Posts Tagged ‘ben lomond’
News from New England, June 1865
The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 – 1893), Tuesday 20 June 1865
NEW ENGLAND.
(From the Armidale Express, June 17.)
There has been a good deal of drizzling rain through the week, which has been excellent for farming, but a heavier fall is needed for waterholes. To the N. of Armidale, however, the rain has been far more copious.
A correspondent informs us that on the night of the 6th instant Mr. A. Drummond, blacksmith, of Maryland, was killed. The person blamed for this is stated to be Michael Gallagher, a mail driver, of Tenterfield.
We are informed that if water could be got at Puddledock, a very fair supply of gold might be obtained from it, the innkeeper there having purchased on an average about 10 ozs. a week for some time. There are about twenty-five European miners on the ground, besides six or eight Chinese. Messrs. George Stickler and party expect to wash out about 40 ozs. from a heap of wash dirt of some thirty-five loads. A miner generally known as George the Fiddler also expects to make good wages out of the stuff he has piled up. During the last fortnight ten new men have come to Puddledock, but the miners are pretty much at a stand-still from want of water. There are five sluicing parties in readiness to take advantage of a heavy fall of rain. The want of a post office is very much felt, or of some arrangement by which a mailman could pass through the diggings en route to other places. Five miners rights were taken a few days ago, and more will be applied for as soon as the miners can wash.
(From the Armidale Telegraph, June 17.)
A few young men in Armidale, we understand, are actively engaged in initiatory practice prior to giving an Ethiopian minstrel entertainment, to take place early in July. They propose to make their first debut upon the occasion of a public concert, which the committee of the School of Arts have it in contemplation to give to assist in liquidating the debt remaining upon that institution.
The first snowfall that took place in New England this season occurred on the night of the 8th instant, at Ben Lomond, and extended as far down the road to Falconer. The snow commenced falling early on Thursday evening last, and continued till noon on the following day. Tbe snow was two feet deep on several ridges along the road from Falconer to Glen Innes. The Glen Innes mailman, on coming into Falconer, was powdered as white as a flour sack could have made him. The Gwydir has risen two feet in consequence. The bridge at the Swamp has broken down, and at the Pinch, at this side of the Gyra station, the culvert there has met the same fate.
By a letter, received by a gentleman in town from an Inverell resident, we are informed that Mr. Bawden, the Secretary to the Clarence and New England Steam Navigation Company, left there on the 11th instant, en route for Glen Innes and Tenterfield. Mr. Bawden, we hear, met with considerable success at Inverell and in the neighbourhood.
We have been much struck since residing in Armidale, at the scarcity, as well as the high price, of bricks. If they were more cheap and abundant, we entertain no doubt that wood for constructive purposes would, in many instances, be superseded by bricks, seeing that the latter are not only more lasting, but offer a more effectual safeguard against fire. From all we learn there is no scarcity of good clay in the vicinity of the town, which, if manufactured into really good bricks at a moderate price, we believe the demand for them would be very considerable, thus giving employment to a large number of hands. The field is a large one, for some enterprising spirit amongst us, and presents many attractions as a profitable sphere of action.
Armidale; then to Tenterfield by train in 1887
The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, Tuesday 21 June 1887
A Journey due North.
Armidale to Tenterfield.
(By Bruni in the Australasian.)
Armidale, the oldest and most important town on the New England plateau, is a place of considerable importance. It is the principal business centre of an extensive pastoral and agricultural district, of which it is considered the capital, and is the residence of a Church of England and of a Roman Catholic bishop. I find it is much smaller in size than I anticipated, and with no appearance of rapid advancement, but it has an air of quiet respectability befitting the leading town of a large and steadily-improving district. The oldest part of the town is situated close by the bank of the rivulet that runs by the place, and consists of a group of extremely quaint old-fashioned wooden houses, huddled together as if for mutual protection. The principal portion of the town is situated on some gently-rising ground on the western bank of the stream. The houses are built in a much more modern style than those of the first settlement, but here and there one meets with one of those homely square brick dwellings, with small windows, low ceilings, high shingled roofs, and attic-windows, that are so frequently seen in all the older towns of the parent colony. Though having no pretensions to architectural beauty, they are generally roomy, comfortable places to live in, and I have frequently found them inhabited by the children, grand-children, or even more remote descendants of the pioneers who erected them. They are solidly built, and though presenting often a somewhat weather-beaten appearance, will yet last longer than the more pretentious run-em-ups of later days. It is quite a noticeable feature in rural life in New South Wales that families should remain on the land taken up by their fathers in the early days of the colony. Sons and daughters may marry and go out into the world but there ever remains a representative of the family at the old home. This is quite different to what one finds in Victoria, where change seems to be the order of the day. Though the country is still so young it is a very rare thing to find a rural property still remaining in the hands of the original settler or his family. Even the farms that have been reclaimed from the stubborn forest change hands as readily as so many chattels. This may denote progress, but I am old-fashioned, and prefer the mode of life which obtains in these pleasant but somewhat sleepy old towns of New South Wales.
