Potted histories

 

 

Adels Grove, 16 kilometres from Lawn Hill Station is known locally as “The Frenchman’s Garden”. It is a 30hectare freehold property first surveyed as a Miner’s Homestead Lease in 1904. It is completely surrounded by the 6,000 square kilometre Lawn Hill Station. Around 1920 the Adels Grove lease was taken up by Albert De Lestrang a French botanist who was reputed to be commissioned by the government of the day to experiment on growing tropical trees and fruits. By 1939 he had some 1,000species of exotic and native plants, shrubs and trees growing at Adels Grove.

Les Huddy remembers de Lestrang, as he called in fortnightly on his mail run. Les recalls that it was easy to have a blue with him and your welcome was guided by the flag flying. If it was flying, visitors were welcome, however if it wasn’t flying don’t bother calling in. George Smith recalls visiting Adels Grove when he was a young ringer working on Lawn Hill. He rode over pretty keen to have a look in the show but was turned away when de Lestrang opened a six inch shutter and said, “Not Open.” Les has a great admiration for the work de Lestrang did. He said he had every type of plant growing. These included vegetables, flowers, roses, bougainvilleas, melons, paw paws (pink and as big as melons) and other fruit trees. Les would take the fruit and vegetables to Camooweal for sale. De Lestrang even sent flowers and roses to the Camooweal Hospital.

The house at Adels Grove was made of Tea tree bark and fronted by a beautiful bougainvillaea archway with arrows showing the way in. Likewise out the back were more trellises showing the exit. Les said they surroundings were always spotless and the manual work he did was never ending. He used to cart cow manure a good 3-4miles by wheelbarrow. He had an irrigation system of channels, all dug by shovel. Lawn Hill Creek fed the channels that then fed all his treed and garden. After de Lestrang died in 1959 Adels Grove was neglected with mining prospectors camping there for a time. Most of his trees and shrubs did not withstand the lack of attention and have succumbed to drought, fires and termites. Those that have survived thrive alongside the remnants of his irrigation channels. Early in the 1980 Adels Grove was purchased by the present owners with an eye towards the increasing tourist trade within the Burke Shire.

 

 

When Lawn Hill forfeited the Almora Lease it was taken up in 1924 by a syndicate of three: James Synott, and Brothers Fred and Charles Muller. The homestead was built in 1927 and at that stage Almora was a sheep property, the wool being carted to Burketown for shipment to Brisbane. After several years the Muller Brothers sold out to Jimmy Synott and in 1944 he sold to Harry Clarke. Harry Clarke disposed of all the sheep and converted the property to cattle.

It is interesting to note that this same Harry Clarke’s originally came to this country from Victoria at the age of 19years too work for Watson Brothers on Gregory Downs, having previously worked for them in Victoria. The Clarke family still live at Almora and run the property from there, but as early as 1931 they lived at Mayfield near the present Brook Bridge. From there Harry used to go fishing – so professional fishing was taking place even then in this part of the world. When the “Wandana” came up as far as the bar in the Albert River he used to send the fish away on it. Refrigeration not being what it is today, his method of keeping the fish fresh was novel. He used to tow them behind a small boat in a type of wooden cage so that they remained alive until they could be delivered to the Wandana. In 1991 the Clarke family built a house on “Pandanus”, their land near the Doomadgee Road. It is used as an outstation.

 

 

