In this page:
- George Weatherly
- Joe Weatherly, bush poet
- Mary Weatherly
George Weatherly Jnr, Born about 1856, died 1934.
Source: Private collection of Marianne Allan Blythe
Headstone of King Togee
Source: Togee and more blog post
Source: Togee and more blog post
George Weatherly Snr was born in 1827 in Ruislip, Middlesex, England and came to Australia in 1857 with his wife (nee Sarah Garraway) and two children (Sarah and George Jnr). It appears that George Snr worked for the Nevell family at Botheroe near Coolah and a Rylstone. He died at Ilford in 1887 and his wife Sarah passed away at Ilford in 1914.George Weatherly Jnr was one year of age when he came to Australia and 31 years of age when his father died. At the age of 23 he married Catherine Eleanor McBeth at Ilford (about 1878). They had 10 children, the first being born at the Black Stump near Coolah. Catherine died at Digilah Station near Redbank (Dunedoo) in 1899.George then married Mary Eileen Bowling* at Turill in 1911. This marriage brought forth 12 children. When George died at Dunedoo in 1934 she had several young children to care for and these she raised on her own, never remarrying. Mary died in Gulgong in 1978 and is buried in Dunedoo Cemetery between her two sons, Tom and John.George spent most of his working life on properties around the Gulgong, Dunedoo and Coolah areas as as a boundary rider on Botheroe Station, 31 miles along the Neilrex Road from Coolah. At the time, Botheroe was owned by the Nevell family that befriended "Togee", King of the Botheroe Tribe. Togee died as the result of a spear wound and his burial was arranged by the Nevells alongside a nearby tree. No headstone was erected at the time. In later years, Henry Nevell called upon his son, Clarence, to have a suitable head stone made for Togee's grave and Clarence arranged for George to undertake the carving in local sandstone. Unfortunately it is not known in what year King Togee died nor the date the headstone was carved. The headstone is estimated to be over 100 years old.After leaving Botheroe Station, Clarence worked as a manager on Weetaliba station, north west of Coolah and then, as far as is known, left for the Gunnedah district. It is thanks to these two men that the memory of King Togee has been preserved.A NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service book titled "Aboriginal Burials and Cemeteries in NSW" has a photograph of King Togee's headstone on the cover.
* Mary Bowling was an Aboriginal girl who was raped by the owner of Digilah Station (later known as Dunedoo). She helped old George Weatherly to raise his many children. George Married Mary Eileen Agnes BOWLING in the residence of Michael McDermott, Turill, NSW, Australia. The marriage was conducted under the rites of the Roman Catholic Church. Together Old George and this Mary had another 12 children.
Source: Robert Collier_______________________________
JOE WEATHERLY
Joseph Andrew Weatherly, of Gulgong, was a bush poet who made a name for himself locally and on the ABC morning program for versatile recitations of his poems.Joe was born in Uarbry NSW on 26 March 1924 to George Weatherly and Mary Eileen Bowling. He was the eighth of thirteen children. Joe spent his childhood at Dunedoo.Joe's father, George, died when Joe was just 10 years old and his schooldays were dominated by the need to work for long hours outside of school time. His workday stretched from 4am to 10pm and was only interrupted by school attendance and meals.
Joe left school at 14 and joined the RAAF in 1942 at the age of 18. After the war, he worked variously as a rural contractor, rabbiter, drover, bulldozer driver and railway sleeper cutter. he later worked as a weeds officer and a salesman of primary products and veterinary supplements.
In 1968 and again in 1979 his health suffered, partly attributable to a war-time injury, and forced complete retirement on him at the age of 56.
Although Joe began writing at an early age, he did not begin to write consistently until the 1960s. Initially, he promoted the primary products he was selling but soon embraced a vision of the Australian bush. The poetry itself reveals an endless range of bushcraft and real-life rural situations which continue to delight Joe Weatherly's constantly growing following.
Source: Biography on cassette cover. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Joe married Nita McCabe in Gulgong and they had 5 sons.
1946 - [ENGAGEMENT]The engagement is announced of Nita, daughter of Mrs. H. McCabe, of Gulgong, to Mr. J. Weatherly, formerly of the Gulgong-Dunedoo districts and now of Cessnock.
1946 -[MARRIAGE]
KITCHEN TEA TO GULGONG GIRL - A kitchen tea and dance was held in the Gulgong Town Hall last Monday evening to Miss Nita McCabe, who was married on Saturday, August 10, to Mr. Joe Weatherly. A very enjoyable evening was spent by the many guests who attended and brought along a very nice lot of gifts. The music was supplied by Mrs. H. Byfield, Messrs. H. Byfield. T. Turner, J. Cross and L. Price, and the catering for the supper was done by Mesdames L. Price and Fred Ryan. During the even ing the guests were introduced by Mr. L. Price.
Bushie" Joe belts out his Verse.
Traditional Australian Bush Poet Joe Weatherly presented his verse to a lunchtime crowd at Martin place in his unique "Bush" style.
Source: Getty Images
Mudgee Guardian Cover Story, July 1981
Source: Maureen Boon
The above painting of Joe Weatherly, by Thora Ungar, was featured in the Portia Geach Exhibition at the Commonwealth Bank, Martin Place, Sydney in 1981. The exhibition was part of the Memorial Award for the best portraits painted by women. Subjects had to be people who have featured in the arts, music, architecture, letters, science and law.
Source: Mudgee Guardian, 28 July 1981.
A cassette of Joe Weatherly's poems
Side One- The Drover from Dunedoo
- Christmas Time at Piambong
- George Cleaver's Trotter
- Winton Town
- The Coonabarbran Kid
- Dipping Time at Goola-gong
- Cattle Creek
- The Gulgong Guns
- The Place of Lawson's Birth
- The Cutter
Side Two
- To Ned Who Swung a Gun
- The Things We Moan About
- The Wormguard Story
- First Communion Day
- The Creamy Pony
- An Aussie in Ireland
- The Altar Boy
- The Old Black Mare
- Ferdinand in Rubber Boots
- The Working Stockman
- The Man from Armidale
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School kids at a creek in Gulgong.
Mary Weatherly (tall, dark-haired girl at the centre).
