Casterton Newspaper - 

(By the one who was there)

George Yarra write for the Casterton News

Two versions of each cutting are in the photo library. One which showing the full page from the microfiche and another carefully cut out and an enlarged version with just the relevant writing for easier reading and printing. The enlarges version is shown here. Each story has my summary often with large quoted passages for easier reading.

George starts writing for the paper after Hugh Glancy. His work first published in 1908 and some reprinted in 1930. As you read, it is worth remembering Tom as born in 1807 and George in 1837.

GB 01 Casterton News 23/5/1908. 

“Memories of the Past (by the one who was there)”. 

This is the first we have of George Yarra Bilston's reminiscing about about he and his father Tom Bilston's pioneering life in the Western district.

When we first meet George he is working as a bullock driver with Jack Nixon on their way with a load of wool to Portland. They had stopped near a creek and George was preparing to catch some fish when he stumbled with a great fright across a semi conscious drunk in the long grass who lost his way home from the pub. George writes, 

“I was pretty smart of foot in those days; I think it would have taken a champion sprint runner to have paced with me to the dray.” 

We later learn from George’s obituary that he was a champion Victorian sprinter. George and Jack investigate further and then help sober up the drunk who was a Jack Nixon. When Jack was fully revived he headed off to a farm near where the town of “Merino is to-day.” If we assume this story to be 1847, the George was about 10 years old and would certainly have been startled.

Here they encounter the crook Bill Troy who George first met in Portland in 1847. George describes him as a “bit of a swell” and “not a gentleman”. We quickly learn the Bill always rode a good horse and always had a good one for sale. During the period from 1847 to 1849 we are told that a lot of good horses are appearing in the Portland area and all bought from Bill Troy. By co-incidence George and his father Tom encounter Bill in 1850 on the Loddon with a large number of horse and being helped by the later bushranger - Frank Gardiner who both Tom and his father knew well as a lad. The final outcome is that the party with the horses drink too much champagne are are caught by the chief constable from Hamilton.

Earlier we are briefly introduced to Frank Christie (Gardiner) who as a boy of 11 or 12 used to like visiting the bullock drivers at their camps. I think George and Frank would be about the same age.

GB 02 Casterton News Early July, 1908. 

Memories of the Past

This article speaks about a survey the Lt. Gov. LaTrobe undertook in 1853. He asked for submissions and received 58 letters or paper detailing early settlers experiences. For more information see: 

http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-71/t1-g-t12.html

or search T. F. Bride La Trobe Victoria

GB 03 Casterton News Early July, 1908. 

Casterton District and Its Occupiers in the ’30’s and ’40’s

George recite just about all the names he can remember who made the trip from Melbourne to the Western district. He also talks about how he was named “George Yarra” along with where he was born. A story repeated many times which variations. He then goes on to mention all the squatter and stations they took over. He states that:

“Bilston and Morris (earlier Norris) were a bit greedy. They took what is now the following stations - Woodburn, Steepbank, Koolomurt, Mooree, part of Clunie, Longlands, Kadnook, Caupaul, Tallangower, and part of Congbook; but when Captain Fyans visited the district, about three years after, he made them leave out the following - A large strip of Congbool, also Clunie and Longlands, Steepbank and Woodburn;”

The last part of the article writes about the first attack by the Blacks. He talks about the trip from Melbourne to the Chetwynd. They had intended to settle at Lake Bolac, but were attacked and had to barricade themselves behind the bullock drays and a line of tarpaulins. He says they fired a volley over the blacks heads which scared them away, “but when they found it did not hurt them they came back and retaliated by throwing a shower of spears. One just missing Mrs. Bilston and the youngsters who were under one of the drays. He then writes:

“In the next volley from the white men the fiends were taught a lesson, and no doubt carried away a few buckshot in their extremities.” 

We later learn it was buckshot to the legs.

George would have been about 1 or 2 years old at the time, so the story would have come from his parents.  We learn later that he was the only youngster under the dray.

GB 04 Casterton News July, 1908. 

Pioneer Days

George write to correct some of Hugh Glancy’s recollections about Bilston and Norris. He first tells us about Bilston first coming to Melbourne. Bilston came from Tasmania to take up a station around Heidelberg for a Mr. Henry Arthur, the nephew “to that martinet Governor of Tasmania”. Mr. Arthur was a drunk who spent most of his time at the settlement (Melbourne) so Bilston gave him notice and left.

Bilston then returned to Melbourne and meet Mr. Norris who was “equipped for a three years sojourn”, but Norris quickly realised his lack of experience with bush life would dash his hopes, “he begged of Bilston to go with him, each to have equal rights. There was no manager and overseer. The understanding was on behalf of a Mr Winter, of Tasmania.”

They started from Melbourne in June 1838. They were very well equiped. 10 men, 5,000 sheep, 6 milking cows, good mares, seeds and a steel flour mill. They intended to settle at Lake Bolac, but were pushed out as described earlier. They then tried settling at Cavandish, but again got pushed out by “the blacks and dingoes”. They eventually settled at Chetwynd where they built their first house. Turley (one of their shepherds), the old Waterloo man died there.

