry Mills, and by the end of 1872, both men were in Stanthorpe where they remained for several months, producing views of the booming tin-mining settlement. In July 1873, after stopping off in Warwick, Boag and Mills extended their operations to Mackay, where they remained until October 1875. During this time, Boag made trips to St Lawrence and Cooktown, however his movements after this are difficult to trace. It is known that by mid 1876 he was at Copperfield and Clermont, and in February 1878, he inserted a notice in the Peak Downs Telegram announcing that he was leaving for the west. Then information ceases abruptly. It is possible that Boag never reached his destination, since his death certificate records that he died in 1878 at an unknown location.

This beautiful building with its graceful shingle roof was located south of the river bank at Hanlon's Crossing at Yatala, and served the travellers using Cobb & Company's Royal Mail coach which passed through the village of Yatala and then on to the Pimpama Inn and Nerang. It was licensed in 1870 to Thomas Hanlon, who may be the man sitting in front of the premises with his wife and child. In May 1872, Hanlon played host to Boag and Mills, during their visit to Yatala, and in July of that year he became involved in a court case with Boag after the photographer failed to pay for his accomodation. Hanlon later moved to Southport where, in 1879 he established the Pacific Hotel on the Esplanade.