Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1860 - 1927; 1929 - 1931; 1933 - 1938), Friday 9 June 1916, page 38


EARLY SETTLEMENT IN VICTORIA

(Continued.)

From the "Victorian Historical Maga-zine," we extract the following interesting paper on early settlement in the North Eastern District by Dr. Andrews :— Early in this year also Mr. E. P. S. Sturt was appointed Crown Lands Com-missioner for the district, and entered on

his duties most enthusiastically, and being delighted with the climate and freedom of these wide spaces. He writes strongly of the richness of the soil and the grazing capacity of the district, but for some unknown reason expressed the opinion that agriculture would never be successful in this part. Time has shown how mis-taken he was. He did not retain the position long, the work being irksome to him. He also appeared to find the steady stream of travellers distasteful, being of a very retiring nature. He resigned, and went overlanding to Adelaide, taking the track down the Murrumbidgee. Not long after he was one of the first to make a home in the Mount Gambier district. With the exception of the graziers and their employes, there is little record of settlement to this time. At the crossings of the rivers generally someone would be found to assist and supply the wants of travellers. At the Murray, Robert Brown a brother-in-law of Chas. Huon, had settled in 1836 and kept an accommoda-

tion house and small store. His widow died but a few days ago, aged 89. At the Ovens crossing one named 'Rattray' or 'Rafferty' kept a store for about a year, when he sold out to William Clark. This was on the site of or near the present 'Sydney Hotel' in Templeton street, Wangaratta. Wangaratta has had several meanings attributed to it, but the most probable one is 'Home of cor-morants,' these birds having been most plentiful there in early days. Clark soon added to the premises, and a year or two after built the first inn, ''The Hope,' there. He placed the first punt at the crossing, and carried on business for many

years, being always looked on as the father of Wangaratta. 1838.—With the commencement of this year, 1838, we may say that the district was becoming civilized... For the first time, on 1st January, regular mail com-munication was established between Sydney and Melbourne at fortnightly in-tervals. The first mail was carried by John Bourke, who was employed by Joseph Hawdon, the contractor. He related graphically in later years his adventures with the first post-bag, which only weighed fifteen pounds. He reached the Ovens River safely on horseback, but there his horse was speared by natives. He managed to get him as far as the Murray at How-long, which was the official crossing of the river, and obtaining a fresh mount,

reached Yass at the due time. There were, however, no local post-offices, and the settlers along the route were dependent on the good offices of the mailman for their correspondence. It cost tenpence prepaid then for a letter. We are now approaching the most active period in the settlement of this district, and soon find record names which after-wards become household words through out the North-East. Docker, Reid, Faith-full, Mackay, Chrisholm, Lindsay Brown, and Barber are not likely to be forgotten for many years. Practically the whole of the flat country between the ranges and the Murray was speedily occupied, with

much of the lower slopes of the mountains, and even of the higher regions reaching towards the Divide. Such was the rapidity with which runs were formed that a brief or chronological account can hardly be given. Much confusion of dates is also found in early records, so that even so well known an event as the 'Faithfull Massacre' has been attributed to three distinct dates in three different accounts, written while it was a matter of com-paratively recent happening. I have found the 9th, 11th, and 15th April given as the correct date, while one account says that all the men were killed, another that eight out of eighteen were lost,

while the third says that "most of the men were killed, only one escaping unhurt." The "Letters of Victorian Pioneers," written to Governor Latrobe in 1853, con-tain many references to this district and its settlement, which showed clearly the conditions under which these pioneers lived. Mr. Geo. Faithfull relates that he decided in February, 1838, to bring his stock from New South Wales. He travelled the usual road as far as the Ovens River,

where he turned aside to inspect the Oxley Plains. He had been greatly attracted by the description given of these plains by Hume, and decided that, if possible, he would settle on them. He was so satisfied with them that he left his cattle there, sending on his sheep with those of his brother, Mr. W. P. Faithfull, in the charge of an overseer, to the Broken River, to wait for him. This was the party attacked by the natives with such heavy loss. This occurence decided them to remain at Oxley, close to the Ovens River, and within a few months he had for neighbours Messrs. Bowman, Reid, Docker, and Mackay. Another account says that Wm. Bowman preceded Faithfull by two months, and took up Tarrawingee. Dr. Mackay writes that "He arrived

