Were there too many people with bullock teams? Was there competition?
HAROLD. Not really in my day. The bloke who lived there, I worked for him, see. But when Lou wanted me to go and draw the bark in, well I drew first what was close there, drew it out with a slide and Jack Beasley came along there one day and said, 'Is this where you got to?' and I had ten bullocks yoked and there was five different owners to them. Some belonged to Alexander's from Pericoe, some was my own, some belonged to the bloke that owned 'Two Creeks', Austy Sawers, some belonged to Bill Hyde and one belonged to my brother.
So your team belonged to different people.
HAROLD. To a lot of different people.
How old were you when you started doing that? Was it after you were married?
HAROLD. No. I was sixteen when I was drawing it out of there for Lou King. I started working for Sawers when I was fourteen, stripping bark and driving bullocks.
Was that the main industry out there?
HAROLD. In those days you trapped rabbits in the winter time and stripped wattle bark in the summer time and a few fellers cut sleepers. But it wasn't that many cutting sleepers until after the '39 fire. There were a lot of sleeper cutters on Indigo Mountain, (Pericoe) they come through from Victoria and some of them come from out here, Bendoc way. I know there were eleven or thirteen trucks carting sleepers from out there into Eden.
The bullocks...were they just ones that people reared themselves?
HAROLD. Well, Alexander's......see they were reared down on the dairy. He had share farmers doing the dairying. Dairy families. That's why they all had a big mob of kids so they'd have plenty of milkers. No milking machines. If I wanted some bullocks and I seen some of Alexander's was any good well I just took them and yoked them. 'Cause, working bullocks, you got more money for them than ones that weren't broken in. You could sell a team of bullocks to some feller who wanted a team.
Did you ever bother to use horses in a team?
HAROLD. I never did. But different people used horses, yes. Jim Beasley's horse team is there (pointing to a photograph).
Was that for a different reason or just that the person preferred.....
HAROLD. No. Some people were horse people and some were bullock people. You see, Dad had a bullock team and so I learned to drive bullocks. Well Jack Beasley's father, he was George Beasley and he had a horse team. After George died, Jack took the team over and he drew on the Eden Road there. Him and Jim Beasley.
So did you used to shoe the horses and bullocks youselves, or did someone else do it?
HAROLD. Well, Jack said he used to get Scanes (spelling) to do his. Frank Scanes. There was a blacksmith's shop somewhere there in Towamba.
*** Excerpt from Harold Farrell's interview in 'The Forgotten Corner Interviews'.

These articles cover a wide range of interesting features and locations in the Towamba, Burragate and Pericoe areas. They describe the district as it was then, and today we are left to wonder at the changes.

'Australian Town & Country' December 9, 1871
A TOUR TO THE SOUTH
by Our Special Correspondent.
The Border Land, on the Southern coast of New South Wales, is as little known in some parts as the country about the sources of the Nile.
Considering the rugged character of the district and to the ordinary traveller the almost insurmountable difficulties of access, this can scarcely be wondered at. Passes, defiles, rocks, gullies, hilly and scrubby ground, present themselves in succession to the gaze of the stranger, and unless one has a guide it is utterly impossible to proceed with certainty. Yet far back in some of these wilds, bold and enterprising spirits 'over thirty years ago' found their way, and made homes for themselves and reared large families. To the residence and station of one of these pioneers, I resolved while on a visit to Eden recently, to take a trip and see the surrounding country. Good horses having been procured, the sun had scarcely begun to light up the top of huge Mount Imlay, which rose 3000 feet right before us, when we were in the saddle, and were proceeding under the shades of Rixon's Bower, a short distance from Eden. The first seventeen miles is easily described, along stony and pebbly ground, across gullies, and up watercourses; then over hills, along sidlings, relieved by an occasional oasis, in the form of a patch of rich pasture on an alluvial deposit, and all the time endeavouring to make a circuit of Mount Imlay. Soon after we came to the Towamba, or Kiah River, a fine broad stream, which flows into Twofold Bay. There are a few farms here, a store and post-office, and a good public school, the latter under the able management of Mr. Beer. On the right bank of the Towamba River, is the homestead of the Towamba Station, the property of C.T. Stiles and Co.

