STUBBO PICNIC

The Stubbo Picnic

The Stubbo picnic is thought to be an annual event, and probably put on by ‘Granny Bennett'. Families who attended included Bennett, Jackson, Watson, Davis, Carr, and Lee. The elderly lady seated in the centre is Eliza (Geoghegan) Campbell. For details of the other names, click here.
The picnics were great fun with lots of food, games and foot races for the children. Winners would receive a threepence and a few boiled sweets.
Source: Barbara Gurney

Here are close-ups of sections of the above panoramic photo:

STUBBO LANDSCAPE

The following letter was written in 1903 by one of the daughters of Benjamin Lorne Campbell and his wife Mary Jane Lee of "Avoca", Barney's Reef Road.

Stubbo, via Gulgong.
Dear Princess Spinaway, -
My sister and I always have a race for the paper when it comes, to see who shall read the story first; we are so fond of reading it. I am going to tell you a little about the scenery and adjacent farms, from Stubbo to Gulgong.
As we drive from home, looking in one direction is my father's cultivation paddocks, and in the opposite, about half a mile of cleared land, and further out is a dwarf kind of wattle scrub; but it looks so pretty when in bloom; we often go out there in spring time gathering flowers and ground-berries.
Driving further, a little west are two other large farms, both adjoining father's, and about 300 acres of cleared cultivation land can be seen at a stretch. All the residences can be seen quite plainly from one another. But I am sorry to say the once green grass looks very withered and dry at present, and the wheat paddocks, that at this time any other year were covered with thick stubble, are now bare.
Several of the farmers about here had promise of some nice crops of corn. But these last few months of dry weather have settled them, and the stalks are now stacked for hay. Then we come to the Stubbo Public School and church. There is a nice playground attached to the school, in which grow several large apple trees, also gum and box; they throw out a nice shade in the summer time, and are a grand protection from the sun.
There are two more farms near here one belonging to Mr. T. Jackson, who is the largest farmer about here. Mr. Jackson owns about 3000 acres of land, about one-sixth being cultivation land. Through his cultivation land run two lovely creeks called Slapdash and Stubbo, which meet about 300 yards from the Stubbo School. Mr. Jackson's residence can be seen quite plainly from the road. It looks very pretty, too with honeysuckle, roses, and grape vine creeping up the verandah of his pretty weatherboard cottage, and a lovely flower garden in front of the house.
About half a mile from here is an old ruined house, once a farmhouse. All round the house grow uncared for roses, a tall poplar tree, and there is ivy clambering up the old fireplace. This place, though ruined, often proves a refuge for tramps.
About 200 yards further is a very nice farm with acacias growing all round the house, stables, and cowyards. The house is a neat weatherboard cottage. Honeysuckle twines up the verandah, and forms archways here and there. I have been told little birds build their nests there. How sweet it must be to hear them chirping and singing in the morning. The house is surrounded by a nice garden, in which grow many choice flowers, and is situated about 100 yards from the creek.
All along the banks of the creek grow acacias, prickly pears, and there used to be some lovely willow trees growing along a nice gully that ran into Slapdash, but of late some Chinese have taken up their abode, and, thinking willow trees very unprofitable, they cut them. But it is just as well, for now there is a large vegetable garden flourishing (looking what I imagined in the drought) like an oasis in a desert. Looking away into the distance are several other farms, in the midst of a dried field of corn.
Ten more minutes' drive brings us to a miner's house, fruit shop, and two more Chinese vegetable and fruit gardens, all situated on Reedy Creek [Wialdra]. On the other side of the creek is the Gulgong common. There are many more houses between Reedy Creek and Gulgong, but none are worth noting.
Looking into the west, about two miles along the road from Gulgong, can be seen Sunny Side and Trilby Estates; also, a few Tallewang residences. Now that I have given you a very poor idea of our six mile drive, I will close, with Fond regards to all the Court.
I remain, your’s truly, "Sweetbriar."