Ex TROVE Newspaper Archives – re “Comongin” QLD 1881
– 1884
(during John
Hinton Edmonds’ time there)
Ex TROVE Newspaper Archives - re "Comongin Station" in QLD, 1881-1884, during the time John Hinton Edmonds was there, although I never found anything on the death of his sister Ruth
Hinton Edmonds on the station.
“Comongin Station Bulloo River” is the major holding to the
north.
“South Comongin Station”
is the piece to the south that was sold off.
They both straddled the
Bulloo River.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Queenslander 1/1/1881
Our own correspondent writing from Buchal, Paroo River, under date
December 11, supplies the following items of news :—"The drought in these
parts still continues. The rainfall for October and November was only o.2oin.
and 0.07in. respectively. This compares unfavorably with the average fall for those months, which is o.49in. and o.89in.
The back water is now dry. The Cowley Plains cattle have had to travel for
water. 18,000 sheep are travelling up the creek, bound for Messrs. Cudmore and
Swan's station, on the Bulloo.
A half-caste known as Billy Ross was found dead within a mile and a half
from Cowley station. He had walked from Comongin, a distance of forty miles,
and on reaching a dam in the creek, which was dry, his heart must have failed
him."
1881 -
ref to Robertson Bros & Finlay’s South Comongin Stn on the Bulloo River
Qlder 18/6/1881
(many more similar July)
Ad for sale Pure Shorthorn Bulls ex “Comongin Station Bulloo
River” ex “stud herd of shorthorn cross of far-famed Colac and Glenormiston
blood”
Qldr 25/6/1881
Ad for auction 8000 cattle and 30 horses South Comongin Station
Qlder 25/6/1881
TUESDAY, 80th AUGUST. GRAND PABTORAL PROPERTY IN QUEENSLAND.
RICHARD GIBSON & CO. have re ceived instructions from Messrs. Robertson
Bros, and Finlay, to SELL by AUCTION, on the 80th August next, the SOUTH COMONGIN
STATION, With an estimated area of over 850 SQUARE MILES of COUNTRT, Together
with 8000 Head of Cattle, 80 Hones. The agents have pleasure in calling
particular attention to this property, whioh consists of 11 blocks, being the
southern portion of the well-known Comongin Station, acknowledged as being
about the best for sheep or cattle in Queensland. It was the first taken up on
the far famed Bulloo, and was specially selected for riohness of pasture and on
account of being permanently watered, it having a doable frontage to the river
of over twenty-five miles, besides double frontages to the following creeks:
—Corntparoo, Birkonetta, Giberoo, Thuanpine, Balberoo, CoparelLa, Ballimumulla,
Goorie Goorle, Tanaman, Coolba, Beengala. It has never been known to be dry,
and the rainfall from Ist January to the 6th May last is recorded 8.53in. The
country is lightly timbered, open salt and cotton bush plains with unusually
rich herbage. It is, therefore, specially adapted for sheep, and is estimated
by com petent judges to carry, at a moderate expenditure for improvements,
160,000 sheep, in all seasons; and, now that the railways are being constructed
into the interior, the cariiage of wool will be considerably lessened, and
whilst reaping the advantage of railway communication it is not within the
reach of the proposed railway reserves. The cattle are of a superior
description, the BG7 brand being well known in Melbourne, where they for many
years invariably topped the market, and, since the present proprietors purchased
Comongin, drafts of cows from the oelebrated Colao and Glenormiston herds have
been sent there, besides a large number of the bulls, thus making without
exception the best herd in Queensland. The improvements consist of the original
homestead, huts, drafting yards, Ac., some fencing. The proprietors guarantee
the cattle sold to be a fair average of the ages and sexes on the property
(excepting studs), and to ensure this a referee shall be appointed by the
vendors and purchaser to be present at the delivery. Fall particulars, plans,
&c, can be obtained on applica tion to the agents.
