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Sentimental Sunday - Walking in the steps of my Great Great Grandparents James and Margaret McGregor

February 2, 2014, 4:41 am
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For the last two weeks, I have taken advantage of some free time on the weekends to do some hands on research visiting sites in Sydney that are linked with the McGregor Family.

My first trip was to the Field of Mars Cemetery, Ryde. This cemetery has an online deceased search that can be used to search for family members and the plot they are buried in.  There is also a map provided that shows you the different denominations.  Armed with hat, suncream water and camera, I worked my way along the rows of graves in the Presbyterian Section of the cemetery, carefully checking for familiar names. To my delight, James and Margaret McGregor's grave was easily found and just next to it was their daughter Christina Sterland (nee McGregor) who passed away suddenly when she was only 30 years old.
James and Margaret McGregor

Christina Sterland (nee McGregor) 1870-1901
This afternoon I ventured out on my second McGregor adventure, and caught the Ferry to from Circular Quay to the suburb of Balmain.  James and Margaret McGregor with their family, moved to Balmain in 1878.  My plan was to see if I could find the house they lived in (7 Booth Street, Balmain) and take some photos of Gladstone Park.  It was reported in James' obituary that he had been employed by the Balmain Park to look after Gladstone Park, which coincidentally is bordered by Booth Street.  

As I climbed up the hill (from the ferry stop) to Gladstone Park, passing the beautiful old sandstone cottages, I couldn't help wondering if my Grandparents had walked along this same road.  Where had they shopped?  Where did their children go to school?  Did they play any sports?  

The first stop was the local library, where I checked out their local history books and obtained the contact details of the librarian who specalises in local history.  Mental note to self!! take the time to contact her this week! Then it was time to see if I could find the family home in Booth Street. Sure enough, opposite to the park, there were a number of historical cottages, including No.7. The mystery for me is that, the house next door (No. 6) was familiar!!  When I visited the SAG last week, there was a photo of this house among the pictures in the files I had looked at.  Another questions? What was the significance of the house next door to the McGregor Family? Had the house numbering been changed?
 
Booth St, Balmain
 I crossed the road, following in the footsteps of my great great grandfather, James McGregor to Gladstone Park. The Park that in his later years (as mention in his Obituary) he had been in charge of while working for the Balmain Council, and the park that he enjoyed sitting in after his retirement.

View from Park back to home in Booth Street
 
Some of the Beautiful old trees in the Park.
I took a few quiet moments to contemplate in the shade of the old trees and wondered if James had sat near here? Did he plant some of these beautiful trees?  I hope I will be able to find more details about his time working for the Council and his connection with this park.  It was then time to follow his  (and the rest of the McGregor family) footsteps through the park, and down one block to the historical Campbell Street Presbyterian Church.  Again his obituary advised that James and his family had been members of this church for over 18 years.
Campbell St Presbyterian Church

I have to say, visiting and following the footsteps of your ancestors has a much different feel to that of researching on-line.  It is far more personal.  It has been a rewarding weekend, though there are still many questions to be answered.  

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Wordless Wednesday - James McGregor's Grand daughters

February 5, 2014, 2:46 am
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It is always exciting when something you write or post links you with family members.  This afternoon, my Facebook page, Family Stories: Photographs and Memories, I was contacted by a cousin who had come across my blogs on the McGregor/Lee Families by pure accident.  She was quite excited to see the stories on her ancestors.

Her great grandmother Mona Lee was my Nanna's, Christina Lee, sister and they were the daughters of Catherine McGregor and George Lee and the Grand daughters ofJames McGregor and Mary MacPherson.  So especially for you cousin, I have posted their photo for you.  I look forward to catching up with you soon.

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Sunday's Obituary - Donald McDonald 1834-1913

February 22, 2014, 9:12 pm
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Today I would like to share one my recent TROVE discoveries which relates to my great great Grandfather Donald McDonald.  Over the years, I had heard the stories from my father about Donald and how he came to Australia from Canada.  His death certificate states that he was born in Williamstown, Ontario Canada. However, I couldn't find any reference as to how he travelled from Canada to Australia.  You can imagine my excitement when I found this obituary in TROVE at the end of last year.  Not only does it give details of his adventures as he followed the gold mining trail, but also provides clues and links to his life in Australia.  A great starting point in putting together Donald McDonald's Story!!!

Death of an Old Identity

Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal, 16 April 1913


Another old Braidwood district identity has gone by the way of all flesh.  On Monday 31 March, at the age of 79, there passed away at the residence of his son, Angus, at Cattai, in the Hawkesbury district, Donald McDonald, a name widely known and justly honoured in every place it was his lot to be sojourn.

Deceased was a native of Glengarry, Canada; and Ralph Connor the Canadian author, has depicted with marvellous power the character of the stock from whom he sprang.

His family were well connected and highly honoured in their American home and the history of Canada as well marked with the deeds and aspirations of his kin from the early days of the Hudson Bay Company right down to the present time.

The marvellous tales of wealth so easily acquired on the gold fields of California enticed him at an early age to leave home and kindred, and many and rare were the tales he recounted of the life and dangers of the early California days.

Australia at that time was almost a terra incognita to the average American, and only for the "bug bear" of Botany Bay for incorrigible boys would perhaps have been almost non-existent.

Royal Hotel, in goldmining town of Yacendandah
But the discovery of gold by Hargreaves and the marvellous tales of prodigious wealth to be had for the seeking soon spread across the Pacific, and into every hole and corner of the world, and its echoes were heard among the hills of California and were heard by the hardy young Canadian and his mates and the tempting bait was too much for resistance and the Pacific was faced on board a brig which now would seem hazardous and dangerous for a short coastal journey.  

Post Office in Araluen
Arriving in Sydney he secured employment for and then began his mining life.The fields of the north and west were first tried; and later the fields of Victoria were essayed; chiefly the Ovens and Yacendandah, until the discovery of gold in the Braidwood District. Little River, Araluen and Bell's Creek were the scenes of his mining ventures here and the deep cutting of the granite bar at Bell's Creek will forever stand as a monument of his mining prowess.

With the decline of mining he engaged in the timber industry, first as manager for Mr Tippet at Reidsdale and afterwards as proprietor of the same place. 

Then followed a sojourn at Mogo in the Moruya district still in the timber line, until failing health caused his retirement, and he came to live with his daughter (Mrs Lynn Shepherd) on the haunts where he had spent his previous years.