“My first introduction to Augustus was in 1919 when I left school to reside on the family property “Property Downs”, which was then located seven miles from the old “Fiery Downs” Homestead. This association continued until 1932 during which time I was employed by the Stranbroke Company for several months in 1922, and I attended the muster on different periods each year for the thirteen years. “Augustus and Fiery, in 1919, were in the capable hands of that grand of cattleman, Mr. Sam Pointon, men, but in the early twenties Fiery was reduced to a caretaker.
“During 1922, Jack Barber was Head Stockman. He was given a deserved the title of “The Midnight Express”. To verify this, we were eight days in one camp during a bullock muster and never say it in daylight.
“The Fiery house and horse paddock water supply was pumped from a well and this was subject to foul air. I can recall having to come to the surface when the candle is used for light started to flutter. The depth was about eighty feet and a good climb up the ladder on a hot day. Living so close on Planet Downs, I was always on call to help with work on the well.”
“The herd was chiefly shorthorns, big framed and good constitution with a sprinkling of Devons that came in from Gregory Downs.”
“On the Augustus end and along the Leichhardt Rive, the cattle were quite and easy to handle, but south of fiery those running in the timbered areas were always ready to gallop. At one time mobs of bullocks up to twenty head in each mob were running up Fiery and sandy Creeks and coaches were used to get these. A number of these had to be thrown and tied. Jack Barber had two quiet bullocks with bells on running in these areas which made mustering much easier. They were always let go to pick up fresh bullocks and this made the cattle used to the horse bels of the mustering plant.
“Boundary fences were few and far between and the run then stretched from Mellish Park to Armraynald. Nardoo then was still part of Augustus. All adjoining places had men attending the musters at least twice a year for several weeks each period and I recall up to seventy horses in the camp. These were tailed out during the day by two of the oldest black boys but had to be hobbled out every evening and unhobbled every morning. This was not a very pleasant task on a cold morning as the green hide hobbles were very hard to undo. Leather during the twenties and early thirties was a scarce commodity. During our spare time, we made hobbles and ropes. One bullock hide made twenty-five to thirty pairs of hobble straps or a thirty foot head rope. On whichever properties the first storm fell, these had an influx of cattle and at one time a thousand Fiery cattle were taken back from Gregory.
“The vehicle used for the mustering camp was a light dray pulled by three horses and another two were used during the wet weather. No beds or mattresses were available and swags were kept to a minimum. A few pack saddles were always in camp and there were used when camping away from the main camp. This was when the Head stockman really frowned on the big swags. When the food supple became low the packs were used for brining stores from the head station. At this time there was no refrigeration in the country apart from a charcoal cooler used at the station. Butter was available only in winter-in tins- and fresh meat for the first couple of days after killing. Fresh fruit was a luxury. Despite the lack of space in the cook cart we managed to live well, with few complaints.
“In the early twenties, ticks and buffalo were almost unknown, consequently the only cattle brought to the yards were those required to be worked and this mean a lot of cutting  out. Each man had a special camp horse for each job and there was always friendly rivalry to see who had the best horses. Camp horses were never ridden off the cattle camp and it as a great sight to see a good man on a good horse, cutting our speyed cows which normally were as fast as chain lightning. Augustus horses were always classed among the best, but were struck a severe bloc when about twenty head of working horses were burnt in a fierce bush fire that swept through the spell horse paddock. Among these was the camp mare “Emerald”, which was known far and wide.
“Each place had its own brand, Augustus using X2A and Fiery the present T5U. Whenever branding yards were available (not too many places either) the calves were pulled up but the calf horse with a head rope using front and hind left ropes. What a dreary job this was, leading the calf horse, and we all tried to dodge it. Walking the horse out twenty – five to thirty feet, releasing the rope and then back again. This method advanced to riding the horse and not releasing the rope. Later on, bronco yards were built and branding was somewhat slower than the calf pen, as it took two good catchers to average sixty an hour. Open bronco was also used, and what a horse killing practice that was. We branded over five hundred cattle ( I won’t say calves) in one day at Fiery Yard using four horses during day. No running or jumping that night. “What a labour saving device the calf cradle is, as some cramps made a claim of one hundred and thirty in the hour.
“Very little made waters in the twenties although a bore on Planet Creek was bored to a dept of five hundred feet without any result. The Leichhardt River was really the only permanent water on a big scale and from constant walking in by cattle as well as soil erosion, the cuttings in the bank in some places were feet above the head of a man on horseback. When stock were low in condition, these were death traps. Leading into the main waters the cattle pads crossing the roads were inches deep. When filled with dust they shook a vehicle to pieces. As mentioned earlier the lack of fences did not stop stock from following the dry storms and they may have walked out up to ten miles and back again. The steep climb out of the river, combined with cargo of water, accounted for a lot of poor breeders.
“Augustus, like all older properties, was not without its tragedies and happenings. The station cook, while driving a buggy pulled by two horses along the road between Fiery and Augustus was killed as were the horses when they were struck by lightening. The Indian gardener capsized his car on a perfectly level stretch of road, killing one of the house gins and badly injuring two others. While mustering near Fiery we all heard what appeared to be a clap of thunder in the distance, but with no clouds in the sky. We all had our own separate theories, only to find out that we had heard the powder magazine exploding in Cloncurry, some one hundred and fifty miles away.
“I think it is only fair to mention the part played by the aboriginal stockmen over the years. They were mostly excellent horse and cattlemen and were the backbone of most mustering camps in the Gulf.
“One thing I would like to point out. Most of the years I have written about were during the big depression when cattle prices were down to rock bottom and there was little money anywhere for improvements. Far bullocks were only worth $6.00, store bullocks $1.50 and no sale for females. Work then was very scarce, and the stations only employed stockmen for three months early in the year and for the same time later in the year. Quite a few men travelled about by pack horses and swagmen were a common sight”

