Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 21 June 1884, page 19


Fish River Caves - Bush Rangers -

Fish Culture.

Allow me to explode a very popular error about the so-called Fish River Caves. The far-famed caves are on the eastern slope of the main Dividing Range, and at least ten miles from the nearest part of the Fish River Creek, and there is no connection between the two places. Tourists formerly all went via the Fish River Creek to see the place, and the bushranger McEwan, was tracked to his retreat by Mr. James Brady and the Hartley police, after he had robbed Gingkin station, at that time belonging to Mr. James Whalan, of the Fish River - hence the name of the Fish River Caves, which is a misnomer. As regards the late "treasure trove," the bullock bows, Mr. Brady tells me your informaent is slightly inaccu-rate, as he and the police first found McEwan's track

at Ludlow Hole, 10 miles south of his camp. He was wearing one boot and a "pampoo." a sort of green

hide slipper, and was walking, having lost his saddle horse. The second night they found his horses, and then camped without a fire. In the morning his smoke lay along the flat, now called McEwan's Hole. When first seen coming from his hut he had on a female's cap belonging to Mrs. Roberts, sen., of O'Connell and inside the hut was a pair of stays and dresses belonging to the present Mrs. Harris. No money was found, and his known mate, Wade, was never heard of since. It was supposed McEwan had killed him. He did not live in a cave, but about a mile to tho north. Now, a word for your correspondent, "Fish, Oh." Two years and three months since a friend sent me 19 small carp in a can ; they were about as long as tho little finger. I had to dig a hole at a spring for them. Since then I've had two ponds dug, as I have no creek to dam back. I now have carp by the thousand, and am stocking all the heads of rivers near Gingkin. I believe the country is indebted to the late Mr. Henry Rotton, of Black-down, Bathurst, for introducing the fish from Tas-mania. I supply carp gratuitously to all who will form a pond. In flavour they are equal to the best Murray cod or perch. No salt water fish can com-pare with them, and they will breed in a cask. They are essentially a pond fish, but they may do in streams. According to Stonehenge, the same fish in England are from six to eight years old before they breed ; here I think about 15 months. They would

do grandly in the dams in the interior : they do best

in discoloured water.-Yours. &c.,

JOHN HUGHES.

Gingkin, June 2.

. DuHrg 1882the,.valao of "the exporto of New.Zea« land flax was ¿42,000... . . t « ^ ,." i :

The stumbling block, la the shape of the butcher'* o'hop, that has impeded the building of Her Majesty*? Theatrp and, Opera Houso is pow being removed : and tho excavation for the foundations is being pro ceeded with vigorously. « The* now theatre, which will be ono of the handsomest buildings ia Sydney, I and worthy of the temple of. Thespis, will be a great

addition to Pitt-street, already the finest street in I Sydney, .