The vigour of the climate decided hi to move to a more congenial home, and for the last 18 months of his life he lived with his son, as staged above. 

Deceased was a man of immense personal strength, as honest as the sun, and upright in all his dealings, taking a deep interest in manly sport and pastimes, and was a keen politician.

During the great floods of 1860 on the Little River his bravery was the means of saving several lives, and no danger him or no call was unheeded in the causes of humanity.

His family, all born in the district, consisted of Malcolm (Woodburn), Angus (Cattai), Annie (Ms Lynn Shepherd, of Braidwood), Donald, Denis, and Alexander of Sydney and Michael of Forbes. His wife predeceased him by 12 years, and her remains were interned at Mogo.

The funeral cortage was numerously attended and his remains were laid to rest in the Catholic Cemetery in the historic town of Winsor, the burial service being read by Rev, Fr. McDonnell and the funeral arrangements carried out by J. Chandler of Winsor.

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Resources:
1913 'Death of an Old Identity.', The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 16 April, p. 2, viewed 23 February, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130422825

Kelly Gang: http://www.kellygang.asn.au/places/plU_Z/yackandanT3.html

Araluen: http://www.visitbraidwood.com.au/araluen
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Wordless Wednesday - James McGregor and Margaret McPherson

March 4, 2014, 6:21 pm
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Margaret and James McGregor


Today I would like to share with you a recently discovered photo of Margaret (nee McPherson) and James McGregor.  Margaret and James were my great great grandparents and they were married on the 23 June 1859, in the Presbyterian Church, Jinglemoney, in the Braidwood district of NSW, Australia.  They lived in this district for a number of years before moving to Balmain Sydney.  Margaret and James are the parents of the McGregor sisters who feature in my series of blogs on theMcGregor Sisters.  Also, I recently wrote of the day I spent exploring the area where they lived in Balmain, in my post Sentimental Sunday- Walking in the Steps of my great great Grandparents - Margaret and James McGregor.

This is such a lovely picture of them both.  I wonder when it was taken? I think it must have been a special occasion, possibly their 50th Wedding Anniversary which would have been in 1909.
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Mappy Monday - Jinglemoney Araluen

March 10, 2014, 4:01 am
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Last week I posted a picture of James and Margaret McGregor, who were married on 23 June 1859, in the Presbyterian Church, Jinglemoney, a small settlement in the gold mining district of Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia. One of the responses posted on this blog commented on "what a great name Jinglemoney was!!"

So today I thought I would share with you a copy of a map of Jinglemoney, that shows the McGregor Land Allocation. This land is now part of the present day station, Gingamona.

Map showing the McGregor Crown Grant in the Parish of Jinglemoney (Lot 41)

In a letter written by Mr Russell Hill, from Gingamona Station, Braidwood (in 1968), he describes how Peter McGregor (James McGregor's father) acquired the land.


Letter from Russell Hill
"As I am the owner of the original Crown Grant to Peter McGregor of 100 Acres in the parish of Jinglemoney dated 18th August, 1856 (the Crown Grant is in my possession) on the 10th June, 1857 he sold it to Mr James Laing of Bungendore for the sum of 200 pounds sterling.  The conveyance bears the signature of Peter McGregor in a bold but faltering hand. ........

The following information I have no documentary evidence to substantiate but believe it to be correct in every detail - Peter and James McGregor lived together at Peter's residence on the 100 acres Crown Grant as Mr James Liang did not take up residence there till about 1863.  James share farmed a portion of Captain Morpys "Gingamona" holding during the years 1856 to 1863 and Margaret McPherson (his wife) was connected with Captain Morphys household staff".


James and Margaret McGregor lived in the Araluen district for a number of years before moving to seek their fortune in the goldmining district of  Bombay River, on the Shoalhaven River.  From here they moved with their family to Booth Street in Balmain, Sydney. (Photos of their home there can be found on my post, Sentimental Sunday - Walking in the footsteps of my great great grandparents, James and Margaret McGregor). 

Finally, as a point of reference, below I have posted a map of the present day Braidwood District that shows Jinglemoney and Bombay Crossing, Shoalhaven.
A indicates Jinglemoney and B shows Bombay Crossing

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Thankful Thursday - Childhood Movie Memories - #52SharingMemories -

March 12, 2014, 3:54 am
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I am very thankful for all the wonderful memories of my childhood and it would be a shame if these memories were lost so, Sharing Memories is a wonderful way to record your history and the social history of the times that you lived in.  It is these everyday accounts of our lives as children and teens that will some time add colour to our history.

Last year, motivated by Lorine Schulze‘s blog, Olive Tree Genealogy’s prompts of #52 Sharing Memories I started to write some posts on sharing Childhood memories.  I have to admit, I certainly did not meet the 52 posts requirement, however, I really enjoy writing about childhood memories, so will endeavour to write a few more in 2014.  Yesterday, I saw on Lorine's Blog that the prompt for Sharing Memories this week was Movies.   What a great topic!  so I thought I would share a couple of my going to the movies experiences!!

Woolshed 
Growing up in the outback of New South Wales meant that heading off to the movies on a Saturday afternoon with friends was not an option.  However, there was always room for innovation and we still managed to have a “Movie” night every now and then. We were living on Nuntherungie Station, about 120 miles from Broken Hill and 45 miles from the opal mining town of White Cliffs. One of the owners of a nearby property Kurrunera Station had a small plane and his flying licence. Recognising that people of the district were missing out the latest entertainment from the Silver Screen, he thought it would be great to provide the local people with the opportunity to see some of the latest movies.  So arrangements were made with the movie theatre in Broken Hill to every couple of months pick up a copy of a movie, and fly it to his property for a “Movie Night”. 

A movie theatre would be set up in his Woolshed. The word having been spread to all corners of the district  by two way radio and the local people would drive for miles over dusty dirt roads to his property for the big night. 

Wool bale - great Movie seats
The children would all sit together on the bales of wool that were set up in front of the screen, and chatter amongst themselves. One has to remember that these children sometimes went weeks without seeing any other children other than their siblings.  The local graziers would catch up on the latest wool prices or discuss the lack of rainfall and the wives, happy to have an occasion to dress up, would compare notes on their children and life on the land, as they set up the plates of cakes, scones and other goodies for everyone to share at interval.


The first movie I can remember seeing at the Woolshed Picture Theatre was the Disney Movie The Miracle of the White Stallions. It must have had quite an impact on me as I remember being fascinated by the fact that the Lipizzaner horses from the Vienna Spanish Riding School were born black and as they grew older turned white.  I also clearly remember the scenes of the second world war and the valiant effort to save the horses from the Nazis.