 

In 1924 Len and Gordon Smith took up both “Breamesbrook” and “Brinawa” after Lawn Hill had allowed the leases to forfeit. Gordon settled on Brinawa in 1931, whilst Len kept Breamesbrook. A shed was built, but more time was spent on the family home, “Brookdale”, working Breamesbrook from there.

Many sheep were agisted – 14000 in 1927 and 12000 in 1935. In about 1943 Len took up the Little Doab Holding of 31 square miles. He and wife Bonnie and family moved to Breamesbrook in 1955. 1967 saw two more blocks acquired from Escott Station, brining the station to its present size. After the passing of Len Smith in 1981, Breamesbrook was sold in 1988 to John and Jan Nelson and John & Heather Molony. They split the property with the Molony share keeping the name Breamesbrook and the Nelson’s naming their share “Nierrina” (the holdings name). In 1993 the Molony’s sold their block to the Nelson’s with the property once again united under the name “Breamesbrook”.
Managers of Nierrina/Breamesbrook have included: - Steve & Shelly Richards; Brian & Rita Clarke; Glenn & Sue Page and presently (1998) Michael & Hannah Crisp.

Brinawa
Gordon smith moved to “Brinawa” with his new wife Annie (nee:Davidson) in 1931. They lived in a tent until the store-room and kitchen of the Burketown Queensland National Bank was transported to “Brinawa” by truck. It is still part of the “Brinawa” homestead.
During those depression years everything was bought second-hand and Annie made a mattress out of the tail hair of brumbies shot by Gordon. Wallabies were shot to make a few extra shillings to help buy food.
Annie passed away in 1983 – Gordon in 1996 (aged 97 years). Their grandson, Les Clarke, wife Annie and family continue to live at “Brinawa”.

 

Bowthorn Station was originally resumed off Lawn Hill and together with the Yampoa lease was 497 square miles in area. Its western boundary abuts onto the Territory border and it is watered by the Nicholson River and the Musswellbrook, Elizabeth and Accident Creeks.

This first owner would appear to have been William Smith who was killed on the Normanton racetrack in 1955. James Boyd, and on his death his son Marshall Boyd ( of the Boyd Hotel, Mt Isa) then took up the country which in August 1966 passed into the hands of the present owners, the McGinnis Family. Additional area, taken from the vacant Turn Off Lagoons block in April 1984, made the Bowthorn lease up to 897 square miles. The new country has since been improved with much fencing and installation of dams, bores and yards.

In 1994 Kingfisher Camp, a tourist campground situated on the lower end of 5km waterhole in the Nicholson River was opened to the public. With grassed and shaded campsites, ablution block, boat hire and guided tours: with kiosk to service campers and staff in residence, this has proved a popular venue with travellers and holiday makers. Bowthorn Homestead now provides accommodation for visitors as well as l smoko stop for travellers between Kingfisher and Lawn Hill Gorge.