In summer 1844 Mr. Winter came over from Tasmania and told Bilston he couldn’t keep up the expense. Winter then returned to Melbourne and sold all the sheep at 2/6 a head to Willis and Swanson. They originally cost £2 a head landed. So, Winter, Bilston and Norris took a very big loss. The rest “were given in.” “All that Norris and Bilston got for the whole of the trouble and hardship they had to undergo were 2,000 sheep each, and £100 in cash. Willis and Swanson sent up a manager called Hood with a young man called Stirling.

He then tells us that Norris took a up small station “in the Stones, somewhere between Lake Condah and Eumeralla. He married Miss Wedge, and not long after died there - one good honest pioneer going to his long home.”

Bilston stayed at the station with Hood as the manager, “but did not like Hood’s manner in reference to the blacks.” Bilston thought Hood management style would see some of the shepherds and hutkeeper murdered and the stealing of sheep commenced.

George then relays the story of how 1,000 sheep were stolen by the blacks and Bilston was tasked with their return of which 600 were recovered. After this, Bilston left a fortnight later, took his sheep and took a 12 month position with F. Henty of Merino downs. He was paid £100 pounds for the year with the right of run for his sheep and Henty taking half the wool clip and increase in sheep numbers. Bilston did this in part to clean his sheep of scab.

(By this time it must be about 1845. Tom was born in 1808, so would have been about 37 years old, his wife Anne was about 26 and with George Yarra 7 years old, Mary Anne 5 years old, Thomas Edward 3 years old and Mary Elizabeth 1 year old.)

GB 05 Casterton News 9/7/1908. 

CANNIBAL BLACKS AT BRIMBOAL

George starts with a description of both a Mr. Morton and Larry, the Tonguer and then how Morton meet his end.

Mr Morton

Mr. Morton arrived from the old country about 1840 with little money, but was able to set up on Springbank with about 500 sheep, a few cattle and a horse. He says “in fact had a fine start in life to prosper.”

Larry, the tonguer

He then describes Larry, the tonguer who got his name from his work in taking the tongues from whales after the whalers had otherwise done with the “carcase”. He worked at Portland. He was an Irishman of good humour and a good sort. “Morton thought a lot of him.”

The end of Morton

Morton was visiting a neighbour in the company of a black fellow, Morton was warned by his neighbour to be careful of the blacks as “they will be killing you one of theses day”. Morton shrugged off the warning explaining he had a good relationship with them.

A few days later (I think about 1845) a mob of sheep where stolen from shepherds at Chetwynd and a party took pursuit. The party was made up of Norris, Bilston, D. Clarke, Bill Tooler, J. Wheeler and Bob Fanning. They found a group of blacks camped on Woodburn where Neylon’s farm was, near the woolshed was located. Trouble follows and here is the account from George:

“. . . Bilston being the leader gave strict order what to do - that was to go boldly on down the gully and show themselves ready with guns at full cock, but not shoot, unless in self-defence.

Fancy their surprise when the scoundrels saw the white men close upon them, they sent a volley of spears, and as Norris’s horse was slightly side on a spear struck him a little behind the saddle and went clean through, but not low enough to do much harm. It nearly cost Norris his life; the horse being a big mettlesome animal made a bolt, took Norris right in among the blacks, and one of them struck him across the back with a leangle.

At that stage of affairs all became confusion, as all the men rushed in among the blacks to save Norris, but they had no occasion to do so. His horse took him through the camp, and away into the bush beyond in a few minutes. The camp was deserted during the melee. 

One of the men espied a tall native running away with a pair of white mole trousers with the waistband buttoned around his neck - the legs hanging down behind, and a white shirt with the arms of it tied around his waist, and the body hanging in front like an apron. Then being closely pursued by us he ran up an old redgum tree - one with the top burnt off at some twenty feet from the ground. 

The sprouts growing all around it formed a good hand-hold to reach a hole in the top. If not destroyed by fire I can show that tree to this day.

One of the men was put on sentry with instructions to shoot the black if he attempted to come out of his lofty hiding-place.

They then examined the camp. The first thing that took their attention was a diaper towel and a regatta shirt smeared with dried blood, a pair of dark mole trousers, and a white silk pocket-handkerchief.

On examination there was poor Morton’s name in full on the handkerchief and towel. On further investigation there were found

BASKET FULL OF HUMAN FLESH

and some actually on the coals roasting; so it appears they intended to have a great feast, but they were not the tribe the party was searching for, as next day’s search proved. (To be continued.)”

GB 06 Casterton News 27/7/1908. 

CANNIBAL BLACKS AT BRIMBOAL

Continues the story of Mr. Morton and Larry the Tonguer who were killed and eaten by the Blacks.

Keeping the summary brief, we now learn that both Morton and Larry were ready to be the feast. Norris has a damaged back, but receives little sympathy for “getting out of his place and in the way.” Attention turns to the “Fellow in the Tree”.

Both Bilston and Dan Clark stayed to watch the fellow, while other members of the party went home. They determined to “get him alive, if possible; if not, to shoot him.” In the end, the fellow was shot and killed. Clark was first up the tree and found the fellow had Morton’s clothes.