The station has been cut up considerably by free selectors, who have taken most of the choice spots on the river banks, and the population has so much increased that there is a second erected on the station, a few miles higher up, at a place called Burragate, or Pussy Cat.
Being 'on pleasure bent', I diverged a little from the comfortable home station at Towamba, and visited Burragate. The school here is a half-time one, under the charge of Mr. G. D. Riley. It is constructed of sawn timber and shingled, and is a very neat little building. C. T. Stiles Esq., is the only member of the local board, and to him is mainly due the credit of erecting this school. There were sixteen children in attendance, including all on the roll. This is the only school that I have ever visited where the number in attendance was the same as the number on the roll. Though only opened a short time, the children were examined in grammar (including reading, parsing, and analysis) arithmetic and geography. They showed considerable proficiency in these branches; and taking into consideration the fact that they only get half-time instruction, they must be either remarkably intelligent, or the method of instruction must be very good, perhaps both. Besides their good writing, I must not forget to mention that other necessary parts of parental care, school discipline and the children 's welfare, had not been neglected. They were all neatly dressed, and wore boots, and all had clean faces and clean hands.
Under these favourable circumstances, I am tempted to give the names of a few of the scholars whose proficiency was worthy of mention. viz.: - O. Sherwin, W. Robinson, A. Binnie, Alice Sherwin, Sarah Robinson, and Elizabeth Hide.

A few miles from the school there is a grand sight, worth a day's ride. It is a great wall of rock, three miles east of Burragate, and a mile from the Wyndham-road to the Monaro. It forms part of the Jingery mountains, of which Mount Imlay is the highest point. This almost perpendicular wall of rock is calculated to be 1300 feet high, and 900 feet wide. About half way up there is a ledge; and from the highest part there is a waterfall or cascade, which falls on this ledge, where there are four or five perfectly circular wells, filled to the brim with water. The depth of these wells must be very great, for we tried to bottom them with saplings twenty feet long, and did not succeed. There are pipes in the stone, leading from this ledge over to the next, at an equally great depth below, where there is a second well or couldron-shaped indenture in the rock. At one end there is an outlet by which the water escapes down the rocky precipice.
We returned to Towamba from here, passing several free selections on the road. From the station we had a long ride of twenty-four miles, through a country which was as changeable as the climate - summer in the morning and winter in the evening. Between ranges, along cattle tracks, through sterile country, and then wild passes, followed by well-grassed and undulating pastoral land, and at last arrived at an opening where the welcome sounds of human voices struck our ears. This is Nangutta station the property of Mr. Alexander Weatherhead - as bluff, yet genial, and hospitable an old gentleman as there is in the colony. Even before we had introduced ourselves, our horses were taken charge of, and we were welcomed to a comfortable and well-built house, surrounded by flowers and emblossomed in climbers. Such was the spot where Mr. Weatherhead has made his home. The years of toil attendant on the opening of this part of the country must have been very great, but the worthy owner is well repaid.
Nangutta is altogether 32,000 acres in extent, and is now a cattle station. The country is principally mountainous, and, therefore, only suitable for pastoral purposes. I was glad to notice the excellent breed of cattle on the station, which is in strange contrast to the mongrel breeds of some parts of the coast, with the exception of those at Towamba, which are mostly very fine. The view from Nangutta House is grand in the extreme. Lofty mountains clad in verdure, east west, north, and south, and winding valleys in the centre of which is a fine stream of water ever flowing, and yielding an abundant supply for the station. All these good things are calculated to make the life of the worthy proprietor and his family a happy one. The business of the station and personal attention to their herds relieve the solitude which might otherwise prevail among this pioneer family. Mr. Weatherhead has reared a goodly number of tall, strapping sons, and fine well-grown daughters; and they, one and all, inherit the same kindly feelings which characterise the father. They are just such people, in fact, as a gifted writer in a recent number of the Town and Country Journal described in the following beautiful lines: -
Strong and active, tough and tireless,
open-hearted kindly souled,
such as poets love to picture in the far off age of gold;

Such people as bring back to our minds the time: -

When our fancy fondly lingered in that past our soul reveres,
When man's life was nursed by nature into patriarchal years:
When the field, the forge, the study, claimed no life-exhausting toil,
And the sons of men lived simply - from the kindly-natured soil.