10/12/1881 mentions
Mr Imlay as manager of Comongin
Dec 1881 ref to
Cleve, Fink & Co purch sthn half of Comongin Stn on the Bulloo
1882
paper refs to “Messrs Cleve, Fink & Co of South Comongin Bulloo River
Jan and Dec 1882 -
ads refer to Manager Comongin as J McNicol
Qldr 6/5/1882
THARGOMINDAH. April. There have been three days of steady rain at South
Comongin. and it seems to be general. The country is looking splendid. Fat
cattle are being mustered on several of the stations.
Bris Courier 2/8/1882
COMONGIN (via Thargomindah) August 1.
Two inches of rain fell
here on the 10th and 20th July Tho Bulloo River is flooded. The weather is
cold, but the country and stock are looking well.
Nov 1882 – refs to
North Comongin (Barker & McLean)
(Is this the part left after they sold the “southern” half ??)
Bris Courier 12/3/1883
A CORRESPONDENT at Comongin, Warrego district, sends us the
following telegram, via Thargomindah, dated óth March :-"Rain fell here
for ten days, from the ISth to the 2Sth February. For seventy hours the rain
was heavy and continuous, and the total rainfall amounted to about ten inches.
There are tremendous floods throughout the district. The Bulloo River is 4ft.
above last year's high flood level, Tlie country is frightfully soft, but is
looking grand."
Bris Courier 24/5/1883
BIRTHS. IMLAY.-On the 19th March, at Comongin South Station,
Bulloo River, Queensland, the wife of Alexander Imlay, of a daughter.
Westn Champion 12/6/1883
IMPORTANT AUCTION
SALE. WEDNESDAY, 4th JULY,1883.
... instructed by Messrs McLean, Barker & Co., Comongin
Station, Bulloo River, to sell ... (six prize stallions)
Bris Courier 11/7/1883
We have a few grievances which it is to be
hoped the Government will favourably consider. First, the speedy extension of
tho tcle ffraph line, tho renewal of tho mail servico >etween here nnd
Adavale (thuH giving us direct overland mail communication with Brishano and
the other southern citio), a sale of town allotments, and, finally, police
protection and court of petty sessions.
In support of the two latter, an influentially signed petition
will soon be in the hands of our member (Mr Govett) for presentation to the
Colonial Secretary.
Whilst on this subject of police protection, I wish to refer to
the indomitable energy and ability displayed by senior constable Byrne, of
Isisford, in a recent horse stealing case -
A few weeks ago a man named Charles Roach, with several
altases, carno into Isisford from Malvern with two hornes, saddles, and
bridles, sold same as quickly as possible, and vanished. The senior, who is
never slow at smelling a rat, soon discovered that the horses, Ä-c , .vero
" borrowed" from Malvern, lost no time in starting after his mar, and
at twenty miles down the Barcoo from Isisford found that he had left the road.
Byrne then made his way to Jundah , h«re ho could find no trace. Thence ho went
up the Thompson to Forrest Grove, and back hero again and swain the river, and
after nineteen days' tracking cams up to the wanted party within ten miles of
Comongin station, on the Bullo, over 230 miles from Isisford The man now stands
committed from the Isisford bench to Blackall for further evidence. Cases such
as the above, and others of a minimal nature, are of everyday occurrence in the
interim, but, unfortunately for the good of law and order, men like
Senior-constable Byrne are indeed few and far between.
July 1883 ref to
mail deliveries now being once a fortnight
Qld Figaro 12/7/1883
“A Blighted Life”
On Monday, June 18th, at the Court of Petty Ses sions,
Thargomindah, A. Imlay, of South Comongin Station, appeared to answer a charge
of having, on May 21st, cruelly ill-treated an aboriginal female named Judy* ;
The evidence given was substantially to the effect that Judy was, on the dale
mentioned, in search of a cow, and unable to find it. Mr. Imlay cam'e up with a
"little fellow gun" in his hand and said sbmething about shooting her.
