WOLLOGORANG - News and Views Newsletters - 1958 to 1962.: 2nd Year #1

Thursday, September 14, 2017

2nd Year #1 - 19.1.1959

Wollogorang Homestead.

Cover by Rosie Rodd.

Page One.

Page Two.

Page Three.

Page Four.

Page Five.

Page Six.

Page Seven.

Page Eight.

Page Nine.

Page Ten.

Page Eleven.

Page Twelve.

Page Thirteen.

Page Fourteen.

Page Fifteen.

Page Sixteen.

Page Seventeen.

Page Eighteen.

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Why I made this Blog.

Well before my teens my memories of visiting my Great Aunt Nancy and Great Uncle John were some of the fondest I have, as the child of an Army Officer our moves were often and many with my attending 13 schools all around NSW.

Lovely long visits to Wollogorang were something I really looked forward to.

As a youngster when living in Sydney my Grandmother Eileen, Nancy's older sister, would take me and sometimes my brother Tim on the train from Strathfield to Goulburn to be met by Randy in the Merc!

I remember watching out the window of the car as we headed south along the Federal Highway waiting, waiting for sight of the large Poplar trees on the left hand side… we're almost there! Then the dirt road past paddock after paddock, some with sheep but all with small mounds of great big volcanic type rocks, then veering to the right past the Shearing Sheds and Farm which could be seen on our left, then past the Lodge, the boys Quarters on the right, a few Cottages on either side of the road with just a glimpse of the Homestead up ahead, then past the Dam on the left, was it overflowing today? The works and the 'Line Up' of all sorts of vehicles could be seen on the left then Randy would turn the Merc right and into the Homestead Courtyard… we're here!

As a young teen, I was very aware of these Newsletters watching my mother Rosie draw something Wollogorang related for the Covers.

In the mid 1960's I was in my late teens and spent more and more time visiting, even spending many months working at the Homestead as an Upstairs Maid in the mornings and hanging out with Uncle John or whoever would let me, in the afternoons. During this time I met several young men called 'Cadets', some of whom I still know, one I married in the late 1960's.

As a youngster I was always a good letter writer and this has continued all through the years with several things I've written or collated in Libraries so when I discovered that David Crisp had copies of these Wollogorang News & Views Newsletters, I borrowed them and scanned each one for this Blog, I was determined to have this Australian Farming History recorded in some way… the Blog seemed to be the best way for past workers, family, friends and visitors to read and enjoy the daily doings of these Properties overseen by my Uncle John.

We saw a lot of Aunty Cranky when we lived in Sydney she bought most of my beloved books, I also loved hearing the tales of her Overseas travels from 1957 to 1962, the postcards she sent me and my siblings are in another Blog… 'Postcards from Aunty Cranky'.

'Watto' - John Watson

'Cranky' - Nancy Watson (wife)

'Dimmo' - Susan Watson (daughter)

'Dinny' - Helena Watson (sister)

'Randy' - Irena Rand (friend)

Wollogorang, Breadalbane. N.S.W.

The earliest mention of Wollogorang station is in the diary of Major Mitchell who stayed there early in August 1828. This property was an original grant to Robert Campbell and was either leased or purchased by a former ship’s captain, Henry Edenborough in the early 1840s. He had a licence for 640 acres at Breadalbane Plains 1st December 1844, and advertised in the ‘Australian’, February 22nd 1845, that his sheep and cattle were ‘running at Maneero, 1,200 breeding ewes at Wallengarong’.

Breadalbane History.

* Prior to the arrival of Europeans the area around Breadalbane was inhabited by the Wiradjuri people who often camped along the banks of the Lachlan River.

* In 1829 the New South Wales Surveyor-General Major Thomas Mitchell reported that the road from Bong Bong near Bowral to Breadalbane was well established and that a regular coach service should be created. As a result Breadalbane became a popular spot for people heading south from Sydney. This fact encouraged bushrangers.

* On 23 February 1865 near the present town site there was a battle between Ben Hall's gang and troopers from Goulburn. This was one of over 100 robberies that Hall and his gang perpetrated in 1864-65.

* In 1875 a railway station was established at Breadalbane. It closed in 1974.

* The town was bypassed by the Hume Highway in the 1990s resulting in the local services being closed down.

1840 - Wollogorang - Henry Edenborough

Henry Edenborough, born in Tottenham, UK in 1812 started his career with the East India Company as a midshipman and made several trips to Australia becoming Captain and Master . In 1836 Henry married Margaret Stedman in London. During Henry's travels to Australia he found opportunities very attractive so in 1840 he bought 640 acres just south of Goulburn and built a considerable home there calling it 'Wollogorang'.

The 1841 Census for NSW records Wollogorang as having 23 people, 4 ticket of leave men (convicts), 5 shepherds, 8 gardeners and stockmen, 4 domestic servants and Henry and Margaret. 1844 and Henry is appointed Magistrate for the district. Margaret and Henry had 5 children. Fourteen years later in 1854 and aged 42 the Edenborough's sold up and returned to England selling Wollogorang. Three of Henry and Margaret Edenborough's six children later returned to Australia.

1854 - Chisholm Famiy.

Wollogorang was sold in 1854 to John William Chisholm, who was then living at Mummell, two miles from Kippilaw. Mr J W Chisholm had married Rebecca Stuckey of Longreach Argyle, the year before they went to live at Wollogorang. He was also a great racing man, and president of the Tirranna race club the year that they celebrated their 25th Anniversary. His eldest son, John, died unmarried. His second son, William, became a well known doctor in Sydney and married a daughter of Thomas Mitchell from the Riverina. The Third son, Harry, inherited Wollogorang and married the only daughter of Alexander Mackellar of Goulburn.