The second movie that I remember seeing at the Kurrunera Station Movie Night was not such a big affair.  There had been heavy rainfall in the district and many of the roads were cut. This meant the numbers attending were quite low, so the movie was shown in the homestead.   The movie was, The Titanic, again as I was a young girl  the memories of this movie remained with me for a long time. I remember burying my head in a cushion when the ship went down.  (Lucky it wasn’t the more recent version of the movie, as I might of suffocated.)

A couple of years later our family moved from the White Cliffs district and lived on a number of other properties, one of these was near Gulargambone!  Here was another great movie experience, the outdoor and indoor Magestic Theatre.  In the winter the audience sat inside, however in the summer the screen was set up outside with rows of deck chairs set up for the patrons. Nothing better than sitting in the striped deckchairs, with your bag of popcorn, under the starlight watching the latest movie.  As I was the older sister, my job was to chaperon my three younger sisters on our movie outings.  This certainly limited the  opportunity to sit with any of the boys from school that I fancied.

When I reached high school age, my parents sent me to board in St Faith’s Girls Hostel in Dubbo, so that I could attend Dubbo High School, as they felt it would provide me with better schooling options.  St Faith’s was a Church of England Hostel where about 40 girls from the surrounding districts lived under the guidance of Matron.  Every Friday night, the girls were allowed to go to the local picture theatre, We would all assemble with our 40cents admission at the front of the Hostel after dinner, and our Matron and her Samoyed dog called Yetti, would escort us to the theatre and then meet us at the end of the movie to escort us home.  These were fun times, when I was exposed to all the movies of the late 1960’s, with flower power, spies, Easy Rider, James Bond, Dr Strangelove, to name a few.  There was always the smuggling of hot chips into the back seats of the theatre, hoping the usher wouldn’t be able to smell them, and of course the odd rolling of jaffas down the aisles if the movie was a little boring.

Thank you Lorine for posing the Sharing Memories prompt of “Movies”  it has brought back so many fun memories. I would love to hear others childhood memories of going to the movies as  I am sure there are some good stories out there. 
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Wistful Wednesday - McGregor Family Photographs

March 25, 2014, 3:29 am
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One of the documents that  I found among the SAG McGregor Family files was a faint photocopy of two family pictures of the McGregor family with a note underneath explaining who everyone was.  

These two photos are so valuable for the McGregor Family History, and demonstrates that the McGregor Family  took a number of large family group photos. The photos show us that James, Margaret and their family were a close knit group, spending considerable time together.  James and Margaret McGregor are seated in the middle of their children. You can see the faint outlines of their faces and their family likeness.   I believe that the first picture would have been taken some time in 1889 as Isabella and George Wheeler's twins babies (Lily and Walter), sitting on their parents knees were born in 1889. 

 My great Grandfather George Lee is there standing behind my great Grand Mother Kate (Catherine) on the right hand side of the first picture. They were married in 1888, so if my estimation of the date is correct, they would have been expecting their first child William who was born in 1889. Perhaps this photo was taken on the occasion of their mother,Margaret McGregor (nee McPherson)'s 50th Birthday which would have been on the 8 December 1889.



 Looking at the people in both pictures, I believe that the top picture was taken first.  The children in the front of the photo are wearing similar clothes however, I think they look a little older.  The women in the second photo are holding bouquets of flowers, could this photo have been taken at the time of one of the McGregor's Weddings?  So many unanswered questions?

  It is wonderful to have these photocopies, but I really do wish I could see the originals or copies of these photos!!  I do wonder where they are now.
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Mystery Monday - Donald McDonald

March 31, 2014, 5:22 am
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Life on the Gold Mines
Recently I posted a blog on the Worldwide Genealogy - A Genealogical Collaboration about the “Genealogical Culture Shock"  I was experiencing in my quest to discover more about myGreat Great Grandfather Donald McDonald.  To assist in getting my head around the gaps in my knowledge of Donald's life and family, I thought I would examine the information that I do have and try and identify any leads that will assist in solving the mystery of Donald’s life before he came to Australia. 

Donald McDonald came to Australia in the late 1850's with a group of miners from the Californian Gold fields.  These miners became known as the Yankees in the mining district of Bells Creek at Araluen and newspapers of the times reported that they succeeded in etching out a reasonable living from their lease.

While working in the district Donald met and married an Irish lass, from County Clare, named Margaret
St Bede's Braidwood
Halnon, they were married on the 11 August 1864 at St Bede's Catholic Church, Braidwood. Donald and Margaret had eight children, one girl, Annie (who was my great grandmother) and seven boys, Malcolm, Angus, John, Donald, Denis, Michael and Alexander.

With a large family to support, and a decline in the mining in the district, Donald sought employment in the rapidly expanding timber industry.  To start, he managed a Timber Mill at Reidsdale for Mr Tippet and later purchased this mill.  From here the family moved to another  and started the first Timber Mill in the village of Mogo on the South Coast of NSW in the Moruya District. 

An Article written by Donald McDonald's son Angus Joseph McDonald "Tall Timber", describes the life of the timber cutters working for Donald's Mill, and the size of the enormous trees being felled for timber.

“A reference to an applicaton by Mr Hugh McRae for assistance in repairing the road to his sawmill at Reidsdale brings memories of the troubles the teamsters endured in the long, long ago in bridging the distance from McDonald’s Mill to the main road.Some of the trees felled at that old mill, me thinks, would lose nothing in comparison the the best in any part of the State.

One forest giant in particular, was staight as a gun-barrel, was attached by Jack and and Charlie Behringer from a 14ft platform, and the first 25 ft of the trunk was left where it lay – too big for jinker or sawgate to accommodate.  Then 98f of longs were cut to the first branch, above which a 16 ft log almost 3ft in diameter was taken."

Donald retired after the death of his wife and the onset of ill health.  He moved to Braidwood to live with his daughter Annie and her husband Lynn Shepherd II.  Then in the final year of his life he moved to live with his son Angus in the Winsor district north west of Sydney.  It was here in on the 31 March 1913 he passed away.  (Wow, just realised that was 101 years ago today!!). 