“The next day the group was still in pursuit of the blacks who stole the sheep.” On their trip, Bilston and Clarke went to Springbank and found Mr. and Mrs. Cook were dazed and frightened awaiting an attack. A larger group was formed with men from the Henty’s Standford House and others from other stations. The story is a bit hard to follow as it jumps around. My reading is:

Morton and Larry were using Cook’s bullocks and dray to carry stringybark to cover a woolshed they were erecting. They had freed the bullocks from the dray and were then killed by the blacks. Morton and Larry had a “Young Black Boy” with them who tipped off the tribe of blacks as to where they were, what they were doing and where they were going. The freed bullocks then returned home to Cooks and then the larger white group where able to back track to where the murder happened. The article writes:

“When the party came up to the dray the first thing that caught their eye on looking around was the skeleton of Morton. What flesh the blacks had not taken the dingoes had eaten. About 100 yards off they found Larry, but 

HIS HEAD WAS GONE 

and never found, although searched for some time after.”

The article concludes by writing about the wrapping up of Morton’s estate.

Re-reading the story, I think only Larry made it into the pot.

GB 07 Casterton News Late July, 1908. 

CORRESPONDENCE

Letter to the editor making a few minor corrections to “Memories of the Past” writings. No relevant corrections to George’s work.

GB 08 Casterton News 3/8/1908. 

CUNNING OF THE BLACKS

The next day the chase is still on to find the sheep and the Blacks. Norris has been replaced by Sam Garretwell and old tracks have been picked up where they found a recently vacated camp with mutton remains. From here fresh tracks were found and the group quietly moved on.

The group moved on and found a small fresh camp. They tethered the horses and moved on to inspect, but that the camp was a rouse. As they returned to their horses they came under attack “as something like twenty spears came flying out of the scrub. A few of the group were slightly injured. George says:

“ I heard Bilston say that but for the scrub every man of them would have been speared, and likely some of them would have been killed.”

The group fired buckshot and made a charge, but all they found “a few baskets of some roasted mutton. Out of some three hundred sheep stolen they managed to get 270, thus losing 30 including those that we found with their legs broken.”

George then goes on to describe how the blacks treated the sheep. This is quoted in full:

“HOW THE BLACKS SHEPHERD SHEEP.

It will be well to state here that whenever the Glenelg blacks stole sheep they would drive them as fast as they could to some out of the way place, and any sheep knocking up they would break its legs, and leave it behind, and when they got to a place they considered safe from pursuit they would camp and build temporary mia-mias; and, if a small mob of sheep, they would set to work and break all their legs, to keep them from running away–a new way of shepherding. When they killed a shepherd, and took the whole flock, they would drive them in to some 

STEEP GULLY OR RAVINE,

and put brush across the front of it. The Dundas Ranges were a favorite place, and many times they have been caught there.”

GB 09 Casterton News 21/8/1908. 

Early Life on the Chetwynd

Another white is killed, more sheep stolen and Tom in pursuit.

As is the way with George’s writing style, he starts with one story and meanders to another. Here we start with a brief description as to how Norris and Bilston ran their station. They divided it into two, with 2 homesteads and helped each other as required.

The story then switches to Mr. Gibson who was a retired wine merchant from Hobart who owed the Roseneath Station in about 1841-42. He lost 2,000 sheep and a Shepherd to the blacks. With the help of Bilston and Norris they recovered 600 sheep and located the dead shepherd. The shepherd was stripped, brutally bashed and speared about 20 times. A black was found wearing the shepherd’s clothes was killed by Bilston’s crew.

GB 10 Casterton News 24/8/1908. 

Nearly Drowned in a Flood at Sandford in 1848

Here George is writing in the first person as if he was is his father Tom. The year is 1848 and Tom nearly drowns crossing the Wannon River near Casterton.

He then fall into a story about a Henty employee called Connell or O’Connell. His job was that of an outside overseer.  George then tells us that in the early years all hired servants were “on rations, so they could not afford to give away to black or white . . .”. Connell was greatly troubled by the black stealing his rations, so he laced some of his flour with arsenic which was stolen and cooked up by the blacks.

“From the site where Sandford is now to the junction of the Wannon with the Glenalg -blacks were dead by the score; . . .”. 

“There was such a row over the incident that Connell had to clear the district, and no one about there ever knew rightly what had become of him, but one thing certain - he was never heard of in the district again.

GB 11 Casterton News 3/9/1908. 

Features of Early Settlement

George first make some minor corrections to names and places and clarifies the Bilston’s first encounter with the blacks that there was only one child at the time. That of course being George. The next section if worth quoting in full:

“DESCRIPTIVE OF WESTERN DISTRICTS

When the first white men came to it - in its virgin state. The whole face of the country was delightful to look upon; kangaroo grass was 2 to 3 feet in height, and when a light breeze arose, you could see the grass rolling like waves of the sea. Everything looked fresh. There were very few wattle trees or young gum suckers compared to those growing when I was over the country last - on account of the natives burning the grass every year.”

He then goes on to describe that there were very few kangaroos, opossum and emu “owing to the natives feeding on them”. He then speaks about the now extinct “rabbit rat” and the dingoes which were hunted in a pretty horrific way.

