Difference between revisions of "Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 31/8/1872 (2)"

Latest revision as of 20:59, 20 November 2015

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The area of North Yanco is 240 square miles; and it has a frontage of twelve miles to tho Murrumbidgee. About 10,000 acres are purchased. The station is splendidly improved, and many thousands have been expended in fencing, damming for water supply, and in the erection of machinery for spouting and hot water washing wool. The station carries about 60,000 sheep, and a few hundred head of cattle. The sheep are chiefly the descendants of the flocks of Bayley, Cox, and other celebrated western breeders. The wool from North Yanco last year averaged 2s 6d per lb.

This year it was calculated that 85 per cent, of lambs would be obtained. The whole of the run is fenced in, and subdivided. Upwards of 200 miles of fencing have been erected, at an average cost of £40 per mile. Though the station has such a good frontage to the Murrumbidgee, and is also watered by an ana-branch the Cudgell Creek, which runs parallel to the river for seven miles, yet it was found necessary to greatly increase the water supply by the construction of nine or ten dams, wells, and tanks, at a cost of over £5000. These statistics will give an idea of the expenditure connected with the stocking of the salt bush and myall country of Riverina. Messrs. M'Neill Brothers employ about forty hands on the North Yanco station. Though there is no post-office, a mail is made up specially for the North Yanco station; and I believe that this is found necessary on most other large stations on Riverina.

The day after my arrival at the station tho practical superintendent, Mr Elwyn, rode with me to the wool shed, distant nearly three miles in an easterly direction. It is a large wooden and shingled building in the form of a T. It is 180 feet long and 35 feet wide. There is accommodation for 32 shearers. Two screen folding tables, and a travelling box screw wool press are used. A wool store is adjacent to the shed; and a short distance away are the superintendents quarters; the shearers, and the " rouse-about" men's huts.

About 11 miles in a north-westerly direction from the home Station there is a large clay pan where an extraordinary spectacle is to be seen. Men from the station were trying for water some years ago, and at an excavation of the depth of 9 feet they came upon a singularaboriginal grave yard. Innumerable bones were turned up and a careful examination for a considerable distance revealed thousands of ovoid shaped aboriginal graves. Many graves were double, tier above tier, and mostly running parallel, east and west. The supposition is that the country was once very thickly populated about here; or that a great battle took place in the vicinity, many years ago.

Leaving North Yanco, a ride of a few hours down the northern bank of the river brought me to a pleasant looking station called Cojelderie, though this seems to be a corruption of the aboriginal name Cudgelderio. Gojelderi is a fine homestead, and I should think one of the most comfort able on the Murrumbidgee. The station is the property and residence of J A Dallas, Esq, JP.

The residence, is approached from the roadside, 300 yards away, across a green lawn, or meadow, and then through a shrubbery and garden. It is built of pine. It has a double roof verandah in front, and porchway, enshrouded with the passion flower, connects the house with the laundry and kitchen. The shrubbery and garden is a maze in some parts.

A circular flower bed, with a cypress growing in the centre, is in front of the residence; to the left are circles, triangles, squares, parallelograms, and many other geometrically-planned figures, planted with choice flowers, amongst which I noticed several beautiful varieties of roses, and the desert pea. Having regard to the intense heat of Riverina in summer, there is formed from the house to the front gateway, a vine trellis 200 feet long, which will be a cool retreat in the warm weather. A good hedge surrounds the garden, which is very neatly kept, and, though young, speaks well for its future.

Immediately at tho back of the residence is the Murrumbidgee, which at this time of the year, with the steamboats passing and re-passing, and then gliding along between the trees along the river's tortuous course, is a sight worth seeing. To the left of the residence, are. the stables, coach-house, &c. ; and further still, the superintendent's comfortable cottage, with two fine Cuba trees shading it in front.

An inspection of the stables gave me an opportunity of seeing, two fine horses which are spoken highly of in the district. The names of their relatives are a guarantee of their pedigree. The first shown was Yattendoa, a thoroughbred stallion. sire Yattendon the Great, and his dam is Greenmantle. The other is a grey, called Sweet William, and his sire is tho imported Arab, Sweet William. They are both in splendid form and condition.

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