Now to the mystery of his life prior to his arrival in Australia.  To assist me with moving through my "Genealogical Culture Shock" I have made a list of the clues that his obituary as provided and this will be my starting point to exploring all possibilities. From his death certificate we know that Donald was born in 1834  Williamstown, Glengarry Ontario, Canada and his father was Malcolm McDonald.
  • He was born in Williamstown, Glengarry District of Canada.
  • His family had connections with the Hudson Bay Company and possibly still did at the time of his death?
  • He experienced a lot of adventures on the gold fields of California, from here he and a group of mates (who were later referred to as the Yankees), traveled to Australia to seek their fortune in the Australian Gold fields.
  • He traveled to Australia on a brig and from the tone of the obituary, this journey was quite an adventure in itself. I wonder what stories Donald told his family about his time on the gold fields and the journey to Australia?
Somewhere in this list of details there must be an important clue that will help me unlock Donald's heritage.

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Those Places Thursday - Acacia Farm, Clyde River, Nelligen

April 2, 2014, 3:04 pm
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Acacia Far - Clyde River - near Nelligen, NSW

Last night I was going through some old files on our computer and found a folder of old photos that my husband had kindly scanned for me a couple of years. Note to self!!  I need to go through these and label and file into appropriate family files.    

I started looking through the pictures and was very excited to find quite a few of Acacia Farm.  I believe they would have been taken around very close to the time when my parents were married, probably just before they were married and my father bought my mother from Broken Hill to meet all his family who lived on the South Coast of NSW. 

 So over the next couple of days I would like to share with you some of the lovely old black and white pictures of Acacia Farm.  This farm was where five generations of the Lee family lived from the late 1800'.  My Nanna Christina Lee (daughter of George Lee and Catherine McGregor) grew up on this farm and travelled by boat down to the school in the small village of Nelligen.  Then when her husband Malcolm Michael Shepherd passed away my father lived there with his grandparents.  My Nanna’s youngest brother Jordie inherited the farm and it was then passed down to his daughter.

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Follow Friday - An accumulation of my weekly research - 10

April 3, 2014, 4:33 am
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It is a long time since my last "Follow Friday- An Accumulation of my weekly research" post.  However, I have been spending many hours focusing on the story of my greatgreat grandfather Donald McDonald. So today I would like to share some of my research discoveries. 

I discovered Donald McDonald's obituary at the end of last year in TROVE.  The article confirmed the family stories that he had immigrated from Canada, and added the additional information that prior to coming to Australia, he had spent some time in the goldfields in California.

As outlined in my previous post the article also provided some other clues to his life before arriving in Australia, ie. That he was from Glengarry, Ontario and his family had a link with the Hudson Bay Company. I was very keen to research these clues further, but to my dismay found that researching in a new country was not as easy as I thought it would be ie, lack of knowledge of the social and political history, geography, new languages, unfamiliar with archives, birth, death and marriage records etc.  I recognised this as “Genealogical Culture Shock” and wrote about this on my blog on the Worldwide Genelogical Collaboration last month.

Following on from this blog – which looks at some ways that you can overcome this brick wall or “genealogical culture shock”, I have been reading, collecting resources, identifying relevant history books, linking with genealogical societies, and searching facebook, pinterest and blogs by others who are linked to or researching in this area of Canada.  For my Follow Friday Post – I would like to share with you some of the Resources I have found. 
Do you know of other research resources for this area? It would be great if you could share them as well!!

Books

Gravestones of Glengarry Series
The People of Glengarry: Highlanders in Transition, 1745-1820 by Marianne McLean.
The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784-1855: Glengarry and Beyond by Lucille H. Campey
The Man from Glengarry:: A Tale of the Ottawa by Ralph Connor
Clan Donald by Donald J. McDonald
The History of the Clan Donald, the Families of Macdonald, Mcdonald and Mcdonnell, by Henry Lee
Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada Before Confederation by Donald Whyte
The Scots in Canada by J.M. Bumstead

Archives
Glengarry Archives: http://www.glengarryarchives.ca/
Library and Archives Canada: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx
Hudson Bay Company Archives, http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/

Genealogical and Historical Societies

Glen Garry Historical Society: http://glengarryhistory.ca/new/
Ontario Historical Society: http://www.ontariohistoricalsociety.ca/en/About-The-Ohs_116

Web sites
Family Search, Glengarry, Ontario, http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Glengarry_County,_Ontario
RootsWeb, Glengarry County GenWatch: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onglenga/
Clan McDonald Southern Ontario:  http://southernontario.clandonald.ca/
Clan Donald Canada Incorporated: http://www.clandonaldcanada.ca/
Canadian Headstones Project, http://canadianheadstones.com/links.htm

Libraries

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Library, http://www.sdglibrary.ca/
Ontario Library, http://www.ci.ontario.ca.us/index.aspx?page=1
Toronto Public Library, http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/

Blogs
Library and Canada Archives Blog
Genealogy Canada
Scottish Genealogy Tips Tricks and Tidbits
Canada's History
Historica Canada 

Facebook
Canadian Council of Archives
The Ontario Historical Society
The Multicultural History Society of Ontario
Toronto Public Library
Archives Association of Ontario
Canadian Historical Society
Scottish Genealogy
Historica Canada

Pinterest

Canadian History: http://www.pinterest.com/jamesmac17/canadian-history/
Family History Canada: http://www.pinterest.com/bailleul/family-history-canada/
Scottish - Canadian History: http://www.pinterest.com/dianehewson/scottish-canadian-history/
McDanie/McDonald Genealogy: http://www.pinterest.com/scotsinamerica/mcdaniemcdonald-genealogy-western-nc/ 


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Sentimental Sunday - More Pictures of Acacia Farm - Clyde River Nelligen

April 6, 2014, 4:54 am
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As I promised in my recent post "Those Places Thursday - Acacia Farm - Clyde River Nelligen" I would like to share some more of my recently discovered pictures of Acacia Farm, Nelligen.  These photos were taken about when my father visited his Uncle Jordie at Acacia Farm circa 1950.

Visiting Acacia Farm


Calves at Acacia Farm
Cattle at Acacia Farm



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Tombstone Tuesday - Lynn Shepherd II (1829-1903)

April 15, 2014, 4:40 am
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Gravestone - Braidwood Cemetery Lynn Shepherd II
Recently I visited the historical gold mining town of Braidwood and wrote about our family's connection with the Gold Mining history of this district in a blog on the Worldwide Genealogical Collaboration, Visiting Past Connections - a reflection on the influence of the gold rush on our family history.  In this post I mentioned that one of the branches of our family was involved in the carrier business.  Three generations of the Shepherd family lived in the Braidwood district and were instrumental in the transport of all kinds of goods from timber, supplies, mining equipment from the small outlying settlements around of this district, to Braidwood and over the Clyde Mountain to Nelligen.

