When Townsville was still just a small town, a local family by the name of Howell lived in the Aitkenvale area. They owned five very domesticated ponies that the children used for transport, and were mystified when the ponies went missing. When a man claimed to have found the ponies and offered to drive them back for ten shillings, the family gratefully agreed. However, when this recurred the next year, and the following, Mr Howell threatened to put the police onto the man.