At the first view of Armidale one immediately perceives that the climate is entirely different to that of the country lying between Newcastle and Tamworth. The air is sharp and bracing, but with nothing unpleasant in it. In winter the climate is said to be very severe, but in spring, summer, and autumn it is admitted by everyone to be most delightful. A better holiday ground for the sunburnt residents of Queensland and the hot plains of north-western New South Wales it would be hard to find, and when the rail is carried over the short gap between Wallangarra and Tenterfield, New England will doubtless be a favourite place with those who are anxious to escape from the terrors of a Central Australian summer. The streets of the older portion of Armidale are narrow and irregular, but a marked improvement is shown in the newer portion of the town. No attempt has been made to beautify the place by planting trees in the streets, though nowhere have I seen the elm with such a splendid mass of foliage as in the gardens of Armidale. They were just touched by the first frosts of winter when I saw them, and the contrast between the yellow of the outside leaves and the dark-green of the rest of the foliage was very fine. English fruit trees grow well in this district, and so, I believe, would all English flowers, but one sees very few of them. There is a notable absence of cottage gardens, though pocket-handkerchief allotments were not the fashion when the town was laid out. Indeed, in Armidale a cottage garden may be said to be the exception and not the rule, and few of the larger houses have gardens. This is one of the peculiarities of the place that is at once noticed by a visitor. The business portion of the town is of small extent, and to judge by the appearance of the shops, the trade done is a very quiet one. The most attractive feature of the place is the pleasant villas that surround the town, and these have a very pretty appearance, peeping through the foliage of the forest that hems the town round. The little valley in which Armidale is situated is bordered by lines of low hills, composed of a poor white-coloured soil, with frequent outcrop of rock. The forest that clothes the hills is of a very poor description, stunted in growth, and useless except for firewood. These barren hills give one a poor opinion of the surrounding country, but almost immediately beyond them is a large extent of fertile land, scattered over which are many farms, the comfortable homesteads on which indicate well-to-do proprietors.
In the centre of the town is a large square, which has been planted with ornamental trees. Surrounding it are all the leading places of worship. I was shown the cathedrals of the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church. Had I not been told they were cathedrals I would have taken them for well-built, unpretending village churches. The Government buildings are extensive, and each department has a large staff ; Armidale being a Government as well as a business centre for the New England district. There is a large hospital just outside the town on a fine site. The public schools are of considerable size, and are attended by a numerous troop of sturdy, rosy-cheeked, young Englanders. The railway station is situated a considerable distance out from the north-western corner of the town, and, magnet like, is drawing the town towards it. A good deal of building is going on, the material used being invariably brick. A better building material could not be found than the bricks made in Armidale ; they are dark in colour, and almost as hard as flint. My stay in Armidale was a brief one, but I saw much that pleased me. Nature had done much to make this an attractive summer residence for the dwellers in tropical and semi-tropical Australia. The air is pure and invigorating, and nowhere have I seen anything so closely resembling the lovely turquoise blue of the Tasmanian skies as in Armidale. Even in winter the cold is not unpleasant, though the frosts are sharp and frequently last till late in the forenoon. Often in winter one may sit on the leaside of a house and enjoy the genial warmth of the sun, while on the shady side the air will be freezing. On such occasions the different sides of the street have widely different climates. It is a remarkably healthy district, and there is no tonic that I know of like the air of this elevated plateau. To judge by the substantial repasts prepared to satisfy the heroic appetites of their guests, this fact had been forced upon the attention of the local hotelkeepers.
