Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star, Saturday 5 April 1947
SAGAS OF THE EARLY DAYS by WINDSOR LANG.
Free-Selectors Move In
MR. TOM MALLETT, in an address to the Richmond River Historical Society, when relating the Richmond River experiences of Miss Ann King (later Mrs. T.N. Hollingworth, and still later Mrs. H. Dawe) gave one some idea of what a trip involved from Clarence to Casino by bullock dray. The King family had made their journey in 1844, but conditions had not improved to any great extent during the following 20 years, that had elapsed, before the “free-selectors” came.
“The journey from Grafton was made on a bullock-wagon, and took two weeks to complete, four families being carried on the one wagon. About 30 miles from Grafton they came to an hotel, The Travellers’ Rest, kept by Mr. and Mrs. Hindmarsh. This and a cattle station were the only inhabitants they saw till they reached Runnymede.
“When they got to the Richmond River, where Casino is now, a large gum tree had to be felled across the river to get the women and children across, the bullocks and wagon having to be taken through the water. They eventually reached Back Creek safely, and began to live in a hut.”
Casino, which had been gazetted as the township of “Cassino” on November 30, 1885, as well as being the commercial center of the district, had become the focal point for the transaction of all official business. It had been appointed as a place of Petty Sessions as early as December 22,
1846. For some unaccountable reason this appointment had been cancelled, but definite re-appointment was made in 1852. In the 60’s it became the seat of residence for the Crown Lands Commissioner for the Richmond.
Casino thus became the immediate destination of these newly-arrived, prospective selectors. It became also their dispersal point. From there they proceeded by rowing-boat down the river either by way of the South Arm, or, after travelling to Lismore, by way of the North Arm. As these newcomers proceeded on their way they were delighted to make contact with the earlier selectors, who had preceded them from the South Coast.
My father said that the home of Mr. Will Munro, of Steve King’s Plains, became a recognised “port-of-call” to those coming from the South Coast. Both hospitality and advice, invaluable to the incoming selectors, were freely dispensed.
At long last a “free-selector” would arrive at the site of his selection. The bodily weariness resultant from his long trip, the untamed scrub, with the wild life it contained, confronting him, together with the knowledge of his being far from a settled center for an indefinite period, could easily have dampened his enthusiasm.
The thought of his becoming the possessor of the “title deeds” for this property would have a buoyant effect upon his spirits, but he would realise the back-breaking amount of toil in clearing and improving that stretched out ahead of him before his holding could become productive.
But time would not permit of his spending too long a period in dreamy contemplation. The location of the source of a reliable drinking-water supply, and provision of living quarters to house him temporarily, demanded immediate action. So he set out to begin the first work that would mark the starting-point of months, and even years, of continuous labour that would make real demands on both his physical and mental reserves.
I have before me a list, compiled by Mr. Robert Leycester Dawson containing the names of many of the “free-selectors” of about 1863, but the list is by no means complete, and, with the exception of those in the Parish of East Gundurimba, it does not contain the names of those who made early selection along the river bank lands.
I particularly regret having no complete record of the names of the early settlers on the lands lower down on the Richmond, because the names of my father, and of life-long friends of his, should appear on that list. I shall be forced to rely on memory for the names that were familiarly in use in our household.
From Mr. James Ainsworth’s records I learn that he made his selection at North Creek, fronting the cutting descending to “Seven Miles Beach.” Mr. William Clement, south of Prospect, John Sharpe selected Prospect. From Mr. Dawson’s list I gather such names as that of T. Hollingworth (1863), Samuel (possibly Lemuel) B. Snow (1863), C. W. Griffin (1863), William Slater (1864), John Curtin (1864), all in Parish of South Lismore; Ed. Murphy (1863), John Cusack (1863), Owen Bowlin (1862), J. Geraghty (1865), M. A. Walpole (1863), Jas. Beale (1863), J. Taylor (1864), Jas. Wotherspoon (1865), R. S. Wotherspoon (1865), Owen Cawley (1869), all Parish of North Lismore; John Jarrett (1866), F. B. Allen (no date), Thos. Sexton (1866), John Sexton (1866), H. O’B. Wilson (1863), C. Moss (1864), J. B. Burley (1864), John Webber (1864), all Parish of East Gundurimba; Mary Garrad (1864), P. Finch (1863), Ed Townsend (1862), James Exton (1864), P. Mayer (1866), all of Parish of Blakebrook.
From a list compiled by Mr. T. A. Murray I learn that amongst the first selectors at Tintenbar were J. Skehnar, J. Bourne, C. Skennar, A. Skennar, E. C. Skennar, A. Lindsay, A. Walls, J. Killen, J. Minogue, C. Jarrett, J. Gillies, Joe McGuire, A. Glascott, W. Shepherd, A. Clement, H. Harding A. C. O’Connor, F. Doyle, C. Ross, J. Lowe, P. Hogan, L. Cloutier, Denis Navin, E. Sallaway. R. Barnett, J. Peters, J. Gay and George Topfer.
From Mr. Owen Cawley, of Alstonville, I learn that the first selectors in that area were Andrew Freeborn, Thomas Freeborn, V. W. Giblin, John Robertson, W. Robertson, John Perry, W. Crawford, G. T. Kemp and J. Mellis.
AS REGARDS the names of the first settlers along the river flats, and the adjoining areas, as I stated earlier, I shall have to rely on remembered utterances. In doing so I am regretfully conscious that I shall miss out many names.
Among the remembered names occur Will Munro, Donald McPherson, Ken McPherson. Thomas King, Edward Mallett, Charles Robson, Duncan McDonald, Alex. Munro, J. Riordan, D. Murdoch, J. Reardon, James Baillie, Livingstone, Cameron, L. McKinnon, Thomas Borton, Donald Campbell, John Robinson, Hector McPherson, H. Hann, Alex McPherson, Thomas Butler, J. McPherson, Pat. Butler, Thos. Malone, Will Cravigan, John Lang, Alex. Lang, William Gollan, John Gollan, Charles Gollan, W. Trustum, Henry Gorman. Peter McLaren, Cowan, M. Duffy, John Isbister, F. Matlock, A. McPhee, Hector Grant, Poolman, J. Ballantyne, Jack Carmichael, McKinnon, George Wagner, Charles Wagner, James Betteridge, J. Connaghan, W. Sharp, C. Hansen, J. Hansen, A. Petersen, H. Williams, Riley, Jim Cook, Sam Cook, and John O’Connor.
In the “Parish of North Casino” group (Mr. Dawson’s list) occur these names: Thomas Madden (1866), M. Magnay (1863). In “Parish of Tomki” group appear the names of: Alexander Armstrong (1866), Edward Naughton (1866), Robert McKenzie, G. Baillie, H. Leeson, Rory McKenzie, John Baker, Murdoch Grant, Thomas Paine, Cameron, Livingstone, Thomas Jones, Stevens, Thomas Clarke, Banks, John McDonald, John Ellem, A. Thomas, M. Doran. Thurgate, Milgate, Brown, Jacob Flick, J. Sheean, M. Meehan, Davis, Newby, Dolby; J. Olive, Kirkland, J. Pursey, Dorrington, A. Petersen, Gray, Butler, Thompson.
The wave of free-selection had commenced to flow.
(To be continued).