 

Brookedale’s beginning was in 1892 when Oliver Smith paid a Surveyors fee of twenty pounds, eleven shillings and eight pence for land on Brookedale. However it was not until 1908 that the Smith family travelled from Greens Creek, near Duchess to take up residence on the banks of the Beamesbrook River.
They set up camp on the highest pieces of land on the south-west corner of No.9 and then set to work building the homestead with the help of a bush carpenter. Part of the old homestead is still standing.
Onto this land Oliver brought 1300 ewes which he purchased from a station near Hughenden in 1909. They were the first sheep to be seen in this particular area of the Gulf. In 1911 Oliver wrote that some of the cutting up to 9 and 10lbs fleeces, and I got 9 ¾ pence for all fleece wool – beating many large holdings south”. The bales of wool, branded with “O.J. Smith & Sons – Brookdale” were loaded onto horse wagons and taken to the Warf at Burketown. From there it was taken by boat, the “Porpise” was one, down the Albert River to meet the “Kalentina” and later the “Wandana” at the heads and then on it’s long journey south.
Oliver decided the country was more suitable for cattle and introduced Red Poll, and late black poll. In the early 60’s Brahman-cross were introduced to the herd. Brookdale always had a large shed stacked with hay using a chaff cutter and mower to do the job. Due to the hay, cows were able to be milked for most of the year.
The Smith family saw three of their sons fight in World War I. Harold and Olly lost their lives in 1917 in France and Belgium. Sydney returned. In World War II three more of Oliver’s children served Australia. Gill survived three and a half years as a P.O.W. of the Japanese. George was a member of the 2/15th Inf. Batt. Of the 9th Division and saw service in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo. Vicky joined the Woman’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force and trained in Melbourne as a wireless telegraphist. She served in Bowen and Townsville.
In 1977 George and Gloria Smith moved back to Brookdale where George still resides along with his son John.

 

A few kilometres from Lawn Hill national Park is a place called Louise Creek. At the present time these is nothing much left of the place to remind us that this was once a thriving market garden and rest area. Although this was mainly a gathering place for the Chinese population of the Gulf and western area others enjoyed the hospitality of the owners, Sam and Opal Ah Bow. Because of the large numbers of Chinese people who came to the gardens, Louie Creek was also called Hong Kong Downs.

The garden was first established by a Chinese man called Tim See Too. He grew a large garden and banana plantation. He also built the horse driven whim to water the area. These leases were then purchased by John Ingram on 19/6/1906 that apparently died within twelve months. However the following year in 1907, Ingram’s brother visited the area to claim the land that was left to him. He then sold the land to Sam Ah Bow for the sum of seventy pounds (£70) in August 1907, but no record was documented of the transfer of the leases to Sam Ah Bow. In the 25 years until Sam’s death in 1932, the Ah Bow’s had the market garden and opened their home up to travellers. Many of visiting women gave birth to their children at Louie Creek, as Opal was known as a midwife.

The produce was sold to many of the miners and stations in the area. Sam Ah Bow bred horses and sold them local stations as buggy horses. Sam and Opal have seven (7) children two of whom died young and three who were sent back to China. Dolly Ah Kup and Loma Leon were the only children to stay in Australia. After Sam Ah Bow passed away Dolly and her husband took over the garden. Because the leases were not transferred into her name, they left the area about 1936. Records show that the Ah Bow’s found after many years of searching. Opal and Loma are buried in Camooweal and Dolly at 93 resides in Mount Isa.

 

“Floraville” was taken up by Robert Towns (who later founded Townsville). It is after the wife of one of his managers, Flora McDonald that “Floraville” is said to be named. The old “Floraville” homestead was located on the eastern side of the Leichhardt River (on what is now “Neumayer Valley”), but its exact location is not known. Most of the homestead was washed away by a big flood in the 1800’s. During this flood Mrs. McDonald spent 5 days in a boat tied to a Coolabah tree waiting for the floodwaters to recede.