Resuming my northward way, I left Armidale by a goods train after an early breakfast on a bright frosty morning. The train travelled at a marvellously slow rate, and I was thus enabled to have a good view of the country we passed through. About a couple of miles out of town I was shown the fine mansion lately built by Mr F. White. It is on a very pretty site, and overlooks the little valley, which is here of much greater extent than at Armidale. The train for a few miles passes through low hills on which a thin layer of cold poor soil produces only a forest of stunted, worthless trees. Then a welcome change took place, the light coloured stiff clay gave place to a rich chocolate soil, and the country was dotted over with pleasant looking and substantially built homesteads. Stock feeding is much practised about here and every little steading was surrounded by numerous large and well built stacks. I noticed that many of the farm horses in the fields we passed by were rugged, a sure sign of cold climate, and of care on the part of the stock owners. Much of the forest near Eversleigh would be greatly improved by ring-barking, but the practice is not in favour with the residents. Though we were now approaching the highest part of the tableland traversed by the railway, the views were never extensive, and only disclosed a series of low wooded hills in every direction. The formation was now granite, and the cuttings along the line were very heavy. This portion of the railway must have cost a large sum per mile, and for a considerable distance it runs through an almost uninhabited country, in which the natural resources are apparently very small. The line appears to follow the summit of the mountain range ; sometimes the fall is to the east, and then, again, it is to the west. On more than one occasion I saw the fall of the country east and west from the line at the one spot. At Black Mountain we had reached an elevation of a little over 4300ft. ; there was a bright sunshine, but the air was sharp and cold. Like the greater portion of the tableland, there was a large quantity of young timber springing up through the forest. From the appearance of the patches that have been ringbarked, clearing this country will be a very difficult operation, as, owing to the climate, the native trees have a strong vitality. Beyond Black Mountain the country is flat and swampy, and at Guyra the train runs by a very large marsh named “The Mother of Ducks,” but the ducks had deserted their mother at the time I passed. The formation about here is basalt, and if the surface were drained it would make excellent. grazing ground. At Ben Lomond we were 4471ft. above the sea, the highest point reached by any railway in Australia. The station is a pretty one, with comfortable quarters for the railway officials. The hamlet is small, the most noticeable building being a diminutive wooden church. To my surprise I saw a calico poster announcing the fact that there was to be a large sale of business and villa allotments on a day in December last. In a cutting beyond the highest point I noticed that the formation was still basalt. The descent beyond Ben Lomond is rapid, the train running down a narrow valley, and at times I got a view of a forest country extending a long way to the north, with blue mountains outlined against the sky. As we went on, the little mountain glen opened out into a large valley, and I got a fine view of the country to the northward. There were plenty of both cattle and sheep on the hillsides, and the grass was everywhere abundant. The lower we ran down the valley the more extensive became the flats, which were composed of the finest black soil. The temperature rapidly became higher as we descended the valley, and orchards, maize-fields, and small farm-steadings were frequently met with. The prevailing grass all over this country was kangaroo grass. Beyond a place named Glencoe we got into granite country again, and at Stonehenge passed an immense number of granite boulders standing high above the surface of the ground. The granite country lasted till we reached Glen Innes, where I anticipated there would be a halt for refreshments. To my intense disgust, there was a long wait, but nothing eatable or drinkable was to be obtained, and this is a country where the appetite is sharpened by the fresh mountain air.
