1861 – 1865
Aug 1861 Payable gold found at ‘Begobigal’. Now called Forbes.
25 Sep, Mary O’ Shaughnessy born Cowra.[1]
Oct 1861 Sometime in this month I went to Forbes gold rush.
Jan 1862 Keeping a store in Forbes at the great rush. I kept the store in Forbes to Sep 1862.
Oct 1862 James Mclnernery, James Butler[2], John Fitzgerald and I and two others took up extended claim No. 24, 25, 6, and 7 on the South lead to work some old ground. We put a whim and a puddling machine on the claim.
Nov 1862 Working in the claim. Poor dividends. Heavy expenses. We got flooded out. Took 10 days to bail her out.
Dec 1862. Working in the claim fine, damp, very troublesome. Water very strong.
24 Jan 1863 All left claim and gave all the fixings and plant to William Curry. I came up to Cowra.
Jun 1863. I took Thomas Jace out to Patrick Walsh’s, ‘Kikiamah’. Patrick Fitzgibbon was there.
Sep 1863. I bought a mob of horses from P. O’ Mealy[3] at Weddin Mountain to take to Queensland.
1 Oct 1863 Canowindra – bound for Queensland and about four hundred head of horses. James McInerney, Willie Hood and I, we had about an equal number of horses each.
2 Oct 1863 Toogong
3/4 Oct 1863 Boree Cabonne. Molong, Copper Hill.[4]
5 Oct 1863 Three Rivers, Black Rock (6 th), Wellington (7), Ponto (8), Murrumbidgerie (9), Dubbo (10), Barbigal (11), Murrungundi (12).
13 Oct 1863 We lost all the horses. The ground was too boggy. We could not gallop after them. Some of them we found at Wellington. It took until 17 Nov to get them together. I was 40 head short. We got ready to make another start from Murrungundi.
18 Nov 1863 Nairne, Cobbora (19 th)[5], Bolaro (20), Denison Town (21)[6], Coolah (22), Oakey Creek (23), Bomera (24), Tambar Springs (25), Mullaley Mountain, Liverpool Plains (26)[7], Ghoolendadi (27), The Rocks, Namoi River (28), Broadwater (29), Narrabri (30).
1 Dec 1863 Gladdery, Boggy Creek (2nd), Millie (3), Big Bumble (4), Moone (5), Webillabulla (6), Pelomelama (7), Bagamidi (8), Gannawaldi (9), Yalleroi (10), Dight’s yards (11), Yetman, Dight’s, McIntyre River (12), Bebo Sovereign River (13), Dine’s Yard, McIntyre Brook (14), Inglewood Township on the Brook (15), Gore’s Yard (16), Stonehenge (17), Canal Creek (18), Allangoman, Condamine River (19).
20 Dec 1863 Passed Felton to Etonvale. We stayed there up to the 29th. We spent our Christmas on the plains tailing the horses.
29 Dec 1863 Drayton. [8]
30 Dec 1863 Toowoomba. It took us about a week to sell the horses. I took some horses to Ipswich and went back to Toowoomba and then started in the coach to Ipswich and by coach to Brisbane We took steamer for Sydney. From Sydney by coach to Cowra.
10 Jan 1864 Ignatius 0′ Shaugnessy born at Cowra.[9]
Mar 1864 I went out to Kikiamah.
Oct 1864 I left Kikiamah and came to Cowra.
1 Jan 1865 I rode down to W. Walsh’s at Forbes. W Walsh and I went to Josiah Strickland[10] to a muster at Bundaburra. We met James Parker from Mulgutherie there. I agreed to go droving for him for 150 pound per annum. Next day I got to Mulgutherie allright.
11 Jan 1865 I started from Mulgutherie with five men and a horse and cart for a mob of Brown’s cattle at Cannonbar. We followed the Bogan down to Bulgandramine and from there to Wallaby and on to Narromine, Christie’s, Macquarie River. Down the river to Warren, turned off the river at Warren and followed a creek down to Cannonbar, Brown’s station. Brown kept a public house and a store and we met Mr Parker and Webber and Argent and Slowcombe. They were employed by Augustus Morris to but fat cattle. We got 150 head of fat cattle at Cannonbar. We travelled across onto the Bogan and up to Mudhall, another station of Brown’s. We got 200 head of bullocks. We travelled up the Bogan.
