AGRICULTURE

1907 - Over Old Leads. BY COTSWOLD.
II. GULGONG TO THE TALBRAGAR.

Up to the opening of the railway from Coonamble to Dubbo, practically all the traffic from the Castlereagh came to Mudgee, and still a very large portion of the Merrygoen and Mundooran traffic comes that way, though the latter is but 20 miles from Gilgandra, and is 73 from Mudgee. The advantages are a good road and very great saving in railway freights.

Local opinion seems to be that the Mudgee and Gulgong people were negligent of their best interests when the Dubbo to Coonamble railway was put through. With the construction of the Mudgee-Dunedoo railway, however, much of the intervening country will be well served. This line does not follow the main road, but runs some distance to the north-east, and advisedly so, as the good agricultural country is better tapped thereby. Gulgong itself lies to the north-east of the main Castlereagh to Mudgee road.

If the road from Mudgee to Gulgong lies through patchy country, that from Gulgong to Cobborah is still more so. Running west to join the main road some very fair agricultural land is met with, mostly held in small farms, many acquired from the Rouse family during comparatively recent years. Here the cultivation is, on the whole, pretty good, and on some farms intelligent, methodical working is strongly in evidence. Amongst the farms near the town are those of Messrs. Sloman, Smith, Cooney, W. Watt, Jackson, and Graham. These farms do not, however, by any means comprise all the good agricultural land.

Reedy, or Wyaldra, Creek may be crossed just after joining the main road, or by an earlier turning to the right, which eventually leads on to Tallewang, Dunedoo, Denison Town, Leadville, Coolah, etc. The creek, which has a very deep and wide channel, flows strongly only after heavy rains, but the amount of gravel in the bed indicates an undercurrent. After crossing, the quality of the land on the right hand perceptibly deteriorates, and what can be seen from the road is mostly suitable for grazing purposes. Mrs. Docwra and Mr. Stahl are holders of land hereabouts.

Farther on, at Tallewang, there are, however, a number of farmers who go in for cultivation with success. In most seasons, though the present one is far from being favorable.

THRIFTY FARMERS.

On the left hand, sloping up from Wyaldra Creek, however, is some very fair farming land indeed, mostly acquired from the Rouse family, and held by such persevering farmers as the brothers Campbell, Mr. Croome, etc. One Mr. Campbell has been a considerable experimenter with different varieties of wheat, no fewer than seven having been tried on sufficient scale to practically demonstrate their suitability to the district and current methods of cultivation. The popular Purple Straw has been found to do well upon the whole, while White Lammas has yielded but 12 bushels to the acre alongside of Steinwedel with 27 bushels under identical treatment and in exactly similar soil. The latter has generally been found to be ahead of Purple Straw by about five bushels, and as much as 50 bushels per acre have been obtained from a small area (12 acres). Other varieties tried have been Trilby, John Brown, Plover, and Schneider, the two latter having yielded very good results.

Mr. Croome has 560 acres, which was purchased when in a ringbarked state some six years ago. One hundred acres are under crop, principally for hay, as chaff is a profitable product. A little maize is grown, principally for home consumption. Mr. Croome's land runs right down to the creek, at the crossing of the main road, where is a small settlement and the Beryl school. Near by are one or two market gardens, prettily situated at the foot of rugged hills.

THE COBBORAH-ROAD.

On the Cobborah-road, when Reedy Creek is passed, most of the good country is left behind so far as the immediate roadside is concerned. The exceptions are at Goodiman, where Mr. O'Connell has a large holding and some cultivation; at Haley's, where new land is being brought into cultivation, and ring barking is going on; and at Faulkner's (Lackey Creek). Spring Ridge, the property of Mr. Niven, is a large holding, a very great area of which has been cleared at what must have been a very heavy cost. It lies between Goodiman and Lackey Creek. The country consists chiefly of steep ridges, with little depth of soil, but affording useful grazing ground for sheep and cattle. The picturesque and substantial roadside hotel here illustrated is located on this property. Though the country passed through is at places very steep and hilly, the road has been very well surveyed, and neither rises nor falls to any very considerable extent.

After passing Faulkner's, the country is heavily timbered, but no agricultural land is met with until one nears the Talbragar, a few miles from  Cobborah. But at a little distance on either side is sterling good agricultural land, that on the west being on Sandy Creek, which runs into the Talbragar a few miles below Cobborah, while that on the right is undulating, with a few small stony ridges. It is here, about 12 miles from Cobborah, that the Stringybark alluvial goldfield is situated, and the adjoining country is known as Tucklan.

GOOD COUNTRY.

In this bit of back country is some of the most pleasing agricultural land that it has been the lot of the writer to see. The average elevation is some 1500ft, and the rainfall about 27in, which, notwithstanding recent seasons, is generally fairly regular. The few ridges, and some timber which has been left, must assist in protecting the country from the westerly winds. Wherever one turns the useful kurrajong is to be found, and though the shapely heads of the trees evidence the recourse which has been had to them of late for fodder, this does not in any way take from the productiveness of the country in general.

Isolated from the railway, and with rough travelling tracks until the main roads are reached, productive farms are met with one after another, some of which have been occupied for many years. This country will be well served by the Mudgee Dunedoo railway when completed.