Glen Innes is a small town, but a very “live” one. It is fully alive to the advantages of railway communication with the coast, and the inhabitants seem thoroughly in earnest in their determination that their town shall be the point of departure of the line to the coast and of that for Inverell. I intended stopping at this interesting town on my return journey, but unfortunately had not the time to spare. The soil around Glen Innes is remarkably good, and some of the very best is contained in the Furrucabad estate, lately purchased and cut up into farms by a syndicate. Though granite rock crops out all over the district, the soil is of the blackest and richest I saw in New England. The agricultural resources of the district surrounding Glen Innes are very great. After passing through a large area of rich-soil country, we come into a poorer soil on which there are very few habitations to be seen. The cuttings are numerous, and some of them very deep and long. We were rising again beyond Deepwater, and the incline was so steep at times that the engine could only just keep the train moving. On the summit of the range called the Bolivia Mountains a halt was made to let the brakes down, a precaution we soon found was absolutely necessary. If the hills were steep on the southern side, they seemed to be much more so on the northern side. The train plunged down among a series of wild rocky hills. The sudden curves on this part of the descent showed the necessity for strong brake power. In some respects this place resembles the famous Zigzag on the Blue Mountains, but to my mind is much more beautiful. The hills are wilder and the view more extensive, while below is seen a most charming valley, in which the groups of bright-foliaged apple-trees have a very fine effect. On reaching the valley I found it consisted of a wide extent of rich black soil, on which there was a heavy sward of grass. Here I saw a good many well-bred cattle all of which were in excellent condition. From below, the prospect of the mountain side, with the bold sweeping curves of the railway, was almost as attractive as that from the summit. Soon after leaving the Bolivia station night closed in, and the remainder of the journey was performed in the dark. The train reached Tenterfield a little after 7 o’clock, having taken 10 hours to perform a journey of 121 miles. The line from Newcastle to Tenterfield is 381 miles long, and there are no less than 66 stations on the way, an average of a station to every 5-2/3 of miles. During this long ride I was surprised to see so much good soil, the greater portion of which is as yet unimproved. It is a splendid country, and appears capable of producing all descriptions of agricultural produce in unlimited quantities. To me, the most attractive portion of the journey was the run across the New England tableland. With its immense area of splendid soil and glorious climate it has capabilities that are as yet undreamt of by the inhabitants. When the railway is completed to Sydney, and the carriage tariff arranged on a scale that will encourage traffic, there will be a great awakening all through this important district. In many respects the country resembles the plateau that extends eastward from Ballarat, but it is more than a hundred times larger. For growing all the fruits of a temperate clime, for dairy produce, for agriculture, and for grazing, I know of no district of equal size that can compare with New England, when the great natural resources of the land are fully developed.
The Great Northern Railway Extensions
Tuesday 19 April 1881, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser
(Tamworth, News of Friday.)
We write “extensions” advisedly, for there are two large contracts going on at present. As to one of these, from Uralla towards Glen Innes, Mr. D. Proudfoot, a New Zealand railway contractor of some note, has plenty of work in his hands. He is adopting the sub-letting principle chiefly ; and even goes so far as to have his offices, stables, etc., put up by the piece. The clearing on this contract is in hand from its commencement to Ben Lomond ; and most of the cuttings from Uralla to Armidale, are being excavated. The distance that all plant and material have to be brought is a great impediment to the contractor, most of his appliances having to come from either Tamworth or Grafton. The Government have, we understand, recently sent an engineer up to report on the progress Mr. Proudfoot has made.
The Messrs. Amos, in their usual pushing manner, are going ahead with the works on their contract (Tamworth to Uralla) at a great pace. The three remaining brick arches over Jamieson’s Creek are nearly finished ; when these are completed the rails can be laid a further distance of six miles, all the works for that length being sufficiently advanced for the purpose. Cutting 98, at 310¾ miles (measured from Newcastle), a very hard metamorphic shale formation, needing some 70,000 cubic yards of excavation, will probably not be ready by the time the permanent way reaches it ; and it may possibly be the end of July, or the beginning of August, ere it is through. The works from this point to Macdonald River are now nearly done, and it is hoped that the “head of the road” will be at the water’s edge early in October. Before the river can be approached, however, there is yet a considerable quantity of stuff to be taken from cutting 116, – where originally a second tunnel was proposed – only 130,000 cubic yards, out of an estimated 170,000, are at present removed. The lovely banks of the Macdonald River are now the site of an almost perfect, if ephemeral, township. A school-church, police station, hospital, doctor’s residence, contractor’s offices and buildings, three hotels, extensive steam sawmill works, stores, butchers’ and bakers’ shops, aerated water manufactory, brick yards, milliner’s shop, hair cutting saloon, etc., together with well-built wooden cottages, and canvas homes of workmen, make a place which wears a far finer aspect than does Uralla itself. There are, all told, something like 1000 persons congregated at this point; while but a few months ago, the family of Mr. G. D. Smith-the generally respected general purveyor – were, with a shepherd of Mrs. Scott, (the owner of the run), the only inhabitants. The railway is to cross this river on a lattice girder bridge, resting on two substantial piers, built, to all outward appearance, of solid bricks. The fact is that these piers are really built of Portland cement concrete, with outside casings of bricks, and here and there a binding-wall from side to side. The iron work tor this bridge has, we believe, arrived in the colony, and will be put up towards the end of the present year. When the line was designed, it was thought that near this river would have been an excellent site for the Station, for both Bendemeer and Walcha; but subsequent enquiry, and repeated applications on the part of the Walcha residents – who appear to be of a pertinacious disposition – have induced the authorities to make a change, and the station, to be known hereafter as the Walcha Road Station, will be placed at 222 miles, or 4½, miles north of the River, 40 miles from Tamworth.