On the western side of the Leichhardt River, and to the south of the present homestead site are the remains of a homestead which was on a property called “Pameranium”. (Pomeranium is the name of the large waterhole in the Leichhardt which forms Floraville’s eastern boundary). A gantry and killing pen can still be seen as can the stumps of the homestead. To the north of the Floraville homestead are the remains of Floraville Township, a staging post, telegraph station and watering hole for locals and travellers. On “Floraville” is a monument to, and final resting place of an explorer, Fredrick Walker, who died their after contracting Gulf Fever in Burketown. Floraville Downs was purchased by Walter and Lenore Camp from Mr. Simpson in 1963. They moved, with three of their five children to “Floraville” from Calvert Hills Station in the Northern Territory. They were one of the first people in the Gulf to introduce Brahman cattle into their herd. The Camp Family are still on Floraville.

 

Lawn Hill National Park was gazetted on 15th December, 1984 when Lawn Hill Holding relinquished 12000 hectares from their pastoral lease. It was officially opened by the then Premier of Queensland, Mr. John Bjelke-Peterson on 28 September, 1985.
Further acquisitions from neighbouring properties in 1992 saw the park size increase to 420000 hectares- 290000 as National Park and 130000 as Resource Reserve. The park was managed from inception until April 1997 by Rangers – Colin and Cheryl O’keefe. Presently (1998) Paul and Fiona Kummerow are in charge of the park”.

 

Lawn Hill, one of the great Queensland properties, was also one of the places taken up very early in the history of the Gulf country. The homestead is situated on a hilly prominence overlooking Lawn Hill Creek and providing an enchanting view. History’s hand was touched Lawn Hill as North west Queensland’s only acknowledged bushranger ended his life there in a gun battle. Joe Flick, a part aboriginal, living in the Burketown area was known as a good cattle and horseman. However, he fell in love with an aboriginal girl who, for various reasons, discontinued her association with him. She was working at the Brock Wayside Inn, run by Mr. & Mrs. Cashman. Joe Flick blamed them for influencing the girl to leave him and attacked Cashman. As a result of this he was arrested and placed in Normanton Lock-up. He soon escaped and went bush. He next turned up at Gregory Downs where he committed a series of thefts and stole a horse. This was in late 1889.

The next siting was at Turn-Off Lagoon. The information was passed on to Constable Wavell who endeavoured to catch Flick. Flick then made the error of killing two police horses, one Wavell’s personal pursuit, over a period of days, finally led to Lawn Hill Station. Approaching the homestead, trooper’s shots were then exchanged but Flick managed to reach the homestead and barricade him in the detached dining room.

Senior Constable Wavell, despite the shooting then approached the dining room calling on Flick to surrender. Less than 25 yards from the building Flick shot and killed him. He now had no hope. Beside the police party there was a Lawn Hill employee present and later two further Lawn Hill station hands were brought in to help besiege Flick. Still later the owner of Lawn Hill, Fran Hahn and an aboriginal named Nym arrived. Mr. Hahn, depending on his reputation as being fair to all aborigines and half-castes, and knowing Flick well, approached and spoke to him. However Flick, already desperate, fired a shot at Hahn and narrowly missed his heart though he wounded him badly. The besieging party now kept constant watch on the dining room but during the night with the aid of a heavy storm Flick escaped down the cliff face in front of the homestead and went bush. Next morning the hut was rushed to disclose an empty room. The party begun to track Flick, Less than half a mile from the homestead a shot rang our and Nym the Aborigine lay dead. The pursuers then fired at intervals in the direction for the place where Flick lay in ambush and eventually realised that there was no returning fire.

A cautious approach finally revealed the dead body of Joe Flick. Such was the death and defeat of the North West’s first acknowledged bushranger.