He then put a rope round her neck and passed it over a .tree, and ^subsequently
took her to the homestead diitlle ft&fc?oir with the rope still round her
neck, while he, who was on horseback at the time, struck her with a whip on the
way there. After arriving at the homestead the rope was removed, and a chain
and padlock-" big fellow chain "-were put round her neck, and after
wards she, waft employed drawing water; id a garden while in this condition,
and was in a state bordering on nudity* during!the time' she was performing;
this: latter operation. Later on, the cook employed at the station wa6 called
upon £b give evidence, btit&ailed to appear. As he was considered te be an
important witness, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and the case was
adjourned.
Aug 1883 paper refs
to McLean & Co of Comongin Stn, Paroo River (s/b Bulloo)
Qldr 8/9/1883
THE SKETCHER “From Cooper's Creek to Rockhampton” bY J.
E. P.
After a day's rest-travelling operations once more commenced,
Thargomindah, ninety miles distant, being the next destination. In dry seasons
this track is a terror to travellers, there being a sixty-mile stage without
water, from Nookatunga to a place called Pinindary, where there is a dam. The
first thirty miles was for the greater part over vast plains; after that the
range is met with, and there are a few milts of very rough country. Nothing of
im portance is passedon this track, as there are no habitations whatever till
Thargomindah is reached.
Bullawarra Lake, about sixteen miles from Thargoraindah, is
some distance of! the road, and I did not visit it Thargoraindah consists of
three or four hotels, a .couple of stores, shops, and post-office ; also a
court-house and police barracks. The Q. N. Bank has a branch here. The town is
built on a low mulga ridge, close to the Bulloo River. Some of the houses are
built of bricks, which are of local manufacture, as the Bulloo River mud makes
very good bricks. I cannot say I was greatly impressed with Thargomindah ; it
is extremely hot, and, like all bush towns, very dull.
After one day's delay my journey was once more resumed. Korley
station, twenty miles up the Bulloo, is the first place reached. The head
station is rather a pretty place, built on a low sand-hill, and can boast a
very fair flower garden—rather a novelty on far western stations. The country
about here is good, and seems well adapted for cattle; sheep have I believe
been also tried.
After leaving Norley, a ride of twenty-five miles along t he
Bulloo brings you to Ardoch station. The buildings at Ardoch are decidedly
above the average of western stations, being commodious and well built. I rode
over the greater part of this run, and was struck by the number of dams on it,
also the fine condition shown by the cattle. I was told that the Ardoch cattle
always com manded a high price in the southern markets), and can well believe
it The country in prin cipally raulga and gidya Hats, with patches of mulga
scrub. The country is hardly so well watered as the other Bulloo runs, but this
deficiency is made up for by dams.
A rather monotonous ride of fifty miles, and Comongin
station is reached. This is a very extensive run belonging to the Messrs.
Robertson, of Colac, Victoria. Most of the cattle are very well bred, being
from that celebrated herd. An opal mine was discovered a short distance from
this station, and waa worked for a short time, but did not I believe turn out
well.
After leaving Comongin and proceeding up the Bulloo, you pass
through some first-class pastoral country, especially in the neighbour hood of
the Comongin out-station. The Bulloo River is crossed for the last time about a
mile from Tintinehilla station, which is situated on a billabong of Blackwater
Creek.
The rising township of Adavale, which has been in existence only
three or four years, ia about five miles from Tintinehilla, on Blackwater
Creek. It oan only boast of a store and public-house, the latter beiifg a very
good one. The road to the Barcoo from Adavr.lc prrweda up Blackwater Creek, and
no stations are met with for about sixty miles till Listowel Downs is arrived
at. The country one passes through on this road is principally devoted to
sheep, a few shepherds' huts beins the only habitations on the way.
Aug 1884 report of a 60 yo shepherd dying of thirst. AND
report of Donald McLean arriving as Manager.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>