To get ground upon which to build this station, the side of a hill is to be cut away, the additional earthwork being the nice little amount of 40,000 cubic yards ! Close to this station, the Surveyors’ Creek is crossed on a 20 feet brick arch, now being built, the bricks are made on the spot, and are of excellent character. The works hereabouts look heavy, but the material is mostly granite sand, and easily moved.
Beyond Surveyors’ Creek, to the Congi Creek (a distance of three miles) all the cuttings are in hand ; and further on again, until within 12 miles of Uralla, the excavations have been commenced.
At Congi Creek is another brickyard, the bricks from which are intended to build a 20ft. arch needed by that creek, and the various small culverts thereabouts. The bulk of the waterways, however, between here and Uralla are wooden, the two largest being the bridge over St. Helena Creek, of five 26ft. openings, and that over Chilcott’s Creek of seven openings of the same span : neither of these have been commenced.
The highest point on the line, indeed we believe the highest point on any line in Australia, is near St. Helena Creek, in cutting No. 154, where, at 231 miles 42 chains from Newcastle, the natural ground is 3702½ feet above sea-level ; the formation of the railway being 11¾ feet lower. The height at Clarence siding, on the Western line over the Blue Mountains, is the next nearest to this, being 3658 feet above sea-level ; while the famed Doughboy Hollow, on the Northern line, is only 2070 feet high. It may be interesting to some readers to state that Tamworth is 1246 feet, and Uralla 3585 feet, above the sea level.
The contract for the construction of the station buildings at Uralla will soon be let ; they will consist of passenger and goods stations of considerable size, stationmaster’s house, large sheep and cattle yards, and a gate-keeper’s cottage. It had been intended also to build an engine shed here, but this, we believe, is not yet decided.
We have before remarked on the extensive character of these works, and on the responsibility which rests on the Government local staff in carrying out works which, in magnitude and importance, have rarely, we question, been surpassed in New South Wales. It is certain, at any rate, that no contract has before been let in Australia of an equal extent ; and, as we have explained, the original sum will be increased by perhaps some £200,000 – making the total price to be paid to Messrs. A. and R. Amos about £800,000.
Mountain resorts of New South Wales
Monday 13 January 1890, The Sydney Morning Herald
Those desirous of escaping for a brief period from the heat and dust of the metropolis or the inland country districts during the summer months to the cool, salubrious climate of the mountains, will find ample facilities provided by the Railway Commissioners for so doing. On the Southern line tickets are issued at excursion rates from all stations to those between Mittagong and Goulburn, the former place being 2069ft. above sea level, and the latter about the same, the atmosphere being generally clear and invigorating. The mountains in the vicinity of Mittagong afford numerous pleasant walks, and are much frequented by excursionists during the summer months. Bowral is surrounded by very picturesque scenery, and, being well provided with hotel and lodging accommodation, is a favourite place of resort, especially by invalids in search of health. Moss Vale, which is 2205ft. above sea level, excited the admiration of Mr. J. A. Froude, who compared it to the famous Victorian sanatorium Mount Macedon, only that, instead of being in the midst of dense forests, it is surrounded by rolling grassy uplands, thickly sprinkled with trees, cattle farms, sheep &c., and long ago taken up and appropriated. “To those who are fond of riding,” says Mr. Froude, “the situation of Moss Vale is perfect as the green grass stretches out into infinity.” The climate is delightful to the visitor from Sydney or Albury it is like passing from the tropics into the temperate zone. The celebrated Fitzroy Falls are in the vicinity, while the rugged ravine in which the Berrima coal mines are situated can be reached by a walk of about seven miles. Several pleasant excursions may also be made from Goulbourn, one of the healthiest cities in Australia, the principal being that to the Wombeyan Caves, to which a new road is being made from Bowral.
