Short Stories of the Blackmores, Suttors, Kinlesides, Watsons, Farrs, Gordons, Blacks and others.
By Guest Contributor, Costas "Con" Constantinides, historian from Mt Isa. In the Gulf Country around Gregory Downs and along the road from Camooweal to Burketown there were a number of Wayside Inns and Shanties. All are now long gone except the Gregory Hotel. The Gregory Hotel The Gregory Hotel on the Camooweal to Burketown Road … Continue reading How Many Pubs to Gregory?
Kevin and Arthur Hanson did most of the droving from Gregory Downs with most being the annual bullock turnoff which were walked, over to, and down, the Leichhardt River to the railhead at Kajabbi. Other trips in 1966 and 1968 may have included steers consigned to "Clovernook" near Moura in the Central Queensland Brigalow area … Continue reading Kevin Hanson – Drover, Horseman, Cattleman.
Families sometimes wonder how to pass the history of previous generations down to the next generations. If you are lucky and have already been on the receiving end of some work done by past generations you have something to work with especially if you have photos as well as stories, after all a Family Tree … Continue reading The Strangers in The Box
In October 1876 three Watson brothers left from “Walwa” on the Upper Murray in Victoria, following a survey trip by Greg, one of the brothers, in 1875, to settle on the Gregory River at “Gregory Downs” some 120 kilometres south of Burketown, arriving in August 1877. Two of the brothers, Harry Frederick and Philip Sidney … Continue reading Gregory Downs Station – Old Photographs
In 1876 three Watson brothers came from “Walwa” on the Upper Murray in Victoria following a survey trip the previous year, to settle on the Gregory River at “Gregory Downs” some 120 kms south of Burketown.Two of the brothers, Harry Frederick and Philip Sydney were twins aged only 19 at the time and the youngest … Continue reading Watson Bros to Gregory Downs
The Royal Flying Doctor Service from the Mt Isa base and Dr Ian Robinson were regular visitors to Gregory Downs for the clinics conducted there and at other locations around the Gulf country and Mt Isa district. Dr Ian Robinson treating a patient with VH-FDR in the background. The RFDS aircraft was a Beechcraft Queen … Continue reading The RFDS and Foxtrot Delta Romeo
Harry Foster at “Riversleigh” in the 1950’s. (Photo courtesy Ken Foster) Mrs “Aunty” Barrett, at the Gregory Hotel, had taken in and reared the child Harry Foster and his sister, Jessie. Harry and Jessie Foster's young mother died in childbirth at Westmoreland Station and their father left the two children with Emily Barrett at the … Continue reading The Fosters at Riversleigh and Gregory Downs
By Greg Blackmore I can remember always wanting to be a Jackeroo and had my leather saddle bag and quart pot for a few years before I had even left school. Raised on a small mixed grazing property near Rylstone and Mudgee in NSW, I rode a bike the 3 miles to Clandulla Public School, … Continue reading Going Bush – a Jackeroo
By Greg Blackmore In 1965 I started flying lessons with Schutt Aircraft Flying Academy at Grovedale airfield, just out of Geelong in Victoria. This was during my first year at Marcus Oldham Agricultural College and I progressed through to my first Solo flight in October that year at about 8 hours flying time. In April … Continue reading A Pilot’s Log Book
Guest Post by Beverley O'Hara Background In October 1876 three Watson brothers left from “Walwa” on the Upper Murray in Victoria, following a survey trip by Greg, one of the brothers, in 1875, to settle on the Gregory River at “Gregory Downs” some 120 kilometres south of Burketown, arriving in August 1877. Two of the … Continue reading Phil Schaffert, Gregory Downs Manager 1931 to 1944
Struth it's Blackmores 