5 Feb 1865 Arrived at Mulgutherie with Brown’s cattle.
8 Feb 1865 Started for Aron’s cattle. I met a mob bought from Wood and came back with them to Mulgutherie.
7 Mar 1865 Arrived at Mulgutherie Station with Wood’s cattle.
8 Mar 1865 Started to meet Gardiner’s and Beard’s cattle. Met them at Palmer’s on the Bogan and took charge of them.
14 Mar 1865 Arrived at Mulgutherie with Gardiner and beard’s cattle.
17 Mar 1865 Started up to Finn’s, Wowringerong for cattle. Mr Parker could not agree for them they were a poor lot.
18 Mar 1865 Started back to Mulgutherie.
28 Apr 1865 Started for Gummin Gummin near Coonamble[11] for cattle. I met a mob at Narromine. I took charge of them and turned back and met Webber at Bulgungerim. His man took charge of them. Webber and I started back again and met Brocklehurst’s cattle at Wallaby. Webber took charge of them. The next day I went to Narromine. I met Argent and Slowcombe there. They started back with me to Mulgutherie.
13 May 1865 Argent, Slowcombe and I arrived at Mulgutherie.
23 May 1865 To Gunninghlan. Argent, Slowcombe and I bound for Gummin Gummin.
24 May 1865 Kinanage, Spring Creek (25th), Narromine (26).
27 May 1865 Slowcombe and Argent went to Dubbo races. I stayed at Narromine, Christies.
30 May 1865 Argent and Slowcombe came from Dubbo. Bought no cattle.
31 May 1865 I started back for Mulgutherie and reached Kinanangee.
1 Jun 1865 I reached Mulgutherie and stayed there up to 16th June.
16 Jun 1865 Burrawang. I had six men, a cart and two horses and dray, going for cattle to Brocklehursts, Euroka Station[12], Walgett.
17 Jun 1865 Gunningbland (17), Palmer’s Plain (18), Kinanange, Gilmore’s Station (20), Three miles past Bulgandramine (20), Spring Creek, passed Tomingly (21), Narromine, crossed the Macquarie (22).
23 Jun 1865 Burraway 15 miles, 4 miles past.
24 Jun 1865 Wambeana, Christies Cattle Station 17 miles.
25 Jun 1865 Wambandry 12 miles. Three miles past. We met Dave Hepburn with a mob of fat cattle for Mulgutherie.
26 Jun 1865 Billa Bulla 18 miles.
27 Jun 1865 Dungaleer 13 miles.
28 Jun 1865 Gradgery, Wild’s Station on the Marthaguy 18 Miles.
29 Jun 1865 We left the Marthaguy on the left to a sheep station 8 miles.
30 Jun 1865 Mobbilly, Cheatham’s Station on the Merri Merri Creek. 14 miles. Three miles past.
1 Jul 1865 Quambone, Flood’s 3 miles. Nyangan Creek through the monkey scrub 14 miles.
2 Jul 1865 Joseph Aaron’s station on Nyangan Creek.
3 Jul 1865 Gungalmine, Mylecharanes on a lagoon 12 miles.
4 Jul 1865 Michael Morris’ station on the Castlereagh River 12 miles. All plain. No water.
5 Jul 1865 Polly Brennan. 10 miles following the Castlereagh down to Gidgeon, Flood’s. 3 miles.
6 Jul 1865 Left the Castlereagh here and crossed plains to Walgett 25 miles. At the junction of the Namoi with the Darling River or Barwon. Two public houses and stores. Old Euroka Station 5 miles.