This is the photo of my great great grandfather Lynn Shepherd II's grave, which is in the Braidwood cemetery.  Lynn Shepherd II, born in Newcastle, New South Wales, on the 14th February 1829, was the son of Lynn David Shepherd and Elizabeth Mariner. He married Harried Webb in Arualuen in 1855. They had a large family of  six sons and six daughters, among these was my great grand father Lynn Shepherd III (yes, three generations of Lynn Shepherds!). Also, his youngest son  Ralph Shepherd died in mysterious circumstances after a house fire. 
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Work Day Wednesday - Sawyers on Acacia Farm

April 15, 2014, 11:25 am
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Sawing logs - Acacia Farm Nelligen

Today I would like to share with you another of my recently discovered pictures of life on Acacia Farm, This is a picture of my father Malcolm Shepherd helping his uncle Jordie Lee saw a log on the farm with an old two handed saw. 

The two man saw was used in the timer industry and involved two sawyers standing or sitting on either side of the log, and the sawyers would alternate in pulling the saw through the wood.  The saws were designed to cut in both directions, and the special tooth design of the saw allowed the sawdust to be cleared from the cut as the sawyers worked
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Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge - 2014 - Malcolm Michael (Mack) Shepherd

April 24, 2014, 2:33 am
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Malcolm Michael Shepherd 
ANZAC day is almost here, and this blog is my contribution to the Trans Tasman ANZAC Blog Challenge that is run each year by Kintalk. This challenge provides an opportunity to relate family stories that are linked with the ANZAC's and Australian and New Zealand military history. This year I would like to write about by grandfather Malcolm Michael Shepherd.

Mack's Dog Tags
Mack Shepherd (as he fondly was known) the second son of Lynn Shepherd (III) and Annie McDonald was born on 29 September 1892, in Braidwood, NSW Australia.  Mack grew up on the family property on Araluen Road, in the Braidwood District.  Prior to enlisting in the army he worked with his older brother Angus in his father's carrying business transporting goods from Braidwood to Nelligen and Braidwood to Goulburn.

Mack enlisted in the 30th Infantry Battalionon the 31  January 1916.  His enlistment number 3315. His Military record describes a tall young man of 6ft 2 inches, with fair hair, fresh complexion and grey eyes. 

Lark Hill Military Base
He was part of the 7th Reinforcement of the 30th Infantry Battalion and on the 2 May 1916 his division left Australia on the HMAT Hororata bound for the Europe via Suez and then on to Lark Hill Military Base, Salisbury, England.  From here he was transferred to North Africa to join the 30th Battalion before finally being shipped to the Front in France.


For the next two years Mack served as a stretcher bearer on the battle line in France, until 8 August 1918 when he was wounded while serving on the front line.  He received a gunshot wound in his forearm. He was transferred from the front line to the Military Hospital at Camiers. From here he was transferred to Wymouth Military Hospital to recover. The war was close to an end and Mack was shipped back to Australia on the 27 November 1918.

Annie and Lynn Shepherd were relieved to have their son return from Europe, their first son Angus John Shepherd, who had enlisted in the 3rd Division of the 33rd Battalion stayed on in France after the war for another year, enlisting with the War Graves Division.

As the local paper reported, the community paid its respect to Private Shepherd and welcomed him home with considerable pomp and ceremony.

Malcolm Shepherd settled back into the carrier business, assisting his father and then establishing his own business with a bullock team of his home.  He worked mainly carting logs after they were felled to the sawmills around the south coast.

On the 29th September 1923, at St Andrew's Church, Goulburn, he married Christina Lee, the daughter George  Lee and Catherine McGregor.   Their start of married life was overshadowed by the loss of their first child Muriel in 1924, however, their family soon expanded with the birth of Malcolm in 1926, Colin in 1928 and Nancy in 1930. It seemed that Mack had been able to move on from the trauma of the Western Front and settle into family life with his own thriving business.  However, this was not to be.

Braidwood Dispatch, 13th March 1931,

Serious Accident
A telegram was received by Mrs. Lynn Shepherd of Braidwood on Wednesday announcing that her son Mac Shepherd had met with a serious accident that day as a result of which he was lying in a serious condition in Moruya Hospital. Mac and his brother Angus were carting timber at the time. There were no particulars as to how the accident happened.  Mrs Shepherd went by car down to Moruya that same afternoon.

Mack Shepherd had been injured seriously when a tree fell on his head while he was working in the bush.  He spent considerable time in hospital and then convalesced at home, however his health did not improve and early in the following year (6 January 1932) he passed away leaving his young wife, Tina and three children. Family letters describe Mack as a quiet kind and hard working family man.  A man who experienced much in his short life.

I recently visited the small town of Braidwood and took the opportunity to visit the local war memorial, to pay my respects to the grandfather that I never knew.
War Memorial - Braidwood

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Resources:
National Archives, Army - World War I - 1914-1918,  http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/defence/service-records/army-wwi.aspx
Trove:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99020452
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119236706
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119272300
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16761687

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Thankful Thursday - Back to Braidwood 175 Year Celebration

May 8, 2014, 5:30 am
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Braidwood , NSW
"Hi you don’t know me, but are you related to …………..?”  A telephone call to delight most family tree researchers! Last week, I received such a call  from a second cousin, who had been googling his Grandfather Angus Shepherd and come across my blog on Angus Shepherd’s brother and my grandfather “Malcolm Michael Shepherd” in the Trans Tasman ANZAC Blog Challenge. I am not sure who was the most excited at discovering the link! 

After a half hour conversation to establish links and identify where we fitted into the Shepherd family tree, my cousin informed me that Braidwood, the town that around 6-7 generations of the Shepherd family have lived in since the early 1850’s was holding its “Back to Braidwood 175 Years Celebration” on Saturday 2 May.  What a coincidence!  I had only recently visited Braidwood  and two other towns Araluen and Majors Creek a couple of weeks before hand and wrote about this in my blog on the Worldwide Genealogy Collaboration with my blog "Visiting Past Connections - a reflection on the influence of the gold rush on our family history"

The Town Crier
After a little contemplation and discarding my plans for spring cleaning on the weekend (that wasn’t hard to do!) I decided this was too good an opportunity to miss.  How often does the town that your ancestors lived in celebrate 175 years!  In fact, this made me wonder, how many towns in Australia could celebrate 175 years.  I quickly arranged flights to Canberra and conned my sister to pick me up from the airport on Saturday morning and to accompany me on the hour drive through to Braidwood for the celebrations.  Prior to leaving I made arrangements to meet up with my cousin so we could swap stories and photos at the celebration.