'Pambula Voice' October 27, 1893
TOWAMBA DISTRICT,
ITS RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES
From our special reporter
Probably the great majority of our readers have never visited Towamba and are not aware of the vast extent of good grazing and agricultural lands in that locality. None but those who have paid a personal visit to the place can form a correct idea of what the district is. Our reporter recently had the pleasure of a hurried trip through 'the valley of the Towamba' and was agreeably surprised at the general character of the country and undoubted richness of the soil.
Right from Rocky Hall to Twofold Bay, rich flats and well grassed hills abound along the river's course in many places extending several miles back from the stream. Towamba is one of the very old settlements of the Colony. Many years ago it comprised an enormous sheep station owned by a Mr. Walker and was then known by the name of 'Pussy Cat'. The station afterwards became the property of Sir William Manning and Mr. Stiles and was changed into a cattle run. The last named gentlemen still hold a large area of land in the locality though much of the original holding has been subdivided and sold to settlers.
When settlement began to extend the Government had a township surveyed and laid out which is still known on the government maps and other documents as the village of Sturt. It is situated about fifteen miles from where the river empties into Twofold Bay on the southern side of the water course; but as yet the only building erected on the village site is the public school. Settlers made their homes below or above the Government site as well as on the opposite side of the stream; a store, post office and hotel have also been established there and the name of Towamba has been retained by the residents but as the good land extends far and wide - east and west and south - settlement has extended with it , hence we find the village of Burragate about nine miles to the west of Towamba, while Pericoe and Wog Wog, Timbillica, Bondi, Nangutta and other places all claim existence to the south, southwest and south east.
The district is at present utilized almost entirely by a dairying population who have managed to overcome the great obstacles which beset every district in the early stages of its history-vis., want of roads for access and egress, density of timber and scrub, the distance from which supplies have to be obtained and a thousand and one other inconveniences with which early pioneers are so familiar and which only the very sturdy and stout hearted usually survive.
The present generation of dairy men and settlers handicapped as they are on every hand and beset with troubles which are quite big enough - know comparatively little except by tradition of what their forefathers have gone through however, they are comfortable and contented- as much so as most people. One of the great characteristics of the residents of the Towamba district is their hospitality towards each other as well as towards visitors.
Roughly estimated there are upwards of fifty families engaged in dairying pursuits in the vicinity of Towamba, Burragate, Wog Wog and Pericoe. The country is abundantly watered by the rivers and creeks which abound in the locality and also by springs, indeed from every hillside the water oozes out in may places and serves in lew of irrigation. The dairies vary in size and from 50 to 200 cows are kept on different holdings in proportion to the size of the runs. The land is hilly and soil in most places is black and grading down to a light sandy loam, in parts very stony but not thickly timbered. Wattles thrive excellently and almost every settler has his patch of trimmed wattles in various stages of growth. Natural grasses alone are to be found, no English grasses have yet been introduced nor are they required.
The common Chinese gardener does not appear to have yet found a rest for the sole of his foot in the neighbourhood and consequently the people have their own vegetable gardens. Many go in for a little cultivation such as potatoes, maize, lucerne and other grasses and peas, which later are used for winter fodder. The different holdings range in area from several hundred to several thousand acres and of course are worked according to the enterprise and capacity of the holders. A portion of the larger runs has been utilized for fattening stock for the markets but the price recently is so unremunerative that to use a common phrase ' the game is not worth the candle' and in consequence the dairying facilities are being extended and the herd of milkers increased.
Nearly every resident has his own piggery adjoining the dairy and in most instances the pigs are just fattened and sent to market while a few make their pigs into bacon. The people kill their own meat and are independent in many ways with regard to food supplies. Though the bulk of the dairy men do not stick to the old style 'setting' and 'skimming' the milk many of them are convinced that they are far behind the times and are promising themselves that as soon as possible they will introduce the more perfect and less laborious system available by means of modern machinery appliances. A few of the more enterprising class have already secured separators for their dairies and have proved the great advantage to be derived from them.