At Bulli and Wollongong, on the South Coast line, visitors will find abundant opportunities for reaching the more elevated portions of the Illawarra Range, including the Bulli Pass with its magnificent panoramic views and enjoying the cooling ocean breezes sweeping over the lovely valley below.
On the Northern line several of the more distant townships are delightfully situated, especially after ascending the Moonbi Ranges, on the further side of which is Walcha-road, 320 miles from Sydney and 12 from the township, where the surrounding scenery resembles in many respects that of tho Blue Mountains. It is 3346ft. above sea level, and looking southward, the peaks of the Liverpool Range are seen, while, rising like many islands, are the heads of mountain chains extending as far as the eye can reach. About 16 miles south-east of Walcha are the magnificent Apsley Falls, one of the real beauty spots of New South Wales and destined to become one of the great attractions to visitors from other countries. The immense ravine in which they are situated is one of the grandest and most awe-inspiring in Australia, the sides of the gorge rising almost perpendicularly to the height or about 3000ft., causing it to resemble one of the great American canyons. The main falls are 240ft. deep, the others varying from 100ft., the volume of water pouring over the rocky lodges being enormously great. Armidale, 3313ft. above sea level, is often visited by those desirous of a trip to Dangar’s Falls, about 12 miles from the city. The principal fall is 780ft. deep, the depth of the whole series being estimated at 1500ft. The Woollomombi Falls, about 29 miles from Armidale, are on an equally grand scale, the scenery in both places partaking largely of the sublime. The line continues ascending until the highest and coolest point, Ben Lomond, 4560ft. above sea-level, is reached, after which it gradually descends towards the Queensland border. The greater portion of this elevated region, although familiar to the prospector, the pastoralist, and the agriculturist, is virgin land to the tourist, who will find many beautiful places and romantic localities which have yet to be described by pen or pencil.
Of the Blue Mountain resorts on the Western line there is little that is fresh to be said, but in the principal townships there has been a considerable increase of hotel and lodging accommodation, with improved facilities for visiting the more distant points of interest, there now being a good coach-road from Katoomba and Mount Victoria to the Jenolan Caves. The Railway Commissioners have arranged the train service so as to meet, as far as possible, the requirements of visitors, especially those whose time is limited, so that the various sights can be reached either in the course of a prolonged trip or during a series of short excursions, as may be found most convenient. The coach journey to the Jenolan Caves is very pleasant, and now that the caves are illuminated by electricity, their marvellous beauty becomes more clearly revealed. At Wellington, 995ft. above sea level, the famous caves, similarly named, are much frequented during the summer months, and possess many points of interest.
Around New England: snow and gold
Tuesday 26 July 1864, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser
(From the Armidale Express, July 23.)
Our Walcha correspondent says rain commenced here on Monday week, and continued until last Saturday, when we had a fall of snow. The river and creeks have been up nearly as high as in the great flood of February last. The blacks are becoming rather troublesome on Dr. Morris’s station, Winterbourne. The police left here on Saturday last, and have not yet returned from Winterbourne.
GOLD ON GARA -On Thursday we saw a fine sample of gold, weighing 5 ozs. 3 dwts, from Gara station, some 12 miles E of Armidale. The diggings are in the Guyra River at Cox’s out-station, a short distance above the head station. The gold is scaly and waterworn, and has been got by sluicing, the one man employed having been about nine weeks gold digging on Gara, and having sold some gold previous to the lot above-mentioned. He has also found gold on the ranges, but, as yet, the only payable diggings he has discovered are in the river.
On Saturday night and Sunday morning Armidale was visited by another fall of snow. Towards Ben Lomond, we hear, it was very heavy. The wind blew nearly a gale at the beginning of the week, and was piercingly cold. The weather has again become frosty and fine.
At the Bundarra police court on the 11th instant, Mr Leigh, of Newstead, Byron Plains, appeared as agent of Mrs. Anderson, of Newstead, to meet an information laid by T. Cooper, Esq., alleging a breach of the Scab Act, in driving sheep along part of the boundary line of the Beverly Run, without giving the required notice. The case was proved, and a fine of £20 was inflicted.
