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From: "Dianne Carroll" <>
Subject: [High County] MURRAY, KIEWA AND MITTA RUNS - Part 2
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2001 23:45:23 +1100
In-Reply-To: <NFBBIFIPCLCHAHGJBAIFKEFPCAAA.yarragon@iprimus.com.au>


Memoirs of a Stockman by Harry Peck - (1942)
Extract Part 2

Wyseworth is now the property of the Misses Kirby, who have recently also
acquired Book Book (an owl) in the Wagga district.

Bungowannah was the first run on the river below Albury and originally ran
back to north of jindera. It was formed by John Dight in '37 and held by his
family until sold in '81 to John Grieve, who called the freehold Bungowannah
Park. He sent prime bullocks regularly to Newmarket, but subdivided about
1896. Herbert Power of Powers Rutherford & Co., bought the homestead but
sold to Sir Rupert Clarke. However, Reggie Power and Sir Rupert's daughter
married and for some years made it their home.

The brothers Carey-Giles and William-both quiet likeable men, were very
early selectors or purchasers on Bungowannah and regular suppliers to
Newmarket, generally crossing the river at Howlong and trucking their
bullocks at Barnawartha. After the Powers left, Bungowannah Park was further
subdivided, though Charlie Rice had previously formed thereon Panburra, now
held by George and Steve Sassella, who made their fortunes at Newmarkt and,
under the name of Langlands, are making that portion famous for prime baby
beef. Part known as Kensal Green was held alternately by James Reid, Phil
Locke and now by P. J. Kelly of Omeo, while Cam. Read, formerly of Morwell,
holds Bank View, all being suppliers to Newmarket of good bullocks. Tom
Griffith close up to Albury formed that beautiful property Delaware, noted
for its Shorthorn stud, inherited by his son Charles Hunter, manager of
Dalgety & Co. It is of interest that on November 17, 1824, Hamilton Hume
went down the river bank for some miles below their camp near the site of
Albury searching for a crossing, and after Dight formed the run, Hume paid
him a visit and pointed out the marked tree where he turned back. John Dight
built flour mills at Albury and at Abbotsford (the latter at the falls
bearing his name), where Gardiner, Hordern and Hepburn crossed the Yarra
with the first mob of cattle to come south.

Bowna, first run above Hawkesyiew on the river, was taken up by Matthew
Smith in '37, but on his death before 1840 Bowna came into the possession of
Thomas Shelley (no relation of the Shelley family who took up Tintaldra and
other runs above jingellic). It was bought by John Hore with Cumberoona in
'59. The bulk of the run was rented for some years by Sir Williarn Lyne from
Tasmania, before he represented "The Hume" in the Federal House, and later
by (cBigtp McDonald after he left Merriang Lodge near Myrtleford. Then some
25 years ago Vaughan & Sons of Phillip Island bought a considerable

1

block with frontages to both the river and the old Sydney road, and this
after a few years they sold to H. C. Sides & Son from the Hay district.
Rotherfield, part of Bowna, was held early by Richard Patterson, who also
took up Walden Park of the south portion of Dora Dora some 50 years ago.
>From Rotherfield that free-flowering purple weed known as Patterson's Curse
originated, but (though detested by all cattle-men on the Upper Murray) in
the north of South Australia from Port Augusta to up around Lake Torrens,
where the rainfall is only about 10 inches, the same weed is considered a
valued herbage, relished by all stock and called "Salvation jane'~-an
instance of climate and environment changing economic value.

Cumberoona was taken up by John jobbins in '36, and was the next run above
Bowna. In 1841 it was sold to C. and H. Fowler, in '46 to Robert Calder and
in '59 to John Hore. Inherited by his nephew John Hore jnr., this run was
held by his widow, a daughter of James Mitchell of Table Top, until sold to
the Murray River Commission for resumption for the Hume Weir. In John Hore's
time Cumberoona was famous for its splendid herd of Durham cattle and stud
of blood horses. Toonallook, already noted, and Mugwee were both originally
part of Cumberoona.

Mugwee (bull-frog noise) was originally a separate frontage block of
Cumberoona. Formed about 1845 by Andrew Hore, who died in 1890, Mugwee is
now held by Mr. Pat. Hore, who has made it famous by the breeding and prime
quality and weight of its big Shorthorn bullocks sent annually to Newmarket.
Though a large proportion of the frontage of Mugwee was resumed for the Hume
Weir some 10 years ago, Pat Hore still turns his splendid big Shorthorns off
as prime as ever, continually topping Newmarket.

Table Top is the "Battery Mountain" of Hume and Hovell, which they ascended
in 1824. The native name is Mullyan-aringa (the home of eagles).
Mullengandra the run on the east side is evidently an adaption. Though Table
Top is not on the frontage it is so close to Albury to the north of Bowna
and Hawksview, and James Mitchell made it so famous since '60 for blood
horses and Devon cattle, that it must be included in memoirs of the Upper
Murray. In '36 Dutton took the run up with 1000 cattle, with Darlot in
charge in '37, but when he moved his cattle into Victoria, Hobbie Elliott
took possession and built the first homestead, only a quarter of a mile
above on the opposite side of the creek to the present one. In '40 Foote and
Patterson were in possession. In '48 they sold to Villeneuve Smith, who
three years later sold to that wonderful lady Mrs.Elizabeth Mitchell, who
put it in the name of her son John F. H. Mitchell. In '59 he transferred to
his youngest brother James, who made it his home until his death in 1914,
aged 79. James Mitchell's widow, white haired, much beloved by all, carried
Table Top on until she died only a few years ago.