I think the scarcity of the kangaroos, opossums and emus was probably a combination of the natives and dingoes eating them, but it is an interesting observation.

He then writes about brawls with the whites and how all hired men were under contracts to work 6 to 12 months and breaking a contract was a serious business. He then writes about the rations and it is another section worth quoting:

“It was the ration business that caused so much mischief among the natives; the shepherds used to harbor the gins and share their rations; then the 

TRIBE WOULD EXPECT TO BE FED.

When that could not be done the imps would steal the sheep, or, in some cases, kill the shepherd and take the whole flock. In all cases of the kind Bilston and Norris would discharge a man for interfering with the native women, if they discovered him doing so. That was their secret of not having had a man killed all the time they had charge of Chetwynd and the Pigeon Ponds stations.”

GB 12 Casterton News 7/9/1908.

Features of Early Settlement

Here George describes the Clunie station where a man called Pickets was in occupation. A black called Wine Merriman used to visit daily and one day brutally killed Picket’s shepherd with a waddy. Picket’s shepherd was found in a stripped of his clothing by an employee called Duncan McIntyre who sound like a tough man. George writes:

‘Well, one morning “Mac” rode up with another man to Pigeon Ponds homestead with the news of the disaster. I was there listening to the conversation; the exact words were - “By G-d, Biston, the d-d blacks killed one of our shepherds and taken his flock.” It transpired that the whole tribe was on the look-out for the fatal blow to be struck; then they made a rush for the sheep.’

The chase was one. The men caught up with the tribe which scattered and gathered the sheep. Bilston took after a tall fellow and cornered him. After a stand off, the black was caught and paddlocked to the saddle. George continues:

“Bilston could have shot him, but he did not wish to do that; he wanted to get information from him.”

The prisoner was the chained to bunk in the men’s hut, with instructions that he should be shot if he tried to escape. The prisoner did attempt to escape and was stopped by another man called Gleeson. George write:

‘Gleeson being asked why he did not shoot, said, “Does yez think I wants to carry me sowl to hill wid me; by me sowl, it is a bad place I’ve come to; why would I be after shooting the haythen.”

The prisoner was then chained to a stump. A gin who acted as interpreter said the prisoner stated “he no steal ‘em sheep; nother one black fellow, long way off,”.

GB 13 Casterton News 21/9/1908.

Features of Early Settlement

The story continues and we find the black prisoner is being guarded by Harry Smith and Jimmy Gleeson who:

“. . . were left to mind him, not ill-use him, but were to shoot him if he attempted to get away. The old gin was left so as to make him understand his doom if he attempted any tricks, but he took no heed of what she told him, and got hold of a stick by some means, and wrenched the chain over the top of the stump and was off.”

The black was shot by Smith. “Smith went about his work as if nothing had happened, but Gleeson was very much cast down all day, and for some time after.”

The party which included Bilston eventually found the sheep with broken legs and caught up with 20 or so blacks at the Dundas Range. The next section is worth quoting:

‘McIntyre’s (one of the chasing party) Highland blood was up at once; he said to Bilston, “By G—d, Bilston, I can’t stand that,” and was in the act of raising his gun when Bilston whispered, “If you do, I’ll shoot you; you will get every man of us speared.”

The black attacked when the men showed themselves. Wine Merriman (who we meet again), was dressed in the shepherd’s clothes - (which I assume belonged to Rickets). In the fracas, Bilston was speared in the thigh and the black who speared Bilston was killed by McIntyre, Fanning and Fletcher.

1,500 of the 2,000 sheep were recovered, Bilston was attended to by Dr. Corney and McIntyre enquired about Bilston which cemented a friendship with the men. 

“Then inquiries were made in reference to the black left on the chain. I remember Bilston got into a terrible rage when he first heard of the shooting.”

GB 14 Casterton News XX/10/1908. 

Murder at Rifle Downs

Speaking of stories he has heard, George goes back to 1839 or early 1940 where he tells us the story of Rifle Downs Station that was taken up by Mr. Snodgrass with a manager named McKenzie, a shepherd named Wheatley and a troublesome native called Courtcarrup who was “a very slippery gentleman.”

In essence, Wheatley who was always well armed returned one evening to the hut and found “a lot of blacks yabbering and kicking up a terrible row-some of them carrying out rations such as sugar, flour, etc., and some clothing. He (Wheatley) then surmised what had occurred to McKenzie, and instead of making use of his gun he turned and fled, running some 7 miles to Eme Creek (Digby) for assistance.”

Wheatley said he was chased, but the only tracks that were found where his, so that part of the story was not believed. Help returned and they found mess all about and McKenzie lying dead and mutilated and stripped of clothing.

The next day men caught up with the blacks and “Well, those thieving, murdering vermin got all they deserved, but 

Courtcarrup got away. Eventually Courtcarrup was captured and tried in Melbourne, but was acquitted for want of sufficient proof. “He was given a new suit of clothes, a blanket, and tomahawk, and his expenses were paid back to his own locality.”

George says he bumped into Wheatley on his way back from Melbourne and “Wheatley did not get a very welcome reception from the bullock drivers on account of the cowardly manner in which he left his mate-when a charge from his gun would have scattered the blacks in all directions.