One of the older farmers, in this district is Mr. R. Ballard, of Park View, a resident of some 20 years. When he first started operations his whole capital amounted to an exceedingly small sum, but it does not appear that he has any reason to repent of his energy and perseverance. He holds upwards of 1400 acres of conditional purchase and conditional lease land, runs 1300 sheep, and crops from 100 to 200 acres each year. As showing the productivity of the land, he considers 20 bushels to the acre a rather poor crop, and has obtained an average for the year of 39 bushels, although, through delay in getting the strippers to work, a considerable loss was sustained through shedding. As illustrating his sound methods of farming, the present dry season has found him well prepared, and between hay and the carefully-preserved kurrajongs, it must be a lengthy drought indeed which will result in losses of his stock.

Source; Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919) Wed 6 Nov 1907 Page 34

OLD TIMES

Gulgong Reminiscences - GULGONG IN DAYS OF YORE. (By "Old Times.")

Now that the railway to Gulgong is an accomplished fact, and the vast products of that splendid district will have a chance to be developed, it will not be out of place to go back a few years and look at "Gulgong as it was" — viz., a sheep run, where the shepherd might be seen tending his flock over the hills and valleys that later on became the scenes of excitement caused by the discovery of gold on the Red Hill.

The rush was in full blast in or about 1870, when miners from all parts of Australia and New Zealand were rushing to the new field— men of all nations and colours, with one object in view. The first gold was struck in or about the Red Hill by Sanders, Downey, and others, in very rich patches in shallow ground, which soon was followed by other finds on Adam's Lead, Tallewang, and various other spots, all in shallow ground. 

The 'old hands' in the Mudgee district had no faith in deep ground, as on most of all the fields in that district, as soon as the gold got in the deep ground, it scattered and ran out. So it remained to the men coming from other parts to get the heavy deposits in the deep leads — viz., the Happy Valley and Black Leads, which made the field the most permanent and richest that was ever opened in New South Wales. During the working of those places hundreds of miners were prospecting for other leads throughout

the district, and it was not long before the washing extended for miles, in every direction, and as new finds occurred the excitement increased. So that, in a short time, the population increased by thousands, and buildings were going up in all directions. 

Hotels, stores, restaurants, music and dancing halls, theatres, and every form of amusement, and all doing well, were crowded nightly. For the miner believes in fully enjoying himself. The scene at night, is worth remembering. Hundreds of miners paraded the streets. Old friends not seen for years met. The latest rush was discussed, as also the washing-up of some of the rich claims. Men who had arrived on the field only a few weeks before "hard up" found themselves suddenly wealthy. Thus the excitement went on.

Money was flowing freely; the farmers had great times. All they could produce was swept up at top prices, which a few months before was a drug on their hands. Stacks of hay that had stood on their farms unsaleable for years were cut up into chaff and sold, and it was soon noticeable that the old spring-cart for family use gave place to the stylish buggy. The town consisted of two long streets — Mayne and Herbert streets — which intersected right in the centre of the town, and this was the rendezvous for all hands; and from about seven in the evening until twelve was almost impassable — a complete medley: miners, newsagents, cheap-jacks, bellmen, hawkers, etc. 

The principal place of amusement was the Prince of Wales Theatre, and there was a splendid company,

mostly from Sydney, as about that time one of the large theatres was burnt down, so that the whole company came up to the golden city. Miss Joey Gougenheim was the lessee, and a great favourite. Ashton's circus was also going nightly, having settled down permanently on the field. The principal hotels were Con Driscoll's, Bill Self's, Mrs. Kelly's, and John Hunter's, the latter being on the corner of the two streets, lit up with gas made on the premises. The buildings were all of pine, and the chief feature in them was the showy fronts, paint and gilding being lavished on them, while the inside walls were mostly calico, paste, and paper. 'Shanties' were numerous, but mostly confined to the back streets, where some of them did really good business. There were three banks at this time, and they had a busy time. Besides the usual business, they bought gold, and as that had to be properly cleansed, the 'pestel and mortar' was going almost night and day. Sickness was very prevalent, and the undertaker was kept going. 

About this time gold was struck in Rouse's Paddock, which proved very rich. Lowe's Paddock also proved to be a 'jeweller's shop.' The Canadian was also coming to the front, not so rich as the other leads that were washing, but noted for the great depth of wash dirt; in fact, the extent of the field was not properly known, as water beat the miners out. It may be in years to come that the deep leads of the Canadian may be developed. Stott's Paddock was a splendid lead, and some very rich claims were worked there. John Scott [sic], the owner of the paddock, was farming it on a small scale at the time gold was traced into it, and after making his pile he built a fine home on the spot where he first put down his swag on his arrival in the locality. 

Most of the farmers now settled down about Gulgong are pioneers, who made money in the golden days, and are now reaping the reward of their pluck and perseverance by seeing their offsprings all well settled and independent around them. Some of the old identities of the roaring days are still to be met, and others have gone to return no more. The miners at that time were a fine lot of men, who had followed up the game for years, and had seen most of the rushes in Australia from beginning to end.

During the great exciting days of Gulgong the most good order prevailed on the field. Although thousands of men of all classes were there, very little of the rowdy element got a footing, as the genuine miners would not tolerate anything in that line. For the population that were there, the police were very few, and their services were not much required. The post-office was at Angove's store, and the sight of the field after the mail coach had arrived and the letters, etc, sorted the postmaster, mounted on a packing-case, called out the names alphabetically, and each person answered his name and received his letters, after being passed over the heads of the assembled thousands.

Source: Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932) Thu 9 Jun 1910 Page 7