Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 7/9/1872 (7)
A Tour to the South.
[BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT]
THE MURRUMBIDGEE – BALRANALD TO WENTWORTH
THE distance from Balranald to Wentworth is computed to be 140 miles, but 1 believe they are what are known as stockman's miles-considerably longer than English ones. Eighteen miles from Balranald along thr bank of the river for a short distance, then through scrubby country and small plains, I came to a splendid sheet of water called Waldaira Lake. It is on the Canally run - part of the station of Messrs. Maguire and Cohen of Melbourne. Having had a late start from Balranald, it was long after nightfall when I got to Waldaira Lake. I had some difficulty in finding Mr Preshaw's (the superintendent's) house, though the directions received seemed to be pretty plain. I was hospitably treated by Mr Preshaw. At sunrise on the following morning we had a row on the lake in a well built boat. It was a most enjoyable pull, and the lake, like others in the district, was alive with swans, pelicans wild ducks, &c. The house, as seen from the centre of the stream, looks most picturesque.
Resuming my journey along the edge of the lake, and through ground almost completely inundated for many miles. I travelled slowly all day, and towards evening got to Meilmam, Mr Walker's station, quite wet through. Meilmam is a comfortable, well-built residence, on the northern bank of the conjoined rivers, the Murray and Murrumbidgee. They join forty-two miles by the river above Meilmam. To the right of the residence the scenery is relieved by what appears like an artificial plantation of those beautiful rich green foliaged pines - all fine, well - shaped trees. Meilmam carries about 12,000 sheep, and 5000 head of cattle. The short track to Euston was impassable in consequence of the flood water from the great river, here very wide, having overflowed its banks in many places.
Taking the other route, four miles from Meilmam, I came to a fine lake, and at the end of ten miles, to a very magnificent one, called Beunine, which I should judge to be nine miles round. This is the boundary of Mr Walker's station. Ten miles beyond I came to the Euston station, the property of Mr Taylor, and in charge of Mr Bertram. There are six runs in connection with this station, embracing an area of 1800 square miles. 700 miles are enclosed by fences. Euston has a frontage of twenty-six miles to the Murray River. The aboriginal name of Euston was Boonircool. Three miles beyond the station is the small township of Euston. It has 80 or 100 inhabitants. Among the buildings there is a court-house, a post and telegraph-office, a custom-house, and bonded store, two hotels, and a good general store. A court is held at Euston monthly. Mr R B Mitchell, PM, from Balranald, attends, and the other members of the Bench are P H Gell, and W. Walker, Esquires. The post and telegraph office, of brick, is rather a neat building, under the charge of Mr W Hammond. Though a building is set apart there was no Public School in Euston at the time of my visit. The energetic inspector - E H Flannery, Esq - was, however, making arrangements for the establishment of the school, and had provided a teacher. The Customs department, including bonded store, is under the charge of Mr John O'Donnell. The leading store is a good general one, owned by Messrs John Cramsie and Co., and under the immediate management of Mr L Gerstman. The principal hotel is the Euston, a capital country inn, built of brick. It is exceedingly well-conducted; good accommodation, including excellent table, civility, and moderate tariff was there conscientiously recorded in my pocket-book Mr. John M'Donald is the proprietor.
A fresh horse was kindly placed at my disposal by the host of the Euston, and I was enabled to give my own a rest till I returned from Wentworth-80 miles. I left Euston at about 7 am. The road was through water for the first six miles; then for twelve miles; then for twelve miles through mallee scrub and small plains. There is a hut near the roadside, eighteen miles from Euston, where the mail changes horses. Two miles beyond is a comfortable store, carried on by Mr H P Hussey. There is a bend in the river here rejoicing in the name of Dinner Time Bend. A few miles further off the road is Tapalin, Mr John White’s sheep station, under the superintendence of Mr Alfred Cotter. After leaving this station l had along dreary ride of eighteen miles through water the greater part of the way, and without a single habitation. The Mallee Cliffs' Hotel was then reached. This so called hotel is a wretched roadside inn, where the liquor is the worst stuff that I ever tasted, and the food was badly cooked, - but the charges were first class. I was glad to getaway in the afternoon and rode ten miles further, or fifty miles from Euston that day. It was just nightfall when I got to M'Farlane's station, and was most hospitably entertained there. The ride was a long one and far worse than double the distance over good roads. All short tracks were abandoned in consequence of the rain.
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