7 Jul 1865 Euroka Brocklehurst’s Station 4 miles.
8 Jul 1865 Camped. Waiting for Argent and Slowcombe.
9 Jul 1865 Camped.
10 Jul 1865 I went up to Walgett. I saw Joe Arons there.
11 Jul 1865 Argent and Slowcombe came.
12 Jul 1865 Camped. Annie O’Shaughnessy born at Cowra.
13 Jul 1865 Camped.
14 Jul 1865 Brocklehurst came.
15 Jul 1865 I went up to Walgett.
16 Jul 1865 Commenced to muster.
17 Jul 1865 Argent bought 60 head of cattle. Doyles on the Namoi.
18 Jul 1865 I sent two men for Doyle’s cattle.
19 Jul 1865 Tailing cattle.
20 Jul 1865 Tailing cattle.
21 Jul 1865 Started with Brocklehurst’s cattle and got to Gidgeon,
22 Jul 1865 Wanganellah Swamp 12 miles.
23 Jul 1865 Dargin’s station on the Wammerawa (Macquarie) 15 miles.
24 Jul 1865 To an old station of Dirty Bob’s. 8 miles. No road.
25 Jul 1865 Pelicawarrina. Followed the reed beds round. No road. Fine open country. 15 miles.
26 Jul 1865 Followed the Bulbiger Creek. No road. 4 miles.
27 Jul 1865 Lowe’s Station on the Macquarie. The reed beds start here. All plains. No road.12 miles.
28 Jul 1865 Quandong Old station Cruickshanks. 3 miles.
29 Jul 1865 Derrimah Cruickshanks. 6 miles.
30 Jul 1865 Mount Harris. Bryan Egan’s Station 9 miles. I took delivery of 188 head of cattle from Joe Aarons.
31 Jul 1865 Dungaleer. One mile past. 9 miles.
1 Aug 1865 Within two miles of Billa Bulla. 9 miles.
2 Aug 1865 Within two miles. Evanmar. 8 miles.
3 Aug 1865 Within a mile of Killandron. 10 miles.
4 Aug 1865 Two miles past Wambandry. 7 miles
5 Aug 1865 Wambiana Fence. 7 miles.
6 Aug 1865 Three miles past Gallimarri 7 miles.
7 Aug 1865 Within four miles of Burraway. 10 miles.
8 Aug 1865 Three miles above Burraway. 7 miles.
9 Aug 1865 Crossed the Macquarie at Timrebonge, followed river up. 7 miles.
10 Aug 1865 Three miles. Camped.
11 Aug 1865 Narromine. Christie’s. 5 miles.
12 Aug 1865 Narromine paddock. 3 miles.
13 Aug 1865 Within two miles of Wallaby. 10 miles.
14 Aug 1865 Tomingley Creek. 11 miles.
15 Aug 1865 Bulgandramine. Gilmore’s. Bogan River. 12 miles.
16 Aug 1865 Kinanage. Gilmore’s. 12 miles.
17 Aug 1865 Within two miles of Gradgery. Palmer’s. 6 miles.
18 Aug 1865 Five miles past Palmer’s.
19 Aug 1865 Gunningbland. Parker’s station. 20 miles.
20 Aug 1865 Monomie. Parker’s. 6 miles.
21 Aug 1865 Camped at Monomie.
22 Aug 1865 Gunning Gap. Parker’s. 8 miles.
23 Aug 1865 Grudgery. Parker’s. on the Lachlan River. 6 miles.
24 Aug 1865 Delivered the cattle to Webber and came up to Forbes.
25 Aug 1865 Binda. Michael Walsh’s Station. 30 miles.
26 Aug 1865 Cowra 30 miles. Stayed in Cowra up to 10 September.
11 Sep 1865 Goolagong 25 miles.
12 Sep 1865 Forbes 40 miles.
13 Sep 1865 Grudgery 15 miles.
14 Sep 1865 Mulgutherie 25 miles.
15 Sep 1865 Grudgery 15 miles. Stayed at Grudgery up to 18 September.
19 Sep 1865 Started with 150 head of fat cattle. Crossed over the river to Jimelong. 2 miles. Camped there all night.
20 Sep 1865 Bundaburra. Stricklands. We went out in the evening to the Tallabung Mountain to muster cattle. Camped at a hut of Strickland.
21 Sep 1865 Came in to Bundaburra and drafted the cattle.
22 Sep 1865 Went out on the run and brought in cattle and drafted them.
COWRA TO BENDIGO
23 Sep 1865 We put all the fat cattle through the yards. D Hepburn took charge of them and started for Bendigo. I took the spring cart up to Forbes and back to Bundaburra.