'Pambula Voice' November 3, 1893.
THE TOWAMBA DISTRICT,
ITS RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES Cont.
by our special reporter
We have no doubt that an important future is in store for this portion of our district. Its resources are permanent and capable of extensive development in many directions. The village of Towamba is situated 18 miles south west and about 30 miles from Pambula either via Eden or Wyndham by road though in a direct line it is scarcely 20 miles. Eden is the port for the district and a wagon runs regularly between the port and the settlement bringing stores for the people and taking away their produce.
Residents of Towamba have one advantage over many of the coast districts, it has regular communication with the market. The splendid harbour of Twofold Bay being accessible in every kind of weather. Some of the dairy men have their own conveyances for running their butter and cheese to market. A little inconvenience is caused in times of flood when the river becomes very swift and dangerous but as a rule it goes down quickly. In addition to its vast and almost unlimited dairy capabilities gold has been found in payable quantities in various parts of the Towamba district and a large area of land is held by the government as a gold field reserve.
During the present year a police barracks has been established at Towamba and though the institution has been classed by many as a 'white elephant' we find that there are ample reasons to justify the actions of the authorities in making such a provision. In outlying districts like where the population is so scattered, evil disposed persons can do an immense amount of mischief and carry on with impunity the pursuit of nefarious practices which are at once checked if not entirely abolished by the presence of one of Her Majesty's representatives. A large percentage of the business which is dealt with by the Bench at the nearest court of petty sessions comes from this neighbourhood and it is not improbable that ere long a court house will also be brought into existence at Towamba.
Some of the roads in the locality are in fair order but others are simply impassable and it is a standing disgrace to our government that in these days of progress settlers are allowed to labour under such disadvantages as are here experienced by many for want of a few pounds judiciously spent on the roads. The disgrace is emphasised by the fact that in some of these places where a considerable amount of traffic is necessary the treasury coffers benefit to the extend of hundreds of pounds annually from the surrounding holdings while not a single penny is spent in return to assist the settlers. One government road in the vicinity cannot be traversed at all - that from Burragate to Pericoe- and one of the residents kindly allows the use of a track through his private lands for traffic otherwise it would be necessary to go twice the distance. If some of our parliamentary representatives were sentenced to a few months compulsory residence in a district like Towamba and had to travel these so called roads frequently during that time they would doubtless try to do a little more for the worthy pioneers who are the backbone and sinew of the country.
One of the most important parts of the district is that known as Burragate. It is from 8 to 10 miles west of Towamba and not far from Wyndham. Here several well known Pambula identities have made a home. The remains of an old wool shed are to be seen on the Burragate Reserve which was in use over 50 years ago when that locality was a sheep run under the name of 'Pussy Cat'.
One of the first properties of interest when entering the district from the direction of Pambula is a nice little holding owned by Mr. W. J. Tweedie, our well known townsman. He has about 400 acres of splendid dairying land and has recently been effecting considerable improvements on the property in the line of clearing and building. A new dairy has just been erected and is now getting into full swing under the management of Mr. Charles Peisley also well known about Pambula. The property is a good one and Mr. Tweedie deserves credit for the manner in which he is utilizing it to the best advantage.
Mr. George Keys is the next enterprising selector and his valuable holding of about 1000 acres joins the one above mentioned. Hitherto, Mr keys went in chiefly for breeding sheep but he has recently turned his attention to dairying with satisfactory results, the latter proving the more profitable business of the two. A discovery of gold was made on this property some time ago and kept a number of men at work for several months.
Another dairy of some 500 acres leased by Mr. H. Grant from Mr. J. Robinson Snr., adjoins that of Mr. Keys while Messers D. and J. Binnie are also large property holders at Burragate. Mr. D. Binnie has one of the best dairy herds in the colony and he shows good judgement in this respect by going in almost exclusively for Jersey cattle which are proving themselves the best for dairy purposes. Mr. Binnie has recently purchased a new separator and is procuring steam appliances to facilitate dairy work. Mr Albert Binnie has a compact little dairy farm at Burragate from which, by careful manipulation, he has succeeded in producing 300 lbs of butter in one week from the milk of 37 cows. This shows what can be done on a small area and should encourage those who are not fortunate enough to possess large holdings.
A portion of the Burragate reserve was recently offered for sale by the Crown Lands agent at Eden in small lots suitable for building purposes and most of the blocks were eagerly secured by district residents who know the value of the land and who see that the place has a future before it. At present the 'village' consists only of one house, that of Mr. Samuel Shipway. Being centrally situated Mr. Shipway has started business on a small scale and also manages the local post or receiving office which was recently granted on the petition of the residents. A provisional school is likely to be opened in the vicinity shortly as there are some 26 children of school age within a reasonable distance of the place. 'Lyndhurst' the home and property of the popular Mr. John Martin. Jnr, J.P. is situated at Burragate. A description of Mr. Martin's place will probably appear in our next issue.