War precautions prices
Thursday 29 August 1918, The Sydney Morning Herald
MELBOURNE, Wednesday. The following have been proclaimed areas in New South Wales for the purpose of the War Precautions Prices Regulations:—Beau- fort, Reddestone, Clairville, Baldnob, Dundee, Wellingrove, Matheson, Pinkett, Mount Mit- chell, Kingsgate, Red Range, Shannonvale, Karraford, Fladbury, Ben Lomond. The areas. comprise all places within five miles of the post-offices of the above townships.
Maize trials at Llangothlin
Tuesday 10 July 1923, The Sydney Morning Herald
MAIZE IN NEW ENGLAND.
TRIALS AT LLANGOTHLIN.
An interesting trial of five varieties of maize was conducted last season by Mr. T. J. Williams at Llangothlin, and he has forwarded the results to the Department of Agriculture through the secretary of the Ben Lomond branch of the Agricultural Bureau.
The plots were planted on October 19 on red volcanic soil. The weather conditions continued good until Christmas, but were very dry from then onwards. The acre yields were:- Wellingrove, 49 bushels; Early Morn. 46½ bushels; Bailey, 44½ bushels; Golden Glow and Sundown, 42 bushels each. These matured, or at least were safe from frost, in the following order:- Sundown, 4 months; Early Morn, 4¼ months, Golden Glow, 4¾ months; Bailey, 5¼ months, while Wellingrove, although it made the highest yield, did not mature properly, and only yielded well because autumn frosts were much longer delayed than usual.
The yields, Mr. H. Wenholz, B.Sc. (Agrl.), Special Agricultural Instructor, considers, undoubtedly place maize as a useful change crop from the ubiquitous potato in the colder parts of New England, and hundreds of acres are likely to be sown next season in the Llangothlin and Ben Lomond districts as the result of this and other experiments.
For Sale: The Station of “Marouan”
Friday 8 July 1853, The Sydney Morning Herald
THE STATION OF "MAROUAN," In the New England District, together with about 5000 SHEEP. MR. MORT has received instructions to sell by public auction, at his Rooms, Pitt-street, THE STATION OF MAROUAN, with about 5000 Sheep. The Station of "Marouan" is situated in the Beardie district, New England, about 42 miles from the township of "Armidale," on the Mail Road to the Darling Downs and Moreton Bay Districts. THE GRAZING CAPABILITIES are of a high character, being well watered and capable of carrying 10,000 sheep. It is bounded by the well known stations of Messrs. Everett, Wauchope, Boyd, and others. THE SHEEP are all fine woolled and perfectly sound, and principally the X Y Z stock, the wool of which is so celebrated. They are mostly young sheep, and the ewes will lamb in October; a number of the rams were selected this season by the present proprietor from the celebrated stock of Wil- liam Dangar, Esq., and Captain Ditmas, and a large proportion of the wethers are in excel- lent condition and fit for market. THE IMPROVEMENTS, which are unusually extensive, comprise A superior dwelling-house Detached kitchen and other offices Overseer's cottage, two gardens A public store, spacious wool-shed Stables and groom's hut, excellent stockyard A grass paddock of 200 acres Two cultivation paddocks A blacksmith's forge and hut, and Shepherds' huts The dwelling-house is well built, with draw- ing and dining rooms 16 feet by 15 feet, with a good verandah, and is well adapted to a family of respectability, being situated in a healthy locality and agreeable neighbourhood. The original cost of the improvements which have been lately effected was upwards of £1700. THE PUBLIC STORE, well known as the Ben Lomond 8tore, is well supplied with goods of every description, and being in a central position on the mail road, with proper management, the profits ought to pay the whole expenses of the station. THE AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES of the station are first rate, and well adapted for the growth of wheat and other grain, and the purchaser, by exeicising his pre-emptive right to 160 acres, could realize a large profit annually by the sale of his farm produce. The station is well situated for a steam mill to be erected with advantage. Mr. Mort begs to direct the attention of parties on the look-out for stations and stock to the desirable investment now offered, and the certainty of realizing a large portion of the purchase-money so soon after taking posses- sion, by the clip of wosl. There can be no doubt but that shortly stations like this will be in great demand, as a means of investing money, and the prices of sheep will increase with the influx of capitalists, and the tide of immigration. Terms at sale. This station and stock are sold in conse- quence of the projected departure of the pro- prietor to England.
Old news from Armidale and New England 