24 Sep 1865 Grudgery.
25 Sep 1865 Mulgutherie.
26 Sep 1865 Started a man with two horses and cart. Crossed river in the island paddock. Camped opposite (Monmanga?).
27 Sep 1865 Tallabung Mountain 42 miles.
28 Sep 1865 I took charge of 358 fat cattle for Bendigo market.
29 Sep 1865 Lake Cowal. Atkins station. 20 miles.
30 Sep 1865 Gibson’s old yard. Bland Creek. 12 miles.
1 Oct 1865 Curraburramah. Regan’s Station 14 miles.
2 Oct 1865 McGregor 6 miles. Caldwell’s 6 miles. Gardiner’s 6 miles.
3 Oct 1865 Chisholm’s 6 miles. Dacy’s Public House 10 miles.
4 Oct 1865 O’Brien’s Station 6 miles.
5 Oct 1865 Cummins Public House 9 miles. Houlaghan’s Creek Hurley’s Station 12 miles. No water for the cattle.
6 Oct 1865 Junee Public House 10 miles, to an old sheep station 6 miles. No water for the cattle. They were very troublesome.
7 Oct 1865 Wallace Town 6 miles to a free selection 4 miles. No water for the cattle.
8 Oct 1865 Wagga Wagga 6 miles. Watered the cattle at a large lagoon. Holloway’s Station 5 miles down the Murrumbidgee.
9 Oct 1865 Woolshed 6 miles. Sheep wash 5 miles. Horseshoe bend 4 miles. A large lagoon.
10 Oct 1865 Public house 2 miles. Devilin’s Station 2 miles. 4 miles to a fence, followed it three miles.
11 Oct 1865 Lupton’s 9 miles. Camped 5 miles past.
12 Oct 1865 To a station 5 miles. Came in sight of D Hepburn’s cattle. 4 miles to another station, 1 mile past and camped.
13 Oct 1865 Narranderra 2 miles. D Hepburn and I crossed our two lots onto the (Gillimbar?) side of the Murrumbidgee River and followed the river down two miles. The road turns off here for the Yanco Creek. 4 miles on and camped.
14 Oct 1865 To an old sheep station on the Yanco 8 miles. Peters 4 miles.
15 Oct 1865 To a bridge 5 miles. To a bend on the Yanco 6 miles.
16 Oct 1865 A sheep station 4 miles. Another sheep station 4 miles. 2 miles to a woolshed.
17 Oct 1865 5 miles to a gate. 4 miles to another gate. 3 miles to a public house.
18 Oct 1865 In two miles we leave the Yanco. Turn Back Jimmy Dam 8 miles . All plain.
19 Oct 1865 Jerilderie Township on the Billabong Creek 7 miles. 4 miles past to a gate.
20 Oct 1865 6 miles to a gate and a dam. Forest Creek. 4 miles.
21 Oct 1865 Cornago Public House 5 miles. Leave the Billabong 8 miles.
22 Oct 1865 Deniliquin Township on the Edwards River 12 miles. Swam the cattle across the Edwards River. 4 miles to a selection. We had to shift our cattle in the night for fear of being impounded.
23 Oct 1865 Hill Plain Public House 5 miles. The Gulpa 6 miles. The Gulpa is a branch of the Edwards River.
24 Oct 1865 Red Bank Hotel 5 miles. I met Webber here. Moira Swamp 5 miles.
25 Oct 1865 Moira Hotel O’Shannasy’s Station 3 miles. Maiden’s Forest 6 miles. Moama[13], Murray River 5 miles.
26 Oct 1865 Crossed the cattle at Moama. It was a long swim for them. Followed the Murray up to the junction of the Goulburn River 4 miles.
27 Oct 1865 F Parker came from Melbourne and picked out all the fat cattle from the two mobs. I took charge of the two lots. David Hepburn went to Melbourne with Fred Parker.