'Pambula Voice' November 10, 1893
'LYNDHURST' AND PERICOE
Genial owner of 'Lyndhurst' is almost a native of Pambula being the son of that much respected townsman Mr. John Martin. Mr. Martin Jnr., was formerly a prominent businessman in our town. Preferring a quiet country life he decided some four years ago to remove to Burragate which was just being thrown open to selection about that time. He was aware of the inconveniences and hardships which all beginners have to endure but did not allow these things to discourage him, being fortunate enough to secure a good block of land, Mr. Martin built himself a comfortable home and settled down to work in earnest. His place is about two and a half miles from Pambula and some ten miles from Wyndham and the Burragate or Towamba River flows through the property. 'Lyndhurst' comprises nearly four thousand acres of land and is admirably adapted for dairying pursuits. Some two hundred milch cows are kept on the estate and Mr. Martin has recently started a second dairy on the opposite side of the river. The owner's residence is pleasantly situated on a slight elevation a few hundred yards from the dairy. It is snugly and comfortably built and is surrounded on three sides by a beautiful flower garden containing an innumerable variety of rare and lovely flowers and shrubs. Mrs. Martin, who is a daughter of the late Mr. C. H. Baddeley of Pambula, is at home among the flowers and takes great interest in beautifying the place. A nice vegetable garden is situated a short distance from the house and contains some excellent samples of vegetables. This department, as well as all the farming operations on the estate, is in charge of Mr. J. Richards, a man of considerable experience in such matters and under whose supervision, the best results can always be relied on.
Several acres have been planted out with fruit trees and will doubtless form a splendid orchard in a few years time. A paddock of lucerne near the river is thriving wonderfully and two acres of peas, sown as an experiment promise a good yield.
The 'Lyndhurst' factory brand of butter has won a name for itself in the market. The dairy is built with a view to general comfort and each bale has a gate in front of it through which the cow passes as soon as she is milked thus making room for the next one. Mr. Martin informs us that he believes girls are the best workers on a dairy being of a kind disposition and not fond of idling. A short distance from the yards is the pig paddock while the factory is close at hand standing on the upper side of the hill. A permanent supply of water is obtained for the factory from a well about one hundred and thirty yards distant by means of one of Gould's double action force pumps which is capable of supplying six hundred gallons per hour and can be worked by a boy. Among Mr. Martin's dairy herd we noticed a handsome Ayrshire cow which was imported from New Zealand and has been at 'Lyndhurst' for some three years. She has yielded as much as 60lbs of milk per day. There was also another Ayrshire cow which was purchased for eighty guineas when a calf and was bred by Mr. Cadell of Oran Park. At present Mr. Martin is going in for Jersey stock and has a splendid young bull of that breed recently purchased from W. Wren esq., manager of the far famed 'Kameruka' Estate near Candelo. The utmost cleanliness is to be observed in every part of the establishment. The factory contains a de Laval separator capable of treating one hundred and fifty gallons of milk per hour and all the necessary machinery and appliances for work in such a large establishment including a churn turned by steam and a hand butter worker. A vertical boiler is used and is erected some short distance from the engine and plant. A saw bench stands in an adjacent shed where a circular saw is worked from the factory and cuts up all the wood for the engine as well as for household use. Steam pipes and taps are laid on where ever necessary, everything being handy and convenient. The whole of Mr. Martin's plant was purchased by Messers Waugh and Josephson of Sussex Street, Sydney and has given the owner entire satisfaction.
The soil on the estate is a rich black loam. A quantity of poultry, a few horses chiefly for home use and a small flock of sheep are kept. The comfort of the employees is well looked after.
'Lyndhurst' is a very valuable property and reflects great credit on the owner considering the comparatively short time he has resided upon it. Both Mr. & Mrs. Martin are deservedly popular for their widespread kindness and hospitality.
At Pericoe, or that portion of it owned by Mr. John Alexander, is about eight miles from Burragate and the same distance from Towamba in a southerly direction. The property is hilly but the hills are not so high or steep as in other parts of the district while the timber is more plentiful. Mr. Alexander is of that genial class of gentleman with whom one feels at home almost at first sight. He is the son of one of the pioneers of the district, his father in company of another, having been the first to discover the good lands for settlement away to the south and west, some sixty years ago. Mr. Alexander's property extends over an area of about six thousand acres and is utilised as a dairy and also for breeding and fattening purposes. The plant of the factory is the most complete and extensive one to be found throughout the whole district and eclipses many of the large factories around Bega and elsewhere. A six horsepower horizontal boiler and engine works the one hundred and fifty gallon separator but a three hundred gallon separator is just being introduced. The dairy herd consists of over two hundred cows. All the most modern appliances and conveniences are used in connection with Mr. Alexander's factory consequently the product, butter, is always of the best quality. A large number of pigs are reared on the place and shipped regularly to market from Eden. An extensive crop of wattles was growing on portion of the run but recently they seem to have taken a kind of blight and are dying off rapidly meaning a loss to the owner of several hundred pounds. About forty acres of land are under cultivation this year yielding an excellent crop of peas which grow to great advantage and make a splendid food both for pigs and cattle. A nice vegetable garden is laid out on the banks of the Pericoe Creek where a plentiful supply of good vegetables is always obtainable. Mr. & Mrs. Alexander have lived at Pericoe for about thirty years and have a large family most of whom remain at home and assist in carrying on the dairy and other work. A private tutor is engaged for the benefit of the younger children and judging from samples of their work which were shown our reporter they are making good progress and have all the facilities obtainable at a public school. One of the most interesting and useful contrivances on Mr. Alexander's estate is the water supply which is simply perfect. An hydraulic ram is placed in the creek stream about four hundred yards from the house and brings a permanent supply of water right to the doors. The ram is worked by the action of the water running into it. It is capable of driving water up an incline at a grade of one foot in five. Several tanks are kept at the house and are always full and running over. While pipes are fixed in the kitchen, the bathroom, garden, dairy and wherever necessary, at any of which you only have to turn the tap to let the water run, the whole thing is simplicity itself and it is a wonder that these rams are not more frequently seen being such a great convenience especially on a large dairy where a quantity of water is always necessary. At Mr. Alexander's place, as elsewhere, hospitality is one of the great characteristics and our reporter will not soon forget his visit to the Towamba district.