The story finishes up with George travelling with some bullock teams to Portland in late December 1847 where Courtcarrup attempted to rob one of the drays, but was chased off and alluded capture.

Reprinted in 1938.

GB 15 Casterton News 24/10/1908. 

Black Thursday and the Portland Races

Unfortunately I have to say this article is very poorly constructed. It is really all over the place, but I do think George is writing from personal experience, rather than relaying his father’s stories. It’s best in point form.

• Jumps to the 1850’s with a promise to return to earlier stories
• In 1850 Portland was very lively. 50 to 60 drays in the main street at any time
• George worked as a dray driver (If true, George would be 13 years old).
• “Black Thursday” 6th February, 1851. Huge bushfires in Victoria with lives lost
• The Racing men at Portland were very annoyed the races were postponed for the day due to the fires
• 1851 Gold fever breaks out of NSW, starts in Clunes, then Mount Alexander, Forrest Creek, Fryers Creek, the Loddon, Ovens, Bendigo and so on.
• Portland became partially desolate as “. . .  everyone that could crawl went to the diggings.”
• Great shortage of labour, properties sold cheaply
• 1852 Portland “. . . more lively than ever it could previously boast of being.”
• 25 mounted police and lot of vagabonds who used it as a stopping point between Adelaide and Melbourne as the steamers stopped in Portland.
• No telegraphic communications, so a safe place to hide out
• “. . . Portland police sergeant-major Smith . . . was a terror to evil-doers.”
• 1851 sounds like a short property slump, then boom in Portland as the lucky ones who went to the goldfields retuned after 3 months with money and sometimes paying 1,000 % increase to buy their own holdings back
• 1849-50 the squatters were financially down and almost insolvent. Fat bullock £1 to £2 each, sheep just as low, wool from 6d to 7d per lb.
• 1852 boom. Fat cattle up to £30 a head, prime sheep to £2 a head and wool 2/ per lb.
• Although the gold rush saved the squatters, the squatters hated the diggers.
• By end of 1852 things settled down
• 1854 the “Portland Chronicle” is started. Owned and edited by Mr. Hughes from Adelaide. “That gentleman did a lot of good for the farming community and district generally. He was a stickler for UNLOCKING THE LANDS . . . He was also a friend to the poor man.”
• 1860 a movement started to divide Victoria into 2 separate colonies. This was started by Mr. “Orion” Horne and Mr. T. E. Richardson - known as “Dismal Tommy”. Richardson was the proprietor and editor of the “Portland Guardian”.
• So we have two Portland papers. One for a division and one against. George also thought it was a bad idea as did Hughes of the “Portland Chronicle”.
• The Chronicle was altered to the “Western Times” in the 1860’s.
• The Chronicle’s building was a working men’s boarding house in 1846 to 48 and George stayed there in 1846.
• In 1851 or 52 a den of thieves was broken up. The thieves were very active and had an inside man - James Stewart who had false keys and was able to let the thieves in an out of various properties.
• Stewart was caught and sent to 10 years. Many of the other thieves were also caught.
• George shared a tent with James Stewart at the Bendigo diggings in 1852

Year unknown, but probably 1852-53, George and four mates called at Cooper and Thomson’s for food, but were turned away on account of having 

“CLAY SPOTS ON THEM”

being their trousers, so they were known to have returned from the diggings. The cook out the back gave them two loaves of bread and a leg of mutton with the advice “Get away as fast as you can”. They left a half sovereigns and “we got.”. They ended up at a Chinaman’s hut were they were met kindly and bought more food.

At the time they were carrying 40 LBS of gold. At as 2023 gold is $2,700 an oz. So they were carrying 16 x 40 = 640 oz. x $2,700 = $1,728,000 divided by George and 4 mates. Being $345,600 each.

Georges went to Bendigo and worked a claim next to “Real Man”. Probably 1851-52.

GB 16 Casterton News 28/10/1908. 

Murderous Encounter at Kout-Narin

Here we return to Thomas Bilston’s story after our diversion above.

Soon after Thomas Bilston had recovered from his spear wound, Norris sent word to Bilston at Pigeon Ponds that a mob of sheep had been stolen from his half of the station. A group consisting of McConochie, Wheeler, Bilston and a new hand called “the butcher” as that was his trade, joined Norris at Chetwynd in the chase.

After two days they found the blacks. “There were bones and sheepskins lying about, and some sheep left with legs broken, and some dead (seemingly killed for pure mischief).

Norris was in pain from his earlier hit by a leangle and kept the group awake with his moaning and was told to go to hell.

By the next night the group caught up with the black’s camp and fell back to make an assault the next morning. On the next morning McConochie fired the warning shot and was spotted by a black who charged him with a leangle in hand. Instead of standing his ground, Mac threw his guns at him as he ran away as he ran toward the butcher for protection. The butcher stopped the black with one shot just as Mac was almost stuck over the head with the leangle. George writes:

“BLACKS FOUGHT LIKE TIGERS,

mostly with waddy, boomerang, and leangle. There were not many spears thrown, although one cut the point of Wheeler’s shoulders, but little more than skin deep.”