Wagra (the cry of a crow) east of Camberoona, is now known as Wymah. The
name was changed owing to a freehold property near Tallangatta being later
named Wagra. Spalding and Cobham early in '36 had put some stock on Bungil
on the Victorian side, but meeting trouble with the natives crossed the
river and took up Wagra. Meanwhile, John Waite had taken up Bungil for John
Hore his son-in-law, and within the year the latter exchanged Bungil for
Wagra. In the 70's considerable alienation took place, and later the .post
office of Wymah, hotel and punt were established. When John Hore died
practically only the freehold was left.

Dora Dora, east of Wagra, was a large run originally running up to Yarra
Yarra on the north and Coppabella on the north-east. Very rough and
mountainous at the back, it was taken up in '37 by Redhall brothers, with
Elliott Heriot in charge. The natives were very hostile in his time and made
a strong attack on the homestead. By a coincidence two Queensland black
trackers who had bolted from a police depot in Victoria, making north,
surprised and murdered a poor old prospecting hatter in his hut on Dora Dora
only some 30 years ago and then "went bush." They came to be known as "the
Dora Dora blacks" for, sighted several times on their way, they were not
caught for months, and then only far up on the Queensland east coast, some
1200 miles north, close to their own home district, where the police were
lying in wait. An extraordinary journey, as they had been brought south by
sea. Dora Dora was early transferred to jeffries brothers. From '48 to '60
it was held by James Wilson, to '71 by Ogle J. Moore, and later by Ronald
and McBain, J. Vautier, H. K. Aird and Tinkler and Mercer in turn. In 1884
it was held by J. F. Hayes and then by Lamb and sons for many years.

Riverview, originally part of the Dora Dora frontage, was taken up by
William Hore in the 'sixties, and his family had possession for many years
until Churchill Rogers of the Black Mountain in east Gippsland, bought it.
He fattened bullocks for Newmarket on Riverview, and Hugh Bullivant who
lives at Blink Bonnie, near Forbes, and held Maragle with his brother Arthur
for a few years, and now owns Riverview, does the same. Mr. Bullivant senr.
was an early settler of the Colac district.

Walden Park constituted most of the remainder of the southern portion of
Dora Dora, with also a long frontage to the river. It was early formed by
Richard Paterson, who also had Rotherfield, part of Bowna. Later, Walden
Park came into the possession of Milton Price a Melbourne solicitor, who
sold to Andrew Hore a brother of Pat. Hore of Mugwee. He in turn sold to
Walter Howard Smith of the shipping firm of Howard Smith & Co., whose
executors sold to Henry H. Collins and Son. To Mr. Collins senr. I am
indebted for several details of the section from Hawkesview to Dora Dora.

When Henry G. Collins returned from the 1914-18 war, throughout which he
served in the 6th Light Horse, his father took him into partnership in his
Western District property. On selling this they bought Walden Park. Another
brother who was also in the same regiment, was killed after 31 years'
service, and a daughter served through as a nursing sister. It was of
interest to learn that Mr. Henry H. Collins, Miss Constance Curlewis and a
niece of George Edward Curlewis, of the second generation, are the only
relatives left in Australia of the three pioneer squatters.-the Curlewis
brothers who, arriving in Sydney from 1817 to 1826, took up Krarawaree on
the Monaro. Later George Campbell Curlewis squatting at The Heart, and
Walter at Holey Plain in the 'thirties, were the first to settle and fatten
in central Gippsland, following Angus McMillan, the explorer of Bushy Park.
Septimus Lord Curlewis took over Tilba Tilba, their heifer station on the
coast, about 100 miles above Twofold Bay, as his share, and in '41 married
his cousin Miss Collins of Halifax, Yorkshire. Selling Tilba Tilba he bought
Thule, near Deniliquin, in which property Mr. Collins's father, who came to
Australia in 1841, was interested. George Campbell Curlewis, the eldest,
after leaving The Heart took up or. bought several runs on the Lower Murray
in the Kerang to Swan Hill district in partnership with Campbell and Sons of
Campbell's Wharf, Circular Quay, Sydney, including Reedy Lake, Bael Bael,
Murrabit and Lake Boga; but had considerable trouble with the natives, who
were of a wild but strong type in that district in the '40's; game and fish
being in plenty, food was always abundant. Further reference to the Curlewis
brothers' early settlement in central Gippsland will be found in that
section.

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Dianne Carroll
Victorian Alpine Regional Historian
http://home.iprimus.com.au/yarragon
Pioneer Portraits of Australian's
http://www.angelfire.com/my/pioneer



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