'Pambula Voice' February 22, 1900
Mr Oliver, Commissioner for the Federal Capital site, came to Eden last week and after inspecting the harbour he started on a second visit to Bombala, via Towamba and Bondi, accompanied by the Secretary of the Eden Progress Association. (Mr Phillips).

'Magnet' February 21, 1931
THE BUNDIAN WATERFALL
Where is the Bundian waterfall? Probably not many people are aware that this is, or could be, readily made accessible from Bombala and Eden with a little advertisement, easily be made a leading attraction of the district. Then the hills which constitute the watershed of the stream which precipitated over a wall of granite, forming the cataract of Windindingerree would doubtless be a fine though rugged field of exploration and the stream itself might serve as a source of hydro-electric power. A well known authority thus describes the locality." The Pass of Bundian is forded by the defiles collecting the headwaters of the Jenoa of which the northern is guarded by the heights of Coonbulico, Wallagarra, Nangutta and Ekalun and the southern by the spur of Biliganea which precipitates the stream collected to the north, southward of the Pass over a wall of granite 67 feet high and which forms a cataract of Windindingerree. These waters unite a little above the Station of Bundian (which is Bondi) being in vertical decent below the Pass, 1,173 feet and falling at the rate of 234 feet per mile and after reinforcement from the Nangutta Ranges just upon the boundary line the collected supplies are known as the Jenoa which passes away to the south-east and meets salt water at Malagoota after falling (in direct measurement from the plain of slope) about 50 feet per mile."
Monaro-Eden people could with advantage to their mutual interest take steps to investigate the possibility of turning to account one of the fine, natural features of the district and popularise it as an attraction to nature-loving tourists.

'Magnet' April 11, 1931
OVER THE TOP
On the morning of Monday the 16th of March, a party consisting of Messers A. L. & R. Mitchell, Booth and R. Phillipps set out from Lower Towamba on an expedition to the top of Mt. Imlay. Describing the trip, one of the party writes, "Splashing across the river on horseback we immediately commenced to ascend the ridge which runs from the top of the mountain in a northerly direction, down to the river. Scattered farms with their green fields of maize come into view with the river winding its way like a silver ribbon disappearing here and there behind steep bluffs and creeping again into sight further away towards the distant dots that are the homesteads of Kiah farmers. After a few miles of steady (perhaps too steady) walk, the stranger's first impression is that the track has turned into a jumble of broken rocks with bushes and logs thrown in to make the going easier. Here, I thought, is where we get off. But mistakes will fortunately occur so we proceed on our way again thankful that our horses are equipped with four wheel brakes. Safely negotiating the declivitous slope, we ascend again coming across several places where Man has prospected in search of precious metals. In one place, carved faces stare impassively from the buttresses of trees, their weather-beaten countenances reminiscent of former visitors speaking eloquently of years of solitude through cloud and sunshine. Leaving the horses about 5 miles from our starting point, we commenced the steeper portion of the climb on foot. The ridge we ascend, plainly visible from Eden, is a huge upflung ridge resembling an inverted V, the apex of which is for, the most part, scarcely 5 feet wide. The slopes below us drop steeply for hundreds of feet. On the eastern side they are clothed with trees and ferns. On the western side with trees and boulders. Higher up we catch a glimpse of Eden and a turn of the head brings the Towamba valley into view but then a little later we turn to view Eden again. A cloud has crept in. Pink streamers far below that reach out to enfold the planks of the mountain while the parent cloud swoops majestically over the top blocking out everything with its mist of damp grey. Nevertheless, we climb on to the summit and after resting prepare to refresh ourselves after our labours. While the billy is boiling we post up evidence of our having been on the spot and read some of those who preceded us there. Having taken several photographs of each other at the cairn to furnish portable proof of the success of our climb we start on the return journey but not before altering the geography of the mountain slightly by indulging in a fascinating pastime of hurling huge rocks down the slopes to go crashing and roaring out of sight and sound into the gloomy depths of unseen gorges beneath us."

'Magnet' March 7, 1934
'WHIPSTICK', HOW IT GOT ITS NAME.
The little town of Whipstick, once famous for its bismuth and molybdenite mines, received its name from the teamsters who used to camp there on the trip from Monaro to the seaboard with the Monaro wool clip. It was here that they cut their whip handles, for the place was famous for its young mountain ash, stringy bark and she oak trees. The teamsters called the young trees whipsticks.

