Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), Saturday 15 June 1929, page 18


GIRL DROVER

Never Seen City LIFE IN FAR NORTH

Readers of 'The Mail' may remember the thrilling account of a girl cattle drover 14 years of age, who accompanied her parents the 400 miles to Alice Springs from their station at Helen Springs. She was the mainstay of the droving plant when more than 400 cattle perished

by poison on the way. "A. H. J.," in a letter received this week, tells as follows the capability of this girl, Miss Elsie Bohning, who is now 18 years of age: — Elsie is a wonderful rider, and was equal to the best stockman for cattle work. She attended school for a few days at Katherine, but the rest of her education was received by correspondence from the Queensland Public Schools De partment. Had the Bohnings not experienced the tremendous loss of cattle four years ago they would have visited Adelaide. How ever, when they reached Alice Springs they sold the remaining cattle, and re turned to their station to work strenuously to replace the loss. In a recent letter to me Elsie writes: — Raging Floods "We experienced a dreadfully dry sea son last year, and I can tell you that the rain came none too soon to save heavy loss in many herds. We had our first storms just before Christmas, and that made things better for everyone. "On January 6 our general wet season began, and it simply poured in torrents for eight days. The old garden was covered with floqdwaters, and - part of the fence was carried away. Nearly all the wells are minus fences and dumps now. "Both paddocks were rushing streams, and many huge gum trees were washed out, roots and all. It was the greatest flood for years, and was a most magni cent sight. Newcastle Waters Station never before experienced such immense rains. The floods reached the old police station verandah. Bob Brooker (the mailman) was nearly drowned, and had to get across on wires with the mails. "Doreen Crook is engaged to be mar-ried to Bill Braitling, and we have an invitation to the wedding in April. We hope to get down, as they are having the ceremony on their station. I have never seen a wedding, and am simply bubbling over with excitement and curiosity." "Poor girl," continues "A. H. J.," "she missed the wedding, for as readers know, Doreen Crook was married in Adelaide a few weeks ago." Elsie Bohning has never seen a larger town that Darwin, although she is happy and contented in her isolated home. She says: — "I am family cook now, and just manage to keep them all alive. The Helen is just a great garden of astounding glories now, the plains are fields of waving green, with sun-kissed flower gardens." I have seen it so, declares "A. H. J.," and I have also seen it in drought time, and I marvel at the stout hearts of those who live there, hoping against hope that one day they will see the great city of which they read and hear so much.