Lavender 1912

Personnel

William 'Young Bill' Lavender (1894-1969), born William Tasman and took Lavender surname from mother's second marriage
drover Herb Cuthbert
took a mob of 1500 Wave Hill bullocks and spayed cows across the Murranji, possibly 1914

Contact with Aborigines

As they were approaching [Murranji] Waterhole rising smoke showed that a mob of 'munjongs' (wild blacks) were camped nearby. (Lewis 2007:46)

"In the small hours, it came, and the worst happened ... A heavy hunting boomerang had been thrown from a comparatively great distance [in amongst the cattle]." (Woodley 1986:380)
The resulting stampede delayed the drovers for several days while they tracked and mustered the scattered stock. Many cattle were injured. (Lewis 2007:46)

"The tribesmen had certainly done themselves well, if they ever followed their killing up, but from tracks found it was clear they had started something they couldn't handle, became scared and cleared off south deep into the desert. All hands were incensed at the myalls' behaviour, and there is no doubt that had any been sighted during the mustering, they would have been fired on with 'intent to kill', so high was the indignation against them." (Woodley 1986:382)

Mentions Mudburra and Bingongina ("Bingons" (vernacular name for Bingonina) (Woodley 1986:378).

References

Lewis, Darrell. 2007. The Murranji Track : ghost road of the drovers. Rockhampton, Qld. : Central Queensland University Press. ISBN 9781921274053 (pbk.)

Woodley, Peter. 1986. An introduction to T.W. Lavender's "Young Bill's happy days" reminiscences of rural Australia 1910-1915.
"Submitted... July 1984. Resubmitted, March 1986." [includes edited typsecript version of Lavender's manuscript]
Thesis (M.A.)--Australian National University. Menzies DU172.L38A3 1986
Murranji drove, pp.348-87; as quoted in Lewis 2007.

Lavender 1912

Personnel

Contact with Aborigines

References

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