Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 24 May 1928, page 44


EASTERN GOLDFIELDS AREAS, j

Kalgoorlie to Leonora.

(By "Breia.") j

The . Eastern. Goldfields have probably done more to put Western Australia on the, map, as it were, in. recent years tba« any other part of the State. # Much has been said and;imtteti concerning the poa* abilities of thia area from a pastoral view-point,, and its reputation has extended ?liroughout the Commonwealth. Pastoral-ists have been attracted from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and. South - Australia, and these for, the most part

wealthy men oï considerable experience. It is apparent, when one glances through à formidable Hst, including snch promi-nent and experienced pastoralists as W. G¿ Hawkes, lt. M; McBride, Chomlcy, M. ß. Hawker, E. W. Hawker, S. Hawker, S. McCaughey. Manifold, I. Black. Howe, W. Fitzgerald, T. G. Kitching and many others, that there must be . a-big future before the districts in which

these men have settled and spent so much capital. It was, therefore, very interesting, after hearing so much, to make a trip through a big portion of this, country and so secure a first-hand idea as to just what it was like.

With Leonora as the objective a most interesting and highly educational trip was made from Kalgoorlie. Leaving that town we passed for miles through the relics of the old mining days, with poppet heads and diggings on both sides of the road. Thc uext stage was to pa6s through a belt of uninteresting auriferous country t following the railway line to Broad Arrow.

Herc one store is all that remains of a once flourishing and busy mining centre, one with a name known throughout thc whole of Australia. Apparently further to thc west the country, improves, as in these parts a certain amount of pastoral development has " been done. Out near Carbine, to the north of Coolgardie, lies Messrs. W. H. Halford and Son's station, Credo. A good-deal of development work has been done here and nearly 120.000 acres have been improved, carrying about fi,500 sheep and a number of cattle.

To the north of Credo lie two. unim-proved properties in Goongarrie and River-

ina, owned by a Mr. W. Skewthorpe. It. is possible that development and stock-ing up will commence here "shortly. This country' is dry this, year, but in good heart. -following £n last year's favourable season." .

From Broad Arrow we continued along the line to Comet Vale, another derelict mining ceutre. After leaving Comet Vale I -and Bardoc there is an improvement in

the country which. becomes softer and better timbered and carries a good quan-

tity of dry grass and herbage. This, however, changes into another stretch of auriferous country which Continues right

into Menzies, some 80 miles north of Kal . goorlie.

"Change and Decay."

There are few people, old or yoting, to I 'whom thc name Menzies does not convey ; the impression of a large and fairly prps. porous town, lt was disappointing to lind

one hotel, a post office and a few small ! wood and iron buildings, whilst scattered

all around are the, remains of scores ol' : old build iugs which have been taken ' -..down and yemoved to different parts of ,

the State. I

Here tito p.astoral country really com-mences. To the east lies Yerilla, where Messrs. P. F. and D. Robinson and Wil-liam Padbury have .taken up some 250,000 acres of laud. Adjoining is Mr. G. A, Cooper's recently developed Gindalbie

station. A little to the north-east is Mt.

Rcinarkable, a small station now beings developed for sheep by Mr. T. N. Lowe. Nearby is a big stretch of country em-bracing thc Yundamindera Pastoral Co.'s Yundamindera and Mt. Celia stations. Here the South Australian owvuers have done considerable development, stocking up with sheep from this State and South

Australia.

To the south lies Edjudina, a property of 6á0,000 acres, owned by the well-known South' Australian stud breeders, Messrs. E. W. Hawker and Son, of East Bun-garee and pastoral fame. These pastoral-

ists have donc a great deal of work in' a short time aud have ..'already, developed half a million acres, most of which is dog fenced, whilst there are nearly 25.000 sheep on the property to-day. A plenti-ful and readily obtainable supply of water has been invaluable in this progress.

To continue along the track: after leav-ing Menzies the first gate is on the south-ern boundary of Mr. E. L. Ltikin's Jeedu. mya Station. Here we passed through'a

splendid strip of salt and blue bush coun-try, and thence into a belt pf wandari carrying good, timber and a wealth pf dry feed. Here the water- supply is particu-larly good, mid we continued through this class of country up to the homestead. Leav-ing the homestead, we passed through a rough belt of light carrying granite country improving as we reached the Melita boundaiy on the right. Bj' taking the "back track" we d'd not pass through Kooky nie and Mt. Malcolm.