In the altercation, butcher’s hand was injured and his life was saved by a shot from Wheeler. 

“There was nobody else hurt, but some blacks left quietly. Wine Merriman was with them, but he got away once more. That was the only lot of blacks that was known on the Glenelg to stand up to fight. In every other case if they had been doing mischief it was a shower of spears and clear out.”

200 or so sheep were missing or with broken legs. The butchers hand never recovered, but he prospered. Mac recovered his bravery and “In a few months he could stand his ground with the best of them.” Mac was later joined by his brother from the old country, but he died sometime after 1849 or 50. George writes:

“He was in the best of health then. I never knew what caused his death, only he did not live to comb his head grey.”

GB 17 Casterton News 21/12/1908. 

Bullock Team Troubles

The story is set about 1840 and is about Bullock drivers and how one accidentally shot himself. His life was saved by Tom Bilston who had to run 32 miles to catch the spooked horses, and then ride "nearly 200 miles, going day and night", to get the Doctor.

The introduction gives a lot of detail about Bilston being the first to make the trek from Chetwynd to Cashmere. It gives a great deal of information about the early tracks and hardships of the bullock drivers which could carry about half a tone or 15 cwt given the state of the roads.

GB 18 Casterton News 11/2/1909. 

O’Reilly and Edgar get the Cream, and Bilston the Sour Milk

This story recaps Tom’s early time in Victoria and run ins with Fyans.

Firstly writes about his time with the Henty’s who he didn’t like as the young Henty was inexperienced and interfered with the work. Then about a new man from Tasmania who was employed to replace Tom who had resigned. The new man ignored Tom’s advice about the strength of arsenic to use to the gallon of water. Tom told him to use 1/2 ounce per gallon, but the new man used 2 ounces which sent the sheep man and killed many of them.

The story from here is confusing.

• Bilston meet Mr. Richard Vines who took the place of Connell as overseer of Muntham. They lived in the same hut and went into partnership.
• “Bilston knew Steep Bank to be part of the run taken by himself and Norris and cut off by Captain Fyans’ order, as also the head of Chetwynd.” Why was Tom sharing a hut when I thought by now he was well established with his own place. I think this is just the explanation of how they knew each other from some years prior this story)
• Vines bought half of everything Bilston had which sounds pretty substantial and they took up Steep Bank - “a fine run if it had not been encroached on by the greed of others, and interfered with owing to the DESPOTISM of Fyans, Autocrat of Port Phillip, backed by others of his class.
• Vine is described as selfish
• Bilston as liberal to the extreme
• They didn’t get on and the partnership dissolved after a year.
• Bilston kept the upper side and name Steep Bank
• Vine the lower portion “joining Warrock, naming it Woodburn.”
• Natives were quiet “and were not dangerous, confining themselves to a sheep from the fold at night or stealing rations from the shepherds, when the chance permitted.” which agrees with our oral family history that the blacks could take what they needed.
• After a year at Steep Bank “he bethought himself of the head of the Chetwynd,”. Bilston applied for and was granted about 10,000 acres of Crown land at the Springs. He shifted “stock-lock, stock, and barrel-from Steep Bank” to the Springs. “… at the top of a high hill, over one side of the Chetwynd Creek, near the head of it.”
• He built a homestead, shearing shed, stock yard etc at this new site and had one shearing there.
• Bilston still kept his licence for Steep Bank. So, he had two properties.
• The story goes that although he had the proper licence, he was evicted by Fyans who gave the land to a Mr. Willis.
• The meeting was held at Wando Vale.
• In order to force Bilston out, Willis had scabby sheep bought in to mixed with Bilston’s sheep. Bilston killed the scabby sheep to protect his own flock.
• George writes: “Had it been any squatters other than Willis and Swanston, they would have likely have been heavily fined for having scabby sheep, but Fyans had his favorites!”
• Bilston wanted to take the matter higher, but the expense would have been too much.
• George then goes on to write: “I have written this article to show what unfairness was carried on by tyrannical despots in the days past.”
• Bilston moved back to Steep Bank and kept it for 3 years.

The story is still confusing.

• Bilston knew Willis wanted to encroach on Steep Bank as he wanted the water frontage on the creek.
• Bilston decided to sell.
• Bilston met Owen O’Reilly who had just swapped his share of Mullagh (a property) for the “old Bush Inn at Second River”.
• O’Reilly had second thoughts about taking on the pub.
• Bilston swapped Steep Bank with 4,000 sheep and a 160 acres of farm land named “The Cave Holes” for the pub.
• So, O’Reilly never took possession of the pub at Second River.
• George writes” The latter had all the cream of the joke; Bilston got the sour milk.” I’m not too sure what he means by this, as it looks like Bilston got out of a pickle as Willis, with Fyans’ help was able to obtain the creek frontage of Steep Creek, just a Bilston feared. So, instead of Bilston loosing the land, O’Reilly lost it as he was now the owner of Steep Creek.
• George writes: “O’Reilly lost something like 5000 acres of his run by that piece of injustice!”