Penny Farthing bike
The town was abuzz with markets, colourful signs, locals dressed in costumes of the early settlers and bands and folk groups entertained the passers-by on  street corners.  The smell of coffee, hot chocolate and  hot soup wafted from the numerous cafes as my sister and I wandered along the street checking out the local stores and different displays. 

 After a quick visit to the local museum, and the purchase of a number of local history books, we met with our cousin.  He took us to see a wonderful display of over 500 pictures of local families that was organised by another of our distant cousins.  The pictures featured the families and “going-ons” of the district with many wonderful pictures of the Shepherd Family and their involvement in the carrier industry. 

Hearse and Mourner
It was now time for the opening ceremony and the grand parade along the main street. The crowd gathered on either side of the road and were treated a procession of bands, floats, old vehicles of all descriptions, including horse and buggies, horse drawn hearse with a lonely mourner  in tow, old cars, fire engines and penny-farthing bike with its rider precariously balanced on top.

The proceedings were brought to a halt, mid parade, when a band of bush rangers on horseback and cracking their stock whips galloped into town and re-enacted robbing the bank. 

"Local Bush Ranger"
The final star entrant in the parade was a restored bullock wagon pulled along by a team of Bullocks.  A very fitting end to a very entertaining parade considering our family links to the Bullock Trains!

The parade over, it was time for coffee and to swap family tree pictures and stories.  My cousin proceeded to show me a wonderful  collection of family memorabilia that had been passed down through his family.  This collection was really exciting.  There were photos and postcards from France, North Africa and England that were sent by my grandfather and his grandfather Malcolm and Angus Shepherd to their family back in Australia when they were away fighting in WW1. I was also particularly delight to see old family photos from the early 1900’s and to hear the stories associated with each of the photos and who the people in the photos were.To my delight, my cousin was happy for me to borrow the bundle of pictures and cards to take home and scan for my records.

The cold afternoon mist was settling in and the market stall owners were packing up, the tourists and locals were making their last minute purchases from the stores.  It was time to head home!  It was certainly worth my while to take part in Braidwood's 175 year celebration.   I was certainly thankful for the New Family Stories, Photographs and Memories!!! 

Fitting end to the parade for Back to Braidwood 175 Year Celebration

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Sunday's Obituary - Lynn Shepherd III (1862-1929)

May 18, 2014, 2:43 am
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Lynn Shepherd III, my great grandfather features in my recent post on the Worldwide Genealogy - A Genealogy Collaboration, about the Shepherd Family's involvement in the carrier business in the Braidwood district of NSW. I was recently given a copy of the photo below. which shows embers of his family on the day of his funeral.  Included in this photo (on the right hand side) is his widow Annie Shepherd (nee McDonald), daughter of another pioneer of this district Donald McDonald (1834-1913). 


Members of the Shepherd Family after the Funeral of Lynn Shepherd III 1929

The Braidwood Review and District Advocate, Tuesday 7 May 1929

DEATH OF MR LYNN SHEPHERD

Another old and respected resident, in the person of Mr Lynn Shepherd of Araluen Road, Braidwood, joined the ranks of the great majority on Saturday afternoon last. He had been suffering from internal trouble.  Born at Tantulean, Mongalowe 67 years ago, he has resided here continuously since.  For many years he was engaged as a carrier on the Braidwood-Nelligan Road.

This was and still is a hard life, camping out in all kinds of weather, and subject to trying changes of temperature between the coast and tablelands climates and in the nature of things does not tend to promote long life.  Of late years the deceased had been mostly engaged on his farm. He was a most industrious and dependable citizen and had many friends in the district who will deeply regret to hear of his demise.  He leaves a widow and a large grown-up family.  The Funeral takes place in Braidwood this afternoon.*

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*1929 DEATH OF MR LYNN SHEPHERD: The Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW: 1915-1954) 7 May, p.2. viewed 18 May, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11940530.

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Sentimental Sunday - 56 Wason Street Milton

May 31, 2014, 11:49 pm
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56 Wason Street, Milton
My childhood memories of visiting my Nanna, Christina Carriage (Shepherd, nee Lee) and Pop, Lionel Carriage are filled with memories of playing in her yard under the huge Magnolia Tree, performing concerts with my cousins on her front veranda, climbing the well on the side of her house, picking plums from her fruit trees and snuggling up in her cosy kitchen, warmed by the huge combustion stove and reading the books and magazines from the corner bookshelf.

Milton is a small dairy town on the south coast of NSW, and my father spent most of his childhood living in Wason Street, in this house and prior to that one a few doors up the street. I was recently delight to rediscover an old post card that my Aunty Nancy had sent me with a picture of Waston Street around 1912-1914.
Wason Street Milton - circa 1912-1914
On the back of the card she writes about living in Wason Street, mentioning the Magnolia Tree, which can be seen in the distance.  The house that my Nanna lived in is not there anymore, having been replaced by a new much larger home, however, the beautiful old Magnolia tree still stands guard in the front yard.  

At the bottom of the street in this picture you can see the Methodist Church.  This was the church that I where I was christened and the church that I would go to with my Nanna when I was visiting as a small child.  My Aunty Nancy who send me this post card was married in this church as well. 


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Amanuensis Monday - Granite Town - Links with Sydney Harbour Bridge

June 9, 2014, 3:08 am
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Earlier today, I posted a short article about the forgotten town, Granite Town, on the Worldwide Genealogy - A Genealogical Collaboration, blog spot. This small town, on the outskirts of Moruya on the south coast of New South Wales, was built to house the Scottish and Italian Stonemasons and their families while they worked at the Moruya Quarry, providing the huge blocks that were used to build the huge pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately the life span of this thriving settlement only lasted for around eight years, and almost as fast as the town was built, it lay deserted.


 As a Amanuensis Monday post, I would like to share a song written by Mrs D. Philip from Narooma.  The song is about the Scottish immigrants who came to Australia to work in the quarry at Moruya, and lived in Granite Town, during the time that the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built.  I think these words really sum up the influence these settlers had on the district. It speaks about their achievements and their lasting impact on the local community.

