Volume 01: Production and resources of the northern and western districts of New South Wales, 1854 [ca. 1850-1857] - Page 70
You are here
Primary tabs
Transcription
64
10
LIVERPOOLPLAINS DISTRICT
BARWAN RIVER SOURCE OF THIS RIVER
The Macintyre is the Southern Source of the Barwan & rises at Benlomond Mountain in Beardy plains New England in the 30th degree of South latitide & in 151 44 3 long & is joined by the Severn at Innar a Station occupied by Catn Russell and by the Sovereign river at Boonal a Station occupied by Mr Dight his lowest Station on the Macintyre. The Mooni a Northern branch joins the Barwan at Burren Burren a Station occupied by Mr Eckford. The Barwan at the junction of the Eastern Waters flows through a Country of Savannahs & at Boondabareena a Station occupied by the Aberdeen Company a rising ground is pointed out where the blacks assembled from all quarters during the great flood in January 1840, I mention this to Show that the proper Value of the Stations on the Barwan river remains yet to be known, for at the time of the great flood which lasted from the 13th till the 21st January 1840 few Stations had been formed on the Namoi river & none on the Barwan at that time lives were lost on the Namoi river & the loss of Cattle & Sheep was very Considerable. Barwan blacks accompanying the whites down the Country are astonished when they See the rising grounds hills & Mountains they say "Good Way Cobra towri" the earth rises to a great height. The numerous herds of Cattle & Sheep grazing on the lands of the Northern districts wil in future Keep the river low or from rising during floods of Such Continuance as that of 1840 the long grass & herbage formerly protected the moisture in the ground, which is now laid bare & the moisture is open for evaporation by the atmosphere & hot winds, The grounds on the Macintyre & Barwan rivers were entirely taken up by the Stations of the Settlers in July 1847 the Settlers having met from the eastern & western Sides ------ The first Station formed on the Barwan was at Pockateroo, this was in February or March 1842, A Station had been formed at Merrywinebone on Thelaba Creek, water for the Cattle began to fail on the Creek, the blacks informed the whites that there was a Canbone Kallie in the west pointing in that direction, they resolved to Search for it & having rode about fifteen miles they unexpectedly came upon the bed of a large river which was afterwards found to be the Barwan.
The early Settlers on the Namoi had left that river in Search of Stations on the plains & Burren Burren was Settled upon by Mr Eckford afterwards occupied by Mr Charles Button - William Dangar Esqr formed a Station at [?] on Thalaba Creek & from the appearance of that part of the Country James Reid Esqr of Newcastle was induced to form the Station Merrywinebone Some miles lower down on the Same Water from Merrywinebone the Barwan was discovered ------ Some time after they had settled at Pockateroo they ran Some distance up the Mehi river & Came upon the track of Sir Thomas Mitchell of 1831. This track was quite distinct in 1842, at the Starting of the expedition from this Camp the weather Seemed to have been wet as deep ruts had been made by the wheels of the dray & the fallen timber plainly indicated that the whites had been there, the party were at a loss to account for these indications when they Came upon the Camping ground but upon reflection they Concluded that they were no other than those of the expedition under Command of Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1831.