Possibly 'Magnet' article. No date.
The chart, surveyed by Navigation Lieutenant J. T. Gowlland of the Royal Navy, includes soundings of the coastline taken right out to the Continental Shelf, safe anchorages for shipping and hazards such as bombora's and rocks and the degree of swell it took them to break dangerously.
The chart has come to light after being sent to the area by a descendant of Captain J. T. Nicholson, the master and owner of the "Ellen", a schooner which frequented local waters. Captain Nicholson was born at Berwick on Tweed (England) on July 18, 1820.
Another startling discovery after viewing the chart is a small town situated roughly between Mt.Imlay and Egan's Peak charted as Sturt. The village of Sturt was quite large by comparison to the towns of Panbula and Merimbula, and situated adjacent to the Towamba, or Waler River as it was also known.

'Magnet' April 27, 1935
Mr. W. N. Stone informs us that the late Mr. W. R. Newton, formerly of Nadgie, and whose death at Sydney we recorded in a recent issue, was the first man in New South Wales to export 'possum skins to London. The trade, begun in a small way, became so extensive and lucrative that ultimately the extinction of the 'possum seemed probable and protection was rigidly enforced.

'Magnet' February 16, 1935
PAPER PULP
Kiah Reservoir Site
The storage capacity of the site for a reservoir at Kiah River, and the adjacent water shed over which a water licence has been granted to Australian Paper Manufacturers LTD., is 300,000,000 gallons. This quantity even if unreplenished by rain, would, it is estimated, provide a half yearly supply of water for wood pulping operations and factory requirements at East Boyd.

'Magnet' March 9, 1935
BEN BOYD'S LAND
Near New Buildings' Bridge
Apropos of a paragraph in last issue of the 'Magnet', Mr. H. P. Wellings writes re Boyd's block near Rocky Hall; Wells' Gazetteer 1848 refers to this as follows:
"Brierley, a village in New South Wales on Kiah River, Parish Yeuglina, County Auckland, 28 miles from Boyd Town; chiefly resorted to as a resting place for the drays, stock, etc., of the Menaroo county en route to and from Boyd Town, Twofold Bay."
The above description was given to the publishers of Wells' Gazetteer by Boyd's officers at Boyd Town and the incorrect spelling of the parish Yeuglina for Yugilmah is an instance of many errors in that publication. The stream known today as the Towamba River was in the '40's more generally spoken of as the Kiah.

'Magnet' March 9, 1935
* It maybe of interest to note that some of the foundation blocks of a house that for many years stood on a block of land owned by Benjamin Boyd are still to be seen by New Buildings Bridge on the Wyndham to Big Jack Mountain Road. The land referred to which is still known as 'Boyd's Block' and is now owned by Mr. Boland was used as a stopping place for stock travelling from Boyd's Monaro Station properties to Boydtown in the '40's of last century and the house was a camping place for his drovers. The building is well remembered by many of the older residents of Wyndham and Rocky Hall. The building was situated about 400 yards on the Bombala side of the bridge and on the northern side of the road.