Braidwood Dispatch 21.8.25**
Moruya Granite

Now Sydney's got its harbour...the problem was to span it,
Then someone said, "Lets build a bridge we'll use Moruya granite",
Those pylons will be good and strong, they'll withstand any strain,
Then we can cross from side to side, on buses, cars and trains!
They've used it in St Mary's (that cathedral up the road)
On Sydney's G.P.O. as well; I'm sure 'twill take the load.

From Scotland came the stonemasons...(a team of ninety strong),
They brought their skill across the world, to work for Dorman Long.
The Manager, John Gilmore, told them, "Lads, you won't be sorry...
You'll think you're back in Aberdeen, when you work Moruya Quarry"
'Cos the granite here is just as fine, as you've left back there."
They brought Italian tradesmen too, the quarry work to share.

Chorus
We've come from bonnie Scotland, helping Aussies build their bridge
In Granitetown, we've made our homes, on the great blue granite ridge.
We've over 60 houses, a school-house and a store,
The Caledonian Society, has got the grandest floor...
It's West Australian jarrah-wood; we spring on to and heel,
We're teaching all the locals to dance the Scottish Reel.

We're teaching local lads our trade, and how to cut the granite,
Two hundred forty men employed, 44 hour week they plan it.
Each huge stone block we cut to size - within 1/8 inch,
Each block will have a special place, those 4 pylons to clinch.
In all they'll be a total, 20,000 cubic feet
All cut with great precision, that huge jigsaw to complete.*  
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* Greig, C. 199/1998, Not Forgotten, Memorials in Granite, Published by Helen Grieg, Eurobodalla Copy & Print.
** MORUYA GRANITE QUARRY. (1925, August 21). The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120712401

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Thankful Thursday - Sharing Memories - Here comes the rain!!!

July 3, 2014, 4:11 am
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Sheep lined up at water trough 
Last night as I browsed through some of my father’s old slides I reflected on the importance of rain and the impact it had on our lives when we lived on Nuntherungie Station (between Broken Hill and White Cliffs) as small children.  The average rain fall for this area, in north western NSW, is around 235 mm (9 inches) annually!! Not a lot of rain when you consider the average annual rainfall for Sydney is 1,213 mm (47.59 inches). 

So as you can imagine when the rains did come it was a time for celebration.  I  remember my father turning on the two-way radio the morning after there had been a big storm, everyone from the district calling and reporting how many inches of rain they had, that their dams were full, or that there had been flood waters through their sheds! It was like flock of galahs squawking at a grain spill on the side of the road.  The whole district would be tuned in, hopes refreshed for a better year now that there was water in the dam.

Generally the creeks, line with shaggy old gums were dry except for a few waterholes.  However, when the rain came they would flood. Brown bubbling water would rush down the sandy creek beds, filling all the water holes and flowing into the large dams that were an essential life force for the stock and people living on the property.  Each property, would have a system of huge water dams excavated by earth moving plants, these dams would provide water to the homesteads and would be pumped to the water troughs to provide water to all the stock on the property. In times of drought the level of these damps would be watched closely, often in despair.  The down side of these rain falls would be that they often came on one big rush, washing away fences and cutting through roads and blocking supplies to isolated areas.

Enjoying the novelty of water in the creek
Following a heavy downfall of rain, one of my father’s first tasks was to check on the livestock (mainly sheep) and mend any of the fences that had been washed away. As I mentioned in a previous blog, "Days out with Dad",  I loved to accompany him on these trips, there was nothing like being in a jeep, and having mud and water (instead of dust) splash up on you as went through the water holes and creeks on the property.  The more mud the better it felt!  The flowing creeks and water holes also meant it was time for the children to have some water play!! Something that we didn’t have the opportunity do very often.

One of my favourite memories was of Miss Tapp (the sister of the owner of the property) coming down to our house,  gathering my sisters and myself up to go exploring after the rain. We would head off, bare feet and with our dresses tucked into our bloomers (Yep!! ) to the creek to play in the mud and water.  On one particular time, our mother had just finished making us new white cotton bloomers, and was very dismayed when we returned all muddy brown and dripping in boomers that would for ever remain a light shade of reddy brown.

Water Play in the claypan water hole 
Another paddling adventure was after my dad returned home from one of his post rain tours of the property, he reported that he had found a nice water hole on one of the claypans for the “kids” to play in.  It was decided we should go for family picnic. Lunch packed, we all climbed into the jeep in our swimmers, and headed to the spot where Dad had found the water hole the day before.

However, when we arrived the water had evaporated or drained away, and Dad’s water hole had been reduced to a sheet of water , which was about 2 inches deep!  Not to despair, in we hopped, and splashed and slid around on the muddy clay while Mum organise our lunch.

Of course there are also the stories of isolation and being cut off from supplies, loss of stock and damaged fences and buildings, however, the assurance that the dams were full and there would be water for a few more months far outweighed  the downside!

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Amanuensis Monday - Sharing Memories - Disastrous Floods destroy Nuntherungie Station Homestead

July 7, 2014, 3:33 am
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Red earth of Nuntherungie- Homestead in Background
Last week I wrote about the importance of rain in the outback, and some of my childhood memories of the celebration and excitement when rain did finally eventuate in Sharing Memories - Here comes the Rain!.  In this story I mentioned Miss Tapp, the sister of the owner of Nuntherungie Station who was brought up on the station as a young child.  Miss Tapp, who lived in Broken Hill, had quite an influence on my knowledge of the bush as a young child.  

When she was visiting her brother (from Broken Hill) she would take me on walks in the bush, and dry creek beds, pointing out the different types of bushes, plants and animals. She showed me how to dig down into the dry creek bed, to find water, and pointed out some of the native plants that were edible. I can also clearly remember her showing me the different foot prints in the sand that were made by kangaroos, birds and goannas by drawing the shapes of their hoof prints in the sand.   
 
North West Corner of  NSW - showing location of Nuntherungie
The Homestead of Nuntherungie was built on a hill, looking down on the extensive system of creeks that flowed in between the homestead and the Woolshed.  However, this homestead was not the original building.  The first homestead build on Nuntherungie was erected closer to the creeks in the 1880's.  On one of the outings with Miss Tapp we visited the spot where the first homestead stood.  All that was remaining was a couple of brick chimneys, overgrown by bush. Miss Tapp described her childhood in a beautiful stone homestead. She then told me the homestead had been destroyed in a huge flood that the family had to leave and rebuild their home on higher ground. 

As we scrambled out way through the long grass and trees, Miss Tapp pointed out a small overgrown garden bed where a couple of bulbs were popping out of the ground.  She explained that this was all that remained of her mothers garden and every year in spring these bulbs would pop their heads out to remind her of times gone.
 
