|
| Storm clouds form over
Enngonia |
Enngonia
Tiny village near the Queensland border
Located 100 km north of Bourke and only 40 km from the
Queensland border, Enngonia is one of those towns which has
seen better days. Once the poor cousin to Barringun it now
is the small centre for the surrounding area with a police
station, a small school, a pub with caravan facilities, and
a few houses.
The most popular explanation for the town's name is that
one of the first settler's in the area was a man called Erin
who built a shack for himself which was little more than a
gunyah. Hence the name 'Erin's Gunyah' later corrupted to
'Enngonia'.
Like Barringun it was a centre of activity in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when the properties
in the area were labour intensive and when transportation
was by horse and bullock. The arrival of motorised transport
and labour efficient farming ensured the demise for the
town.
Things to see:
The Grave of Captain Starlight
The only point of real historical interest at Enngonia
(apart from the annual races held in September, which rival
the Birdsville Races in their ability to attract people from
all over Australia) is that 35 km west of the town is the
unmarked grave of Captain Starlight.
Born as Frank Pearson in England in 1837, he arrived in
Australia in 1866. He teamed up with a Queensland bushranger
named Charles Rutherford in 1868 and together they held up a
group of people at Walgett, stealing money and a revolver.
They then bailed up an inn at Enngonia. However,
unfortunately for them, two troopers tracking the
bushrangers happened to be in the pub at that moment. In the
ensuing shoot-out, Pearson was hit in the shoulder and wrist
and one of the constables was shot in the side, dying a
month later. The two outlaws continued to rob travellers and
properties as the police chase built up momentum. At
Gundabooka Station, on 23 December, 1868, the police spotted
Pearson, the night after the station had been robbed. His
horse was shot from under him but he managed to escape into
the bush. However, on Christmas Day he was found in a cave
where he surrendered without resistance.
From there Pearson was taken back to Bourke where he was
charged with murder and committed for trial. In May 1869
Pearson was sentenced to death, but this was commuted to
life in prison with the first three years to be served in
chains. However, he was released in 1884. In 1891 Pearson
was convicted, in Brisbane, of two charges of forgery,
serving two years. Upon his release he lived as a confidence
trickster and petty criminal until he died in 1899 after
mistakenly drinking potassium cyanide whilst inebriated.
Rutherford's end came in 1869 while robbing a hotel near
Warren. He was shot when the publican grappled with
Rutherford, causing the bushranger to accidentally discharge
his weapon, with the bullet entering his jaw. He died the
next day without regaining consciousness.
Rolf Boldrewood's famous novel Robbery Under Arms centred
on a bushranger called Captain Starlight, although the
novel's 'hero' is a composite figure, drawing largely on
events in the life of cattle thief, Harry Redford (see
Roma and
Muttaburra in Queensland for more details).
Directions to the grave are provided on the 'Mud Map
Tours' brochure available at the Bourke Tourist Information
Office. Unfortunately the 'Mud Map 7 - The Lednapper
Wildflowers & Midnight's Grave' tour is incorrect and locals
gleefully recall a bus trip which went out to look at
MiStarlight's Grave only to wander around for half an hour
unable to locate it. The answer for those curious enough to
make the trip on 35 km of dirt road is, as always, to
consult the locals. The directions are "Turn west off the
Mitchell Highway at the sign marked 'Yantabulla' and 'Irrara
Creek'. After 35 km you cross the Irrara Creek just before
Wirrawarra Station. There is a cottage on the south side of
the road before you reach the southern turnoff to Wapweelah
Station. To the west of the cottage is the grave. It is
unmarked and distinguished only by a nearby pine tree and
four pine logs lying in an oblong on the ground which mark
the perimeters of the grave.
Broadwalk
Business Brokers
Broadwalk Business
Brokers specialise in General Businesses for Sale, Caravan Parks for
Sale, Motels for Sale, Management Rights & Resorts for Sale, Farms for
Sale, Hotels for sale,Commercial & Industrial Properties for Sale.
Phone:
1300 136 559
Email:
enquiries@broadwalkbusinessbrokers.com.au
AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES FOR SALE
COFFS HARBOUR BUSINESS BROKERS
BROADWALK BUSINESS BROKERS
GOLD COAST BUSINESSES FOR SALE
BRISBANE BUSINESSES FOR SALE
SYDNEY BUSINESSES FOR SALE
CARAVAN PARKS FOR SALE
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
MOTELS
FOR SALE
HOTELS
FOR SALE
Disclaimer
We advise prospective purchasers that we take no
responsibility for the accuracy of any information in the business
provided by vendors or their professional advisers and that they should
make their own enquiries as to the accuracy of this information,
including obtaining independent legal and/or accounting advice
Enngonia