Melita is a small but choice property owned by Mr. Leon Wilkie. Here a fair amount of improvement has been done, and the country'is in good heart. The sheep are iu very fair order, and a good lambing has" been experienced. Adjoining Melita is Mr. E. G. Wilkie's station Mora-poi. The country here is not looking so well and the .sheep, have, fallen away in condition rather. On practically al! the properties meiitioned above pastoralism have shown a marked partiality for bun-garee blood, and there is no doubt that these hardy and vigorous sheep are ' ideal in the back country.

A little to the north of Morapoi lies the Mt. Malcolm Pastoral Co.'s Glenorn sta-tion. Here two young Western Australian pastoralists, in Mr. E. H. B. Lefroy aud C. Foulkes-Taylor, have done well. They have used Peppin blood rams extensively from both the Cranmore Park and Tootra studs, and judging by the splendid flock of nearly 12,000 sheep they snit thc re-quirements of the country admirably.

Peppin blood is also favoured on Kooky-nie, a property owned by Messrs. Bright and Howe, tlie baiter of Murgha Stud (N.S.W.) Tarde/ . Kookynie lies to the south of Morapoi. Here the country d.>es n< . look too well, but the stock appear

to be in strong order. Along the roac once more we left the Jeedamya boundai j and passed through some nice" bush plain« and lake country on Messrs. Roy Millaj and Son's Desdemona station. ïhis COUR try has only recently been improved, foi sheep! which should do well on it,; lt ~wm but a short run, after passing through th« last - Desdemona. gate, to the . Leonora township.

Revival at Leonora.

Leonora has undergone quite a revival after the slump in mining. The pastoraî development of the surrounding . country and the influx of people has given business fresh- impetus.. Ilere we found ourselves in the very centre of a prosperous and progressive pastoral region. Despite thé dry season the country generally v is iii good heart, and the stock- appear to be doing well on the bush and dry feed, carry? im? for the most lart good condition. The general change-over from cattle to sheep has resulted in considerable expense both in the purchase of material and stock. Many, large consignments of sheep and high-class drafts of rams have come to the railhead from New South Wales, South Australia aud different parts of our own

State.

Away on the st 6idc He two partlyimproved holdings in Messrs. Killicoat's Alfred Down's Station, where cattle are being run at present, and Mt. Ida, owned by a pastoral company which is develop-ing the country for sheep. The flock has been founded with Western Australian ewes, while this year a very fine draft of selected rams was brought across from Collinsville, South Australia. In qui/a close proximity to Leonora is Mr. J. Willis's Clover Downs Station, wherè sheep have recently been introduced to advantage.

Another fair property is Mr. J. C. Mc-Neil's Wildara station, where steady de-velopment work and stocking has bean done in recent years. In this locality also two of dur experienced Murchison pastora-lists in Mr.-'T. G. Kitehing, of Edah, and W. Fitzgerald, of Murrum, have done a great deal of work, as the Leonora Pastoral

Co, on theil- station, Nambie. Here again , Bungaree blood is favoured. experience \ having shown that these sheep have done well-on similar country, in the Lower and Eastern Murchison. Further east anothpr local and experienced pastoralist in Mr, F. 15. Venn has made considerable pro>j

gress on his Minaría Station, where to-day a flock of some 10,000 sheep , is depas-tured. '. . ' \

A general impression of the different areas mentioned ab. e, gained from the!

country seen aud conversations with pas-'; toralists, is that .although practically ño< rain has fallen since last winter the coun-try is in good heart throughout. Last year was a splendid season, so that a. wealth of dry feed remains, while thc hush, and tiinber country has been fresh-

ened.

Development wort is still going ahead, and new country is being opened up, fenced and watered. Flocks generally on nearly all of the stations have shown ,a substantial increase, and a considerable quantity of woo¡ should come forward this year. Hain, .however, in badly needed. The lambing generally has been splendid, but the ewes need green feed to give thc lambs the necessary assistance. Given good rain, (even now a splendid season would in all

probability result.