'Magnet' November 2, 1935
KIAH RIVER
A GEM OF THE SOUTH
For fertility, the Kiah river flats are famous. That they are equal to the best alluvial lands to be found elsewhere in Australia is well known but of what it cost the pioneers and present land holders to bring them to their present stage of productivity, few people acquainted with the conditions under which settlement took place and has been maintained, have any but the faintest conception. In recent years with improved accessibility the settlers' farming aims and methods have been revolutionised and great as the resultant improvement has been, this district will with a few more years of progress, become still more famous as a field of primary production and be rightfully regarded as a peerless Gem of the South.
It was with the object of ascertaining by personal observation, something of the progress achieved by the farmers of Kiah within the last few years. At the writer accepting an invitation to see and judge for himself, set out one fine morning recently on a brief tour of inspection of the constructed portion of the Kiah to Lower Towamba developmental road and the adjacent farming lands.
A brisk and refreshing spin from Eden under the skillful pilotage of a resident of the district to be visited, took us along the Princes' Highway that skirts the southern shore of the inner bay and then crosses the Nullica River whose placid waters glinting in the sunlight flowed slowly and reflectively to the sea. Following the main road along the boundary of what was formerly Ben Boyd's Estate and thence through bushland brightened by a colourful display of floral beauty, we soon arrived at Kiah where at the foot of the hill beyond the Post Office, a turnoff to the right transferred one to the developmental road about which so much has been written of late that to make detailed reference to it would be superfluous.
One point of interest that the visitor may reasonably be invited not to overlook is Nicholson's Glen so called in compliment to Cr. A.I. Nicholson, President of Imlay Shire, when the road which it adjoins was made.
New arrivals will note with approval that the road keeps on a fairly high level on a good grade well away from the river, leaving to be improved and worked in conjunction with adjoining alluvial flats, large areas of good hillside land below the roadside fences.
The first expanse of impressive view of nearby farm improvement is that presented as one approaches the holding of Mr. James McMahon Senior, whose father was one of the first pioneers to take up land in that locality. There, in a spacious paddock, whose pasturage was a luxurious sward of emerald green, grazed contentedly a herd of well conditioned milking cows; in other fields were growing crops of young lucerne and maize; while on the hillside slope that reaches to the road, a splendid stand of artificial grasses grown up from seed, six months sown, bore indisputable testimony to the previously unsuspected value of these slopes for grazing purposes.
For long stretches further along the road, the lack of hillside clearing proved a bar to seeing much of adjoining and adjacent farms but from the distance all seems spic and span, good proof of up-to-datedness.
Traversing the road along which were evidences of constructional work in progress we reached the Box Cutting and here the car was halted. On foot we followed the partially completed work and on through the bush to the farm owned and at present managed by its practical and enterprising proprietor Mr. A.L. Mitchell. Here at close quarters, one could see and judge the quality of the soil and the extent of the great improvement which despite the past and present isolation, has been wrought upon this and similar holdings, in one of the paddocks was grown by Mr. Mitchell, the 140 bushels of the acre crop, that gained for him the coastal championship. This land had been growing maize for over thirty years without the application of an ounce of artificial manure.
Diverted from its former exclusive task of growing maize which fattened pigs that walked weary miles to market, the farm is now essentially a first class dairy farm and as such is one of which its owner is justifiably proud. His herd of Jerseys, highly productive as they are, is being steadily improved by selection and test with the object of making it ultimately nothing short of the best.
While there was much to admire and appreciate, one could not avoid being painfully impressed by the fact that the cream from Mr. Mitchell's farm has to be conveyed by cart dragged over the sand and gravel of the river bed for a distance of two and a half miles, then a further two or three miles through a bush track before an outlet to the main road is reached at Lower Towamba. Other farmers have almost similar experiences. Can one wonder at the discontent of isolated folk with the slowness of the work of pushing through the remainder of the thirteen and a half miles of road commenced five years ago? One has but to know the conditions under which these farmers, with infinite courage and patience, have laboured through several decades to feel that everything possible should be done to help them get their road completed within the next twelve months.
Returning to the car, we made a brief visit to the farm of Mr. & Mrs. M.D. Doyle whose cheery welcome made one feel that here was homeliness and content. A large scope of flat land pasturage and lucerne, awaiting the return of a numerous herd of dairy cows alternately depastured on an up-the-river farm worked by Mr. M. McMasters, afforded ample evidence of the productiveness of this fine property on which, by the way, an area of valuable swamp land has been reclaimed by drainage to the river.
The time at our disposal being short, we moved on to the home of Mr. James McMahon, arriving there in time to partake of a refreshing repast dispensed by Miss Eileen McMahon who proved an ideal hostess of a numerous company of friends. A close inspection of Mr.McMahon's farm established the fact that its first appearance, as seen from the road, was the very reverse of deceitful, and that on the other hand, proximity lent greater enchantment than did distance to the view. Like Mr. Mitchell, Mr. McMahon is bent on herd improvement and though he has more than trebled the number of his milking cows, he seeks nothing but the best. Discussion with out host on almost every phase of farming revealed that Kiah farmers are taking a remarkably keen interest in the theory and practice of agriculture and dairying. Towards this desirable result, the advice and information imparted by agricultural and dairying instructors have admittedly contributed to an appreciable degree and it may be hoped that such help will continue to be given and availed of. In pleasing converse, the time passed all too quickly and regretting the shortness of our stay, and that we were unable to include in our itinerary, visits to other homesteads, we said goodbye to our hospitable friends and set a homeward course. Before leaving Kiah, however, we obtained a glimpse of Mr. Goward's farm and a view of the roadside portion of the farm of Mr. J.N. Harris who also has provided an object lesson of the value of hillside clearing. Visits to other farms will, the writer hopes, be a pleasure that he will experience in the not far distant future. Space limitation precludes more than this brief reference to a trip that was in every way enjoyable. It was a trip, that though it did not enable one to make contact with all the riverside dwellers, made one feel that in the industry, energy and intelligence of these progressive people, the whole district has an asset of the highest value. One hopes that with the completion of the road, they will achieve and enjoy - as they merit - complete enduring success.


Granny Binnie. 'Janco', Burragate No date.	'Janco' Homestead. Burragate. No date.