So, in summary. Bilston had Steep Creek and obtained the property next door called the Springs which became known as Bilston Springs at Nareen. Fyans cancelled Bilston’s licence to the Springs and gave it to Willis of Willis and Swanston. Bilston went back to Steep Creek and then swapped it along with some other land to O’Reilly for the “old Bush Inn at Second River”. Willis was then able to take the creek frontage at Steep Creek from O’Reilly with Fyans help.

GB 19 Casterton News XX/3/1909. 

Wm. Mather Found Dead

Sad story about the brothers Mather. One was killed by accident where a tree he felled, fell on his legs and he slowly passed away. The how the surviving brother fretted away.

GB 20 Casterton News 29/3/1909. 

Features of Early Settlement

This is quite a hard story to follow. He is really talking about the cleaned up, mythical story of his father - Tom coming to Tasmania where his convict past is written out of history. It is quite probably George didn’t know his father was a convict and both his mother and father would have been keen to hide their convict backgrounds. So, here is the story:

• Tom and his brother George arrive in the 1820’s from England with merchandise they sell at a good profit.
• They take up a small sheep station up country from Hobart on the river bank.
• They have two ticket of leave men as general servants and a free boy, whom George calls “Johnny”.
• George, Johnny and a hired man go seven miles up stream to build an out station hut. George writes:

“THEY WERE WELL-ARMED

as the blacks were very troublesome and dangerous. It was certain death if they caught man, woman, or child unprotected.”

• When the hut was nearly completed, “George ran a sharp stick into the sole of his foot, and was in bed with it pulticed.”
• Tom had delivered rations and was returning to home to bring out some sheep and a man to assist getting George home to have the foot attended to by the doctor.
• While George was in bed he heard sounds out side. Johnny went out and saw the blacks coming and he took off, leaving George alone in the hut.
• George went outside and also saw the black coming and he also took off as best he could with his sore foot and he was chased.
• After about 6 miles, George caught up with the shepherd who was armed and this scared the blacks away.
• Eventually, Johnny reappears and they got George back home. George’s foot was by this time in a bad way.
• “It appeared that a party of civilians mustered, with a few police, and gave those blacks a bitter lesson.

The story now changes tack.

• Tom and George did well until 1833.
• Tom gets married. This would be to Ann Wheeler.
• “George hated the sight of a woman, so the two parted, George buying Tom out.”
• Tom buys a business in Hobart, but it goes bad as he gives out too much credit.
• He leaves the shop, stores his goods with friends and goes to Victoria.
• His friends abscond with his goods.
• George sells up and is “supposed to have gone to America.”
• Johnny stays in Tasmania who we find out is Mr. John Campbell. We do have a Bilston daughter marrying a Campbell so there is probably a relationship there.

GB 21 Casterton News 14/7/1909. 

Features of Early Settlement

Set in the summer of 1942. The story about two friends, but one accidentally shot the other. The story end up with the survivor living in Geelong with the dead mans wife.

GB 22 Casterton News 13/9/1909. 

Features of Early Settlement

Story about the Bell Brothers “but their fear of the blacks was out of all reason.” and their "first-class hand, who feared nothing” named Billy Smith. George tells the story about an attack by Blacks where a man was killed and how the Bells left their farm.

GB 23 Casterton News 13/12/1909. 

The Fighting Waterhole, north of Muntham

We may have a few missing stories between September and December.

This is the story of a massacre that occurred at “The Fighting Waterhole”. George tells us that most stories about the incident are “bumkum” and he tells us the true story. The incident can be found at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Waterholes_massacre

 I think it worth quoting Georges description in full:

THE TRUE STORY

“The Fighting Waterhole,” or whatever I would term a small lagoon, in the old times was surrounded by ti-tree. As far as my memory goes, it was situated in an angle between Koonongwootong, Muntham, and Wando Dale. I was past it about 40 years ago, but the ti-tree was mostly gone. Some time, 

EITHER IN 1839 OR 1840, 

the blacks from away up the Glenelg, as it was afterwards proved, had stolen some sheep from White Brothers, of Koonongwootong, and it was well known the Whites were not particular in reference to shooting the blacks, vengeance was sworn against the thieves. So a party was go together, consisting of some Muntham men, and two from Satimer, whose names I will not mention, and three from White Bros., with some more men well armed. 

After being out some three days, searching up and down the Glenelg, they could not locate the natives or any sign of the sheep tracks, and started on their homeward journey, and it is to be conjectured, in a very bad tempter. They travelled by the “Fighting Waterhole.” There was a tribe of half tame and inoffensive blacks camped here at the time, and the first thing was to discharge all the firearms, volley after volley into their mia-mias,

CRIPPLING SOME, AND KILLING OTHERS

among them some gins and piccaninnies. The others made their way as best they could for the ti-trees, and some were shot down on their tracks, and the wounded had their brains knocked out.

The waterhole was surrounded, and when a black was seen he or she was shot. Some were shot swimming in the water as any person would shoot a kangaroo or wallaby.