Lawn Hill was for many years in the hands of the Mackay Family until the property passed into the hands of Brazilian, Mr. S. Maia in 1976. In 1991 Mr Maia sold Lawn Hill to C.R.A. Exploration who had discovered a vast zinc deposit. Mr. Maia continues to lease the property off C.R.A. Managers over the years have included:- Jim & Mrs Ferguson, R.D. & Maud Lord, Duncan & Mrs. Stewart, Earl & Doreen Monro, Joe & Kitty Sammon, Harry De Boise, Bill & Doreen Khal, Terry & Leasie Mc Cosker, Frank & Julie Paterson and presently (1998) Daryl & Linda Dixon.

 

 

On the 7th July 1865 James Cassady registered two blocks on the eastern bank of the Leichhardt River to the north and southern of the present Lorraine Station Homestead. On the 8th of November 1865 he registered two blocks on the western side of the river. Morehead and Young registered four blocks along the Landsborough (Alexander) River at the sites of Talawanta and Wombool Homesteads, the latter being abandoned in 1911 floods. Bert Lane, whose father was head stockman at Wombool in 1911, recalled how the children were taken to safety in a ship’s tank, two trips being necessary.

Between July 1865 and August 1879 all land bordering the Leichhardt and Landsborough Rivers within the Lorraine and Talawanta Holdings of more modern times, had been taken up. By November 1893 the whole Lorraine-Talawanta Holdings was finally under on ownership. In 1927 Mr. John Kirkaldy died after almost forty years as manager and was buried in what is now the head stockman’s front garden. Lorraine Station was purchased in the late 1920’s by “Lorraine and Talawanta Pastoral Company”, a company with numerous shareholders. Talawanta holding was lost to ballot in 1965, even though “Lorraine” continued with grazing rights until 1977. The company name then changed to “Lorraine Pastoral Company”. Ted& Margaret Flamsteed were managers for 26 years, retiring to Brisbane in 1995. Peter & Julie McAuley are the present managers (1998).

 

Mellish Park was resumed from Augustus Downs about 1918 and was then taken up by George Moss and his family of girls. These girls did all the mustering while they were on Mellish and were reputed to be excellent horsewomen.

In 1929 Mr. Moss sold it to Frank Webber Senior who retained it until the early 1960’s when he disposed of it to Dave Paterson. His father, Dave Paterson Senior, came to the Burketown district in 1911 after running brumbies on Wernadinga. He followed horse work around the district such as driving such as driving the mail to Kamileroi and droving sizeable mobs of cattle. He eventually moved to the Mr. Oxide and Dobbyn area where his son Dave Junior lived for a good deal of his life, droving and doing stock work. Dave owned Alhambra at one time and later Mellish Park. In 1992 Mellish Park was again sold to Webber Family.

 

Nardoo Station was resumed from Augustus Downs in the early nineteen twenties. It comprises of three blocks previously owned by Miss Strover, Peter Naly and Mrs. Priesled. The Webber family purchased the first bock in 1929 the second in 1930 and the other had been abandoned, so it was taken up in 1933. The history of the Webber family, who still retain their family interest in Nardoo, is inextricably bound up in the development of this area. The Webber’s first came to Camooweal in 1892 with the teams. Mrs Webber ran a store at the Thorton, while he husband was a carrier on the roads.

They started the Burketown store of Murray and Scholes in the early nineteen hundreds (Scholes was Webber’s half brother). Then in 1909 Frank Webber built the Commonwealth Hotel there. In 1902 the family took up Elizebeth Downs where they lived for a few years before selling out to Lawn Hill. Lawn Hill took the cattle off then threw up the block again. Also in 1909, Frank Webber again took up the same block but did not restock it until 1912, with cattle purchased from Alsace. In the year 1928 he sold Elizebeth Downs to Burns and Johnson of Egilabria and then retired in 1929 to Brisbane. His grandsons, Ege and Alan Webber still live at Nardoo with their families.