I had almost forgotten this story until recently troving through TROVE and came across this article, which gives a more substantial description of the events on the day that the Nuntherungie homestead was washed away in the huge floods of 1931.  It was one of those light bulb moments!  I remember being told about this! and as the story follows on nicely from my previous article about celebrating the arrival of rain in this district, it is fitting to share this story as it highlights  how the people of these isolated areas were at the mercy of the elements.
 
 
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW, - Tuesday 14 April 1931, page 3*

THE FLOOD AT NUNTHERUNGIE

WATER CAUSED COLLAPSE OF WALLS OF HOMESTEAD

About 6000 pounds damage.

The stately old homestead at Nuntherungie Station, 120 miles from Broken Hill on the White Cliffs road, is now a scene of desolation, and so severe is the damage wrought by the recent floods that the building will have to be demolished and a new homestead built.  About 6000 pounds damage was done.

Nuntherungie is one of the oldest homesteads in the district, and was once owned by the Kennedy family.  The homestead was erected 50 years ago.  Mr Nigel Kennedy, who died in Broken some years ago, being a son of the owner.  Then Mr B. A. Williamson of Abbotsford near Ivanhoe had the place, Mr E.P. Tapp, the present owner, taking over after he returned from service with the A.I.F. during the Great War.  Thus Mr Tapp, who took the place in 1920 or 1921 has during his life not only been exposed to the dangers of war, but has experienced some of the bitter reverses of civil life.

Nuntherungie homestead is built on the east side of a creek and was constructed of stone and pise and when it was built it was never thought that the district would experience such as a flood as was the case about a fortnight ago.  In years gone by the flood waters came down the creek proper but during the past few heavy rains the creek has overflowed some distance above the station and flowed down both sides but the rush of water had never previously reached the house.  When on previous occasions water threatened the station large banks were built to keep it back, and up till this flood the move was successful.  On this occasion the raging torrent was too much for the embankments and they were swept away.  The water had been banked so far back that when it was suddenly released it came like the rapids of a surging river.  Right through the homestead, outhouses and woolshed the water rushed carrying everything before it.  At the height of the flood the water in the homestead and some other houses was 4ft 6 inches deep.  Everything was soaked, the most valuable article, a piano, being saved from destruction by the foresight of some of the people there.  The mattresses from a couple of beds were placed on the dining room table and the piano was lifted on to this.  Thus it escaped the water.  While the piano rested majestically on the table, chairs, other tables and furniture floated about the buildings like miniature yachts.

The miracle was that no persons on the station were drowned.  After the flood had subsided silt was found on the floors of the homestead inches deep.  The foundations of the house sank as a result of the rush of water and in some walls of the buildings cracks appeared from one inch to almost a foot wide.  Other walls collapsed, that is interior walls and two of the walls near the front of the house.  There were nine rooms in the building and all that supports the roof now are a few walls and the door and window frames.  It is estimated that between 5000 pounds and 6000 pounds damage was done to the house, contents and outbuildings on the property.

In the outbuildings a two-roomed structure over a cellar has a tilt because of the foundations having subsided.  Several of the buildings have feet of silt in them.

The flood was the largest in the memory of white men in the district.  One man has been on the station for 35 years and he says that he has never seen such a flood before.  The exact rainfall on the station is not known.  About five inches of rain was registered and then the rain gauge was useless.

It is believed that the extra-large flood was caused by heavy falls at Wertago, where seven inches of rain was registered.  This is between Nuntherungie and Gnalta, and all this water came down the Nuntherungie Creek, later finding its way to Bancannia Lake, about 50 miles away.  Following the water came floods from the Kayrunnera area.

Mr Edward Tapp**
There are five in the Tapp family and all were at home.  Fortunately shearing was in progress and the shearers were able to give Mr Tapp valuable help in cleaning up a lot of the debris.  The shearing of Nuntherungie sheep had finished, but Wertago sheep were being attended to and of course since the flood and the damage the shearing has had to be postponed for the time.

The water came through the shearing shed feet deep, but did not cause the building to collapse.  The silt damaged the interior of the building and much repair work will have to be carried out.  Forty bales of wool were saturated, but the shearers as soon as the rain eased off opened these and spread the wool out to dry.  It is still marketable, although it will be slightly discoloured.  The shearers stood by Mr Tapp to a man and although they were told they could not be paid they never faltered in their cleaning up of the debris and stayed at the station as long as they could.  They worked like men on contract and Constable Smith, who was held up by the floods and reached Nuntherungie gave help till he was able to push on to his station at White Cliffs.  At times it was feared that there would be a shortage of food, but this was rationed and the determination of neighbours at Kayrunnera and Wertago saved the position, Light vehicles were taken out over the flooded areas and provisions were carried over the flooded creek.  Constable Smith left Nuntherungie on Easter Monday and the shearers who had put through 6000 sheep went on to White Cliffs, being held up there owing to the roads to Tonga, where they had to start shearing, being boggy.

According to a resident who was through Nuntherungie during the weekend, the roads between here and Gnalta are passable, but for a man to take the rest of the road to Nuntherungie he must be a careful driver and have a light car.  All the creeks between Gnalta and Nuntherungie are silted up, there being piles of debris and silt 7 ft high in some creeks.  The creek known as 10 mile, some distance from Nuntherungie, had a wire netting crossing, but this has been carried away, and a pile of silt has taken its place.  As far as can be ascertained no sheep were drowned, but a muster cannot be made on account of the conditions of the country.  Some may have been carried away in the torrent, and if not caught in trees washed into Bancannia Lake.  To add to the discomfort of the Nuntherungie people, telephone communication was cut off, the lines being washed away.  Communication has now been restored through Wonnaminta, but the direct line to White Cliffs is still out of order.

Travellers say that much fending on all the stations in the flood area was washed away, and the banks of tanks suffered extensively.  Most of the surface water from the floods has gone, but there is still a little about the clay pans.

Station people in the Nuntherungie area say they will long remember the disastrous flood, and there is much sympathy in the district for Mr Tapp and family, for their loss is severe and the disaster coming at a time when the industry is just recovering makes the blow suffered doubly heavy.
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* 1931 'THE FLOOD AT NUNTHERUNGIE.', Barrier Miner(Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), 14 April, p. 3, viewed 7 July, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46604249
 **Obituaries Australia, http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/tapp-edward-peter-958, viewed on 1 July 2014.

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