Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 2/11/1872

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(full text transcription)

A Tour to the South.

[BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT]

THE RIVERINA

THE task that I have set myself of describing Riverina, - its vast extended resources; its watercourses, towns, villages, and princely stations, was no light one. The courses of the Murray, the Murrumbidgee, the Edward, the Lachlan, and the Darling, were to be followed up one side, and down the other or vice versa, beside an occasional flying off at a tangent right and left to inspect the Billabong and back blocks. I merely mention this to show the difficulty of clearly indicating the direction in which I have been travelling.

From Deniliquin I crossed the country to Hay, on the Murrumbidgee, and up the left bank of that river to Wagga Wagga. The distance from Deniliquin to Hay is about 70 miles. I left Deniliquin in the after noon to ride to Morago, Mr F Peppin's, 25 miles, to get my horses, which I had left there. The horse lent me to go to Marago was a perfect brute, a jib of the worst sort. After riding about 12 miles he, without notice, suddenly pulled himself up; and refused to move out of a walk. Bushmen of experience generally admit that the most exasperating of all troubles in the country, is a jibbing horse. Like others I devised all kinds of punishment to make him move, but without success. He seemed quite insensible to cuts from my whip, and for an hour refused to advance; then I got him to go on for a mile further, and he again jibbed. The best temper in the world would have been ruffled by such obstinacy on the part of brutes like the one given me to ride to Morago.

I then thought of two cures (?) which had been resorted to by others in my position. The first occurred in the Western district. There the rider, after exhausting all his energies and patience, and tried all plans; at last lit a fire under the stubborn brute's belly, and this proved a failure. The second case occurred near Parramatta; when the horse jibbed for the twentieth time, the rider put a pistol to the horse's ear, and shot him dead! Kindness, patting, bouncing, and punishing, were tried in succession, but with little success. By dint of great perseverance, I at last managed to get to where some drays were camped. The drays were loaded, and were bringing goods to Morago. Those in charge of the drays were civil obliging fellows, and seeing my difficulty, most thought fully proffered me horses to take me to the station, while they would take charge of, and brought on the next day the jibbing brute that I was on. I never appreciated an offer more in my life, and coming from strangers whom I have never seen before, and oven now do not know, the kindness is more gratefully remembered. With the good fresh little hack lent me, I got to the station in good time that night.

The next morning, I had the privilege of inspecting some of Mr Peppin's pedigree cattle. Amongst these was (1), Royalist, a red, 3 years, a fine square built beast; sire, Master of Athelstane, dam Grizzle Royal  (2), Harlequin, a roan, 3 years, by Count of Empire, dam Halloween; (3), Daylight, a pure white, 20 months, sire Fenian, by Degrave's Dairyman; (4), Hannibal, red and white, 12 months, sire Fenian, dam Halloween; and a few others from M'Dougall's stock. I am induced to mention these, as they all possess prize-taking qualities, will possibly distinguish themselves, and do good for Riverina at a future time.

Leaving Morago and the Edward, I struck across country, for 14 miles over plains the greater part of the way, on which hundreds of kangaroos were feeding. I then arrived at Wanganilla, the residence of Mr George Peppin. This is a delightful home, consisting of a fine large brick house, surrounded by a verandah, numerous outbuildings, a capital garden, tastefully laid out with choice flowers of all kinds, fruit, &c; a lawn end croquet-ground, and a good windmill; all on the bank of a good stream of water, called the Billabong. The stations of Messrs Peppins and Sons, I have before stated, extend from the Edward to the Billabong, and have a frontage of about 14 miles to each of these water courses. From Mr Peppins' residence there is a charming view of the village on the opposite bank. Seen peeping between the large trees is a rustic looking bridge, crossing the stream, and the houses on the other side look ns if they were built upon the bridge. There is no other such view in Riverina.

The village of Wanganilla is a small one, boasting of a store, a school, and two public-houses. I had not an opportunity of visiting the Public School said to be excellently conducted by Mr M'Quade. The Wanganilla store is a good country one carried on by Mr Monash. The Wanganilla Inn was built for a squatter, (Mr Brodribb) whose station it was on. It is a good large building, carried on by Mr Dillon. Nearly as far as the eye can see from Wangonilla, there stretches away a vast plain on the road to Hay. Crossing this in wet weather was very disagreeable, for the soil was of a peaty character, in places, and progress was difficult.

Twelve miles from Wanganilla I came to the Black Swamp, a small, though neat, roadside accommodation-house, where the mail coach changes horses. I had some lunch here, served me by Mrs Smith, who told a pitiful tale of the loss or dispersion of her family. Eight miles further across dreary plains, and I reached the Pine Ridge, a Government township, under the name of Booroorban. There is a fine brick hotel here, called the Royal Mail, containing nine rooms, and having brick kitchen, &c. It has only been completed a short time, at a cost of £1200, by Mr Samuel Porter, the proprietor of the hotel. What surprised me most was to see near the hotel some cultivation paddocks - a rare thing about here - 60 acres in extent. At the rear of the hotel were large stacks of hay, which were grown in these paddocks. A post-office is badly required at the Pine Ridge. The distance from Hay is 30 miles.

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