THE FIENDISH WORK

continued until the whole were ripped out - men, women, and children. I know from the best authority that Edward Henty had no hand in the outrage, although at the time it was said he was in it, but this latter statement was wrong. He knew nothing of it until some time after, when it leaked out. Those of his men who were accessories to the affair were sent off the station in quick time. The Government authorities either did not hear of it or winked at it, but I think the later was the more likely. The perpetrators of the foul deed made no secret of their dastardly work, but boasted of it for a long time after. The “Fighting Waterhole” massacre I am sorry to say is an

EVERLASTING STAIN

on a small section of old pioneers of the West. Happily there were only a few implicated in such detestable work. I know for a certain fact the perpetrators of the horrible deed all came to miserable ends, all dying violent deaths. I hope the reader will not think I am prejudiced in any way, as I am only stating facts as they occurred at the time. I knew one of Henty’s men who was 

THERE AT THE TIME

of the one-sided fight, and asked him once why he was mixed up in such a game, and he replied “I never fired a shot.” I further asked him why he did not clear out and leave them. His answer was “If I had it is likely I would have some bullets into me, and be left with the dead blacks in the waterhole, as they were all thrown in it;” and I believe he told the truth.”

GB 24 Casterton News Probably XX/1/1910. 

Codrington Rivington, the Swell Bushranger

Story about the mailman being held up a few times, the thief being caught and then escaping gaol.

GB 25 Casterton News 21/3/1910. 

Memories of the Past

Various little stories involving the change of hands of a station, the death of Duncan McIntyre who was killed by his horse as he drunkenly tried to ride it through the pub and earlier McIntyre defending himself from some thugs.

GB 26 Casterton News 30/5/1910. 

THREE NOTABLE CHARACTERS

Stories about various criminals in the area, such as Bill Troy and Jack Nixon.

GB 27 Casterton News 30/6/1/10. 

THREE NOTABLE CHARACTERS

Story about the outlaw Bill Troy who we meet very early on. Troy ended up changing his name and became a well respected JP.

GB 28 Casterton News Probably 1938 

The Late E. St. Ives Bilston

This is an obituary of the late Mr. Euliseus. St. Ives Bilston. He was the fifth son of George Yarra Bilston. Euliseus was born at Merino in 1871. He went over to WA with his father and brother 40 years ago. So, George went to WA about 1895 ish. Euliseus worked in the loco. department of the WA railways and had farming interests at Doodlakine. He served in the 28th Battalion and landed at Galipoli 8 days before evacuation when he was wounded. He ended up in Egypt, the Suez, Alexandria and France. He was gassed in France and invalided to England. Once he recovered he re-enlisted in the 5th District Guard until demobilisation.

GB 29 Casterton News 18/7/1938. 

Forgotten Pubs

Forgotten Pubs. Mentions a pub owned by the Bilston’s.

__________________________

Hugh Glancy writes for the Casterton News

The life and times of Hugh Glancy who was an early W. district pioneer. Hugh’s stories were published before George wrote for the paper, and George does refer to Hugh a few times.

HG 1 Casterton News 16/3/08 

Reminiscences of a Pioneer

This covers his arrival from England in 1841 to work with the Henty’s. He made his way by ship to Portland and then by bullock to Muntham, now called Murdering Flats. It took it’s name because “the blacks having killed a hut-keeper there . . .” 

(research at: https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?r=511 - paints a different story. 

A shepherd at John Henty’s run at Clover Flat on the Wannon River was killed by the black in October 1938 and Edward Henty retaliated. Reports at the time said 14 blacks were killed, yet the site says 40.)

HG 2 Casterton News 30/3/08 

Pioneering Days

• Speaks about 1,000 sheep being stolen by the blacks and recovered without a shot being fired. This would be about 1842. 
• About the first building in Casterton and its construction meet with resistance from Edward Henty. 
• About the discovery and settling of Mt. Gambier. It says “The first hotel in Mount Gambier was built by an American black name John Byng.” 
• Here we hear of Bilston where “Willis and Swanston had the Chetwynd - managed by Norris, with Bilston overseer. This would have been Thomas Bilston 1808 - 1899. 
• We hear later from George Yarra Bilston that this is incorrect as the property was a partnership with Bilston, Norris with financial control by Winter who was forced to sell to Willis and Swanston.

HG 3 Casterton News Probably 1908  

Pioneering Days

Here he speaks about Portland and how much it had grown over the last 5 years. It must be about 1847 by now. He then speaks about the development of Casterton including the races and pubs.

HG 4 Casterton News 1908 

Pioneering Days

He speaks about the Casterton race course being one of the “most picturesque and best appointed . . . second to Flemington on a smaller scale . . .” He then speaks about Reverends and Doctors in the area of Casterton and Portland.

HG 5 Casterton News 1908 Hugh 

Pioneering Days

He speaks about a run which would be near Mount Gambier that John Henty was forced to give up. He then refers to a place called “Springbank” where “The first man who took up Springbank was killed by the blacks . . .” He says:

“The hill around Sandford and Casterton were never heavily timbered, in fact were similar to what they are now, the timber being sheoak and blackwood.” Now - would be close to 1908, the year Hugh died.

He then speaks about the Casterton corroborees, the first special constable and the celebrated Rev. J. Tenison Woods, a Roman Catholic clergyman and his brother’s work in understanding the geology of the area.