Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 2/11/1872 (2)
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The coach arrived at Pine Ridge about 6 o'clock on the morning after my arrival, and I took one of the passenger's seats, while he rode my horse to Hay. The roads were under water for the greater part of the way, and five horses wore attached to the coach. The pulling was so heavy that the traces gave way several times on the journey. The first stage, 14 miles, "the Gums," a clump of gum trees, where there is an accommodation-house, was reached in good time, and at the "Settler's Arms," carried Mr James M'Clure, refreshments were appreciated. Towards mid-day we reached Hay, and for the first time for a month the punt over the Murrumbidgee was crossable.
The Hay Pastoral Show dinner and ball, which I have before described, being over I turned my steps Sydney wards again. The distance to Wagga Wagga up the river's left bank is 200 miles, and wishing to perform the journey in four days, the gentlemen of the district with great consideration, placed their buggies and horses at my disposal, and themselves or servants accompanied me from stage to stage. Mr M'Gaw one of the proprietors of Burrabogie station, took me in charge for the first fifty miles from Hay to Toganmain. We left Hay in the afternoon, and after crossing at the punt, passed through some nice country for several miles, and the first station, Eli Elwah was reached. Approaching the residence of Mr M E Maher, my attention was directed to some fine landscape scenery, pretty plains and trees in one direction, and river scenery in the other. We stayed at Mr Maher's for a short half hour, for the evening was approaching, and it soon afterwards became very dark.
Shortly after seven we reached Burrabogie, the station residence of Messrs M'Gaw and Company. If not the finest, Burrabogie House is one of the finest in Riverina. It has a spacious and lofty interior, with a verandah partially surrounding it. The garden and shrubbery deserves more than a passing notice. The ground is arranged with considerable taste, and a vine trellis-worked avenue runs in the form of a cross in the centre, proving a great boon in the heat of summer. The kitchens, stores, blacksmith's and carpenter's shop, overseer's and men's quarters, stables, coachhouses and other outbuildings make up the Burrabogie town ship.
Burrabogie is said to be a compound aboriginal word, and is translated as "Burra" quick, and "bogie" swim. This meaning was given me, but I scarcely think it is reliable. The area of Burrabogie is 500 square miles: its frontage to the Murrumbidgee is 20 miles. It is all fenced in, and has on it upwards of 250 miles of fencing which cost from £50 to £80 per mile. Large sums have been expanded in obtaining water supply; and incredible as it may appear the present spirited proprietors have expended in improvements upwards of £27,000 in four and a half years. The station carries upwards of 130,000 sheep. The superior character of of these may be judged by a glance at the sideboard of Burrabogie, which is well filled with silver cups and champion prizes obtained at the Riverina Pastoral Show.
A capital horse was placed at my disposal by Mr M'Gaw for the next stage of 25 miles, which was soon accomplished. The country looked very well, though too much water in places. Toganmain or Toganrnai, is the aboriginal for "I am cold." The home residence of Mr John Gow is in a bend of the river having the pretty and rather musical aboriginal name of Singaramba - meaning a bend. The station is a capital one, having an area of 310,000 acres (20 miles frontage to the Murrumbidgee) divided into 40 paddocks, and carrying about 140,000 sheep. I was glad to meet Mr Gow at Toganmain. He is a fine specimen of the British gentleman, and an old colonist, whose recollections of the early days are full of interest.
Toganmain has a magnificent woolshed, 200 feet long and 54 feet wide, beside two wings of 15 feet each. The structure is of red gum, pine floor, and corrugated iron roof. About 100 men are employed in the shed during the season. The shed has five folding tables, two sorting tables, and two wool presses, one of Home's travelling boxes, and the other manufactured by Fulton and Shaw, of Melbourne. A short distance from the shed are the shearer's huts (2) and rouse about men's quarters. The residence is a comfortable one. The bend of the river – Singarambra - is chiefly under cultivation, there being two paddocks of prairie grass looking very fine.
The next stage was to Kerarbury, ten miles, and Mr Gow sent me a guide to his station. The character of the country passed through offered no additional field for description, being almost precisely the same as the part of Riverina already described-saltbush plains, scrub, pine ridges, &c.
Kerarbury station, on the Murrumbidgee, is owned by Messrs. Clarke and Macleay; the latter gentleman is member for the district. The homestead (Mr Clarke's residence), is a comfortable one, and is surrounded by the usual outbuildings on stations. The area of Kerarbury is about 180,000 acres, of which 8000 acres are purchased. The station has a frontage of nineteen miles to the Murrumbidgee. This run is also much improved; of fencing alone upwards of 250 miles have been constructed. The station carries up wards of 90,000 sheep. After resting some time at Kerarbury, Mr Clarke's buggy was brought round, and he drove me to the next stage that day, 22 miles distant.
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