on the Ovens on the evening of the day of the Faithfull massacre." There were two temporary encampments in that part prior to his arrival — viz., those of Mr. W. Bowman and Colonel White. In a. few days Mr. Geo. Faithfull selected Oxley Plains, and he himself Myrrhee, directly opposite. The latter within a few months became the property of J. W. Chisholm. Trouble with the natives was evidently acute after the massacre, and most of the white servants abandoned their employers

from fear. Messrs Bowman, Faithfull, and White were compelled to leave their cattle to their fate, and all were soon dispersed. Mackay himself, after great privations, managed to drive his cattle back till he reached safe quarters on what he calls "The Hume" (Noorengong). It is difficult to identify the position, for the station of that name was nearly 20 miles from the Hume or Murray, but the fact of the bracketing the name with the latter river lends support to the statement that Noorengong was the native name of the Lower Mitta. After about six months he returned with his stock to the Ovens, and found that Chisholm had taken possession of his abandoned run at Myrrhee ; Faithfull had returned to Oxley Plains ; Bowman had formed Tarrawingee, which included the country afterwards known as Everton and Bowman's Forest; Joseph Docker was already at Bontheram-bo, and within a few days David Raid settled on Carrara-gar-mungee, leaving Mackay himself to form Whorouley station. The well-known Rev. Joseph Docker

settled at Bontherambo on 8th September, taking up practically all the country from Chiltern to the Ovens, and north to the Murray, out of which several distinct holdings were formed in later years. He was for many years one of the most prominent figures among the settlers, being possessed of a strong personality. He died in April, 1865. His name is still perpetuated in the district by many of his descendants, and some portion of the original holding is yet held by them. David Reid, another prominent identity, claimed to have arrived in the district on the same day that Docker took up Bontherambo. He selected Carrara-gar-mungee, a few miles north of the Ovens, which he held some years. He later held the Mill station at Yackandandah till

the gold rush, when he purchased Barna-wartha. He then built The Hermitage, and after a few years sold out and crossed the Murray to Moorwatha, where he died a few years ago over 80 years of age. He was prominent during the fifties in public matters, and represented the district in Parliament for many years. In his younger days he explored much of the Great Dividing Range, and is be-lieved to have been the first white man to ride over the site of the "City of the Hills," Beechworth. Mrs. Docker and a niece are believed to have been the first white ladies to cross the Murray, which they did in

August with Mr. Docker and party. It has, however, been claimed that in the previous June Mr. George Kinchington had taken his wife and family across. His son, also a George Kinchington, now living at Yackandandah, states that he well remembers crossing in that month with his father and mother, and that they were told at the time that a Mrs. Judith Brodribb had crossed the day before, on her way to Mr. Chishlom's.* Mr. Kinchington was an employe of the late Mr. John Dight for some years, and assist-ed at the building of the wall-known mills at Dight's Falls in the early forties. Later he formed ''Thirlingananga," near Yackandandah, which the son still holds. At this time. there ware many natives throughout the Ovens district, especially about the river and at the lake near

Rutherglen. Many outrages were attri-buted to them, and various settlers give most conflicting reports of them. We know of the Faithfull massacre, and early records give many instances of loss of stock, besides murder of hut-keepers and others; and yet on the other hand, we have the testimony of the Rev. Docker that he never had any trouble with them at any time, allowing them about the home-stead at all hours without having reason to regret it. One of Dr. Mackay's stock-men, named William Thomas, who had been previously engaged with Mr. T.

Mitchell's exploring party, appears to have been able to instil into their minds a wholesome respect for the white men, but whether this was by kindness or other-wise is not recorded: he is reported to have been able to track natives or sheep any-where. Certainly in many places it was necessary to keep a constant watch over their movements. (Concluded in our next issue.)

*Since the paper was read, mv atten-tion has been drawn to Joseph Hawdon's account of his second trip with stock overland, in "Letters from Victorian Pioneers," where he shows that his party, which included Mrs. Hawdon, after cross-ing the Murray at Albury, reached the Goulburn, and crossed it on 1st March, 1838, so we must undoubtedly give Mrs. Hawdon the honour of being the first white lady to cross the Murray.