 

  

 

In 1921 Mr. Jack Carrington and his son Frederick (Ted), with their families, bought from Mrs. Emily Barrett (who also owned the Gregory Hotel) a block of land 13 miles from the river and east of the hotel. This was the original “Planet” and is still known as “Old Planet”. Here the two families settled, drawing their water from a well 136 feet deep. Ted’s wife, Annie was the only young woman in the district and perforce led a very lonely life. She was at that time 25 years old and already the mother of 4 children. She used to dress her small children in red, so that if they strayed they could be located more easily. The two men, Jack and Ted in the Northern Territory shifting the wool clip from Avon Downs and taking stores to the big Territory properties. They still continued this occupation long after they lived at old Planet.

 

In 1924 Gregory Downs let a number of blocks lapse, and these were taken up by various pioneers. Among them were the two Carrington men. They obtained the present property on the Eastern bank of the Gregory River, later acquiring Kunkulla and Kamarga as well. To augment their income they contracted for the Burketown-Camooweal mail run, subcontracting the stretch from the Lily waterhole to Camooweal. Len Carrington had been an integral part of the family workforce too, taking his turn at driving teams and running the mail. He tells of the competition which existed between the Afghans with their camels and the carriers with their horse teams.

When Ted’s family grew, the problem of schooling became acute. So he and his wife ran the Commonwealth Hotel in Burketown from November 1934 to 1936. This enabled some of the children to obtain a modicum of schooling.

 

What makes the older Mr. Carrington’s success so remarkable was that he could neither read nor write but depended on his wife, and lately his children to do any book work.

 

Eva Carrington, Jack’s daughter, married Fred Muller and they took up Kamarga in the late 1930’s until Fred eventually sold it to the Carrington’s in 1944. Kunkulla which was acquired by the family in 1944 also was previously owned by “Splinter” Donaldson and Percy Mott. Before her marriage Mrs. Donaldson was Vicki Huddy, a member of the local Huddy-Clarke clan. Kunkulla had earlier run sheep until the dingoes made them an impractical proposition and the complete switch to cattle was made after 1944. The late John Carrington. Recollected driving a 28 horse team in a fire plough with Bill Foster (later a manager of Riversleigh, then Gregory Downs) as spare boy. He would have been about the last man in the district to drive a team of that size. In 1958 the Carrington’s introduced the first Droughtmasters into their herd.

 

The Carrington Family, after some 60 years of ownership sold Planet Downs to Tancreds P/L in 1984. In 1985 Tancreds sold Planet Downs to A.A. Company who also purchased Gregory Downs. The company merged the two holdings into what is now known as Gregory Downs. Most locals, however still refer to the properties by their former names. Since 1984 managers have included –Les&Desley Smerdon, Bob&Linda Young, Geoff Arnold, Bruce&Meldie Wreford and presently in 1998 John & Laura Cameron.

 

Punjaub Station, with as area of 184 square miles and situated along the Gregory River, was originally part of Lawn Hill station with an outstation situated in the vicinity of the present homestead. It was put up for selection by ballot on the 13th of June 1923 and taken up by John Forrest Scholes. Today, it is still in the same family interests, although the family no longer livers there. Portion of the block is Indus and as it is watered by five running streams including the eastern boundary, the Brook and western boundary, the Gregory River, it was apparently named after or with Punjab (Land of the five rivers) in mind.

Managers since Mary and Jack Scholes moved in to Valwin Stn, Julia Creek in 1984 have included: Dave & Jenny Hansen; Norm & Isobel Barracloughy; Palmer & Norma Triffet; Peter 7 Jacqueline Scott, Phillip and Sylvia Curtis and presently (1998) Ron & Sue Henderson.

 

 

Yeldham station is situated between Lawn Hill and Gregory Downs. Originally part of Gregory Downs it was allowed to lapse in 1924. Eventually it was taken up by Lew Norman. It was purchased by the McGinnis family in 1960. They made the first worthwhile effort to develop the country. The present owners the Forshaw family, have continued to improve the holding since first acquiring it in 1969.