28 Oct 1865 (Radway?) Dam 5 miles. 9 mile point 4 miles.
29 Oct 1865 Rochester. Sewards Hotel 5 miles. 3 miles past.
30 Oct 1865 Barrows Hotel on the Campaspe 10 miles.
31 Oct 1865 Pearces Hotel 8 miles. Tobin’s on Forest Creek 2 miles. Camped two miles past.
1 Nov 1865 Mathieson’s on Forest Creek 8 miles. This is on the main road from Bendigo to Kilmore and Melbourne.
2 Nov 1865 Sandhurst[14] by coach to see our agent. 25 miles.
3 Nov 1865 To Mathieson’s by coach. Mr Parker and our agent at the Melbourne races.[15] Camped four days at Mathieson’s.
8 Nov 1865 I delivered 530 head of cattle to James Fulton. I started all themen with sparehorses and two carts for Mulgutherie. I went by coachto Sandhurst.
9 Nov 1865 Sandhurst all day.
10 Nov 1865 I went by rail to Runnymede and met the men at Barron’s Hotel and travelled on to Rochester.
11 Nov 1865 Echuca. Murray River. Camped.
12 Nov 1865 Camped all day.
13 Nov 1865 I got the carts repaired.
14 Nov 1865 Moira. 3 miles passed. Camped on the swamp.
15 Nov 1865 Hill Plain Public House. Put the horses across the Gulpa.
16 Nov 1865 One horse missing all day. Found him late in the evening.
17 Nov 1865 Deniliquin. Crossed over the Edwards and out to the reserve.
18 Nov 1865 Carnago 7 miles past.
19 Nov 1865 Within 8 miles of Jerilderie.
20 Nov 1865 Turn Back Jimmy Dam.
21 Nov 1865 Two miles past Peters Station on the Yanco.
22 Nov 1865 A station of Peters on the Yanco.
23 Nov 1865 Gillinbar on the Murrumbidgee
24 Nov 1865 Medium, Flood’s 12 miles.
25 Nov 1865 Clark’s dam on the Merool Creek 18 miles.
26 Nov 1865 Mrs Hardy’s. Up the Merool Creek 18 miles.
27 Nov 1865 Up the Mirrool Creek 5 miles. Leave the Merool Creek on the right hand. No road to Hume’s Station. 12 miles.
28 Nov 1865 To an old sheep station 7 miles. Mr McNamara’s 9 miles. McNichols new station 10 miles.
29 Nov 1865 Chisholm’s station on the Bland Creek 9 miles. Gibson’s old yard 10 miles.
30 Nov 1865 Thomas Lee’s Station on Lake Cowal 16 miles.
1 Dec 1865 (Manna?) Mountain. E Jones’ Station 25 miles.
2 Dec 1865 Cadow. E Jones’ home station on the Lachlan River 12 miles. Crossed the river and followed down to Mulgutherie. 5 miles.
6 Dec 1865 Collecting horses in the paddocks.
9 Dec 1865 (Burronaberria?) Surveying for a line of fence.
11 Dec 1865 Gathering all the cattle out of the paddocks.
20 Dec 1865 Forbes 20 miles.
21 Dec 1865 Goolagong. Stayed at James Mc Inerney’s above Goolagong. 35 miles.
22 Dec 1865 Cowra 25 miles. Stayed in Cowra up to 31st December.
31 Nov 1865 Binda. Michael Walsh’s station.
To return to O’Shaughnessy Main Page, click here.
To go to Part Five 1866, click here.
- Mary. 1861 – ? Married Denis McGrath of Bimbi 1890.↵
- I don’t know who James Butler was, yet. (From John McInerney 4.8.2004.)↵
- Craig Bratby has added a comment to the O’Meally reference. “Paddy O’Meally was the father of John O’Meally, member of the Ben Hall gang. They lived on what is now known as ‘Arramagong West’, and the site of his home and paddocks has only very recently been identified. There was much debate between the local historians as to the location until recently I stumbled upon an 1849 surveyor field map showing the layout of his block on the eastern fringe of the Weddin Mountain.Thomas was taking somewhat of a risk in his dealings with O’Meally because the police were bent on destroying him. 1863 was the year the Hall gang were at the height of their notoriety and Paddy’s public house had been burnt down and his property was under constant surveillance. The gang spent September 1863 around the Carcoar district so Thomas may have been aware that police were after them there and his business dealings with O’Meally would progress unhindered. Then again he may not have been aware at all.”↵
- The property included the site of the first copper mine opened in NSW. The Land was origianally granted to Rev. Samuel Marsden about 1832. It was leased by A C Hood about the time the Molong Mining Company was in operation and in 1850 it was purchased by James Edward Kelly who built the original homestead.↵
- Cobbora began its life in the 1860s as a postal stop on the run between Mudgee and Mendooran. Two hotels were established and it was declared a town in 1885 when a police station was built. Still standing, it is now a private residence and can be seen from the road. It was used in the film ‘The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith’. There is also an historic cemetery with headstones dating back to 1868.↵
- What was once a village but is now a mere locality lacking even a sign by the road. All that remains today is a cemetery believed to have opened in 1850 and closed in 1915. There are now only four headstones remaining (one of which has fallen) that contain eight names, and a plaque on a rock memorial that lists the names of 56 persons buried either in this cemetery or nearby between 1858 and 1911 .↵
- In 1823 explorer Allan Cunningham became the first known European in the district when he came across Pandora’s Pass, the route over the Warrumbungle Range on to the Liverpool Plains. The district was surveyed in 1832 and squatters soon followed, in search of fresh pasturage.↵
- The small settlement which grew up at the camping spot where bullockies rested their beasts after the long, hard, haul up the range was known as The Springs. However when Thomas Alford set up a trading post there in 1842 he named it Drayton after his home town in Somerset. The Aboriginal people called the sport Chinkerry meaning the place where water jumps up, or water sparking like stars. When Queensland was declared a separate colony in 1859, the Darling Downs region was alive with settlers who had followed those first squatters north along the overland route from NSW. The two main centres in the region were Warwick – a settlement established by Patrick Leslie in 1847 – and Drayton, a small town near the crest of the Great Dividing Range. Drayton has since been overtaken by Toowoomba ,developed a few miles north. The white settlers simply called it the Drayton Swamp until 1857 when the name of Toowoomba was adopted.↵
- Died as an infant.↵
- Josiah was the brother of the owner of Cadow Station, John Strickland (mentioned in the diary in the section immediately preceding the detailing of Argent’s death. Josiah & Maria were the parents of Edward Evan Nepean Strickland who, losing his first wife in 1891, remarried six years later. His second wife was Rubina Josephine Crowe (1873/5 – 1928). Rubina was doubly the great-granddaughter of James Byrne (1769-1849) through her father William ( 1843-1925), (son of James Crowe & Susannah nee Byrne AND through her mother Teresa Mary (aka ‘Mary Teresa’) Quilter (1845-1923) (daughter of John Quilter & Frances Matilda Byrne) Edward’s first wife was a Stanton – as was Thomas Byrne’s second wife . I have nothing to substantiate any blood relationship. You no doubt remember a classmate of mine at SJC (until 1949 incl.) – Robert (‘Jacky’) Strickland from Trundle. He was the son of Reginald Gordon Strickland (1901-1960) who married Eillen O’Shea. Gordon was the only son (with four sisters) of Rubina & Edward. Robert himself married June Barnes (I believe Tim recognised her at the Gobarralong/ Coolac reunion in 1980 . ) I think Robert has three sons & four daughters (From Joe Fulton 18.1.2005)↵
- 56 Km. SE of Coonamble on the road to Coonabarabran. ‘Gummin Gummin’ Station used to breed and sell horses to the British army in India in the late 1800s/early 1900s.↵
- Euroka Station, near Walgett, is the site on which Frederick York Wolseley invented and engineered the first mechanical shearing machine. The machine operated handpiece was first acknowledged in March 1877 and paved the future of the wool industry,↵
- Moama is a town on the NSW side of the Murray River opposite Echuca.↵
- At this time,Sandhurst and Bendigo were interchangeable names for the city of Bendigo, Victoria.↵
- This was the fifth running of the Melbourne Cup and the first at which a Cup valued at one hundred sovereigns was presented to the winner in addition to the prize money. The Cup was won by Toryboy at 25 to 1. Thirteen thousand spectators attended.↵