Sunday, August 12, 2018

FF9 Thomas Jillett - Jillett Brothers - Sheep Stations and Droving


Jillett Brothers

Many of our ancestors had a custom of recording events relating to their daily life.  The ancestors of Katie Isabel Jillett were no different.  (Images of Midlands)

Taken at the Fair in Oatlands 2018










Her father and his brothers kept extensive records all written in the Jillett Family Bible.

All sorts of records, from births, deaths and marriages, to how many sheep they drove between their properties firstly located in New South Wales and then in Queensland, and to their father's properties at Broadmeadows or Moonee Ponds in Victoria.

Those records provide a window to our past.  A remarkable past, considering that her grandparents were the son and daughter of convicts.

But that was how Australia began.  On the hard work of the first European arrivals. 

Katie Isabella Jillett was born in 1888, to Alfred Charles Jillett and his wife Catherine Isabella Phillips.  She was one of 4 children..

Katie lived a hard life, in outback Queensland.  Her story is not unlike many hundreds of others, children born in remote places, facing hardships unknown in today's world.

Katie also provided her family with stories about her family.  Some however, were vastly different to the facts.   
Much of her life has been reencountered by her son, James William Herron and many aspects of her early life and that of her family have not been told,

Katie's father, Alfred Charles Jillett was the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett from Oatlands in Tasmania.  He and his brothers formed a partnership, known as Jillett & Sons.
They left their indelible mark on Queensland.  A remarkable family, strong and resolute, to them hard work was a given.  They knew nothing else.

Thomas Jillett and Mary Ann Shone

Thomas Jillett was born 24th September 1817 in New Norfolk, in Tasmania.

He was one of 9 children of convict Robert Jillett and his wife, Elizabeth Bradshaw, who came free, with her daughter.  They came on the "Hillsborough", known as the "death ship".

Robert had been tried at the Old Bailey, and was sentenced to hang. 

He was transported to Sydney, where once again sentenced to hang for stealing half a pig from the Commandant's store.  For the second time he was granted a reprieve, but sent to Norfolk Island, in 1803.

Elizabeth Bradshaw was the wife of Thomas Bradshaw, a convict, and during the voyage, she tended the many sick on the ship.

When they arrived, she was able to hold property, and had a hut built.  Robert later became her assigned "convict", and she owned a trading boat "Little William".  After his second conviction, she sold all her belongings, including several lots of land, and travelled with him to Norfolk Island.  By then there were children. 

She appears to be the first free woman settler to own land on Norfolk Island.
In 1808 they were sent to Tasmania, as the settlement was closing.  She was granted lands in New Norfolk.
Robert and Elizabeth married in 1812, and more children were born.


Thomas Jillett married Mary Ann Shone in June 1844 in New Norfolk by Rev. William Garrard.

Mary Ann Shone was the daughter of Thomas Shone and Susannah Westlake.  Thomas was also a convict, and he had settled at New Norfolk in Tasmania.  His wife was Susannah Westlake, daughter of Edward Westlake who was a First Fleeter and sent to the initial colony on Norfolk Island.

They also returned to Tasmania in 1808 on the "City of Edinburgh", and settled at New Norfolk.



Thomas died 31st October 1891 in Hobart, aged 74 years and is buried  Oatlands Tasmania, in St Peter's Cemetery in the Family Crypt.

Mary Ann Shone was born 1st November 1821 in New Norfolk, and she died 16th September 1915, in Hobart. She was living at Pleasant Hill, Auvergne Avenue, New Town.  She was 94 when she died. She is also buried at Oatlands in the Family Crypt.



Thomas's life can be gauged by his interest in land and property.  A wise man no doubt.

1829:  He rented 100 acres for 16 pounds 8 shillings at Monmouth with his brother William Bradshaw
1842:  He lived at York Plains, Oatlands, and that same year he won a silver cup in Horse Racing             from Oatlands Turf Club
            According to the census he had interest, with William Bradshaw in 3 selections - one of 640       acres, on of 644 acres and one of  100 acres all in Monmouth
1843   Census revealed the same information as the 1842 records

After marriage to Mary Ann Shone, they had several children, and their areas of birth are recorded as York Plains, Cathrine Vale, Oatlands, Springfield and Melbourne.

1850     He bought the Callington Mill at Oatlands, now part of the National Trust.  He sold it to John     Bradshaw (his nephew) 31st December 1863.

1855  The census shows he had the following properties:   4 acres 3 rds 28 per at Oatlands
                                                                                                         11 acres 1 rd 36 pers at Oatlands
                                                                                                         15 acres 1 rd 17 pers at Oatlands
                                                                                                         10 acres at Oatlands
1856  With George Nicholls he had 15 acres 2 rd 9 per at Monmouth
1857  He had 10 acres at Oatlands
1858 Owner/Proprietor, Dwelling and Stable, 23 acres Annual Value 36/9d and 420 acres Agricultural      and grazing at York Rivulet.  Annual value 70/-
           Also owned a Cottage in Oatlands  rented to William Clark  1 acre and value at £13
                                     Shops & Dwelling rented to William Exton  1 acre and value £40
                                      Mill rented to William Exton      1 acre  £184/8/
                                      Cottage rented to Henry Harris     1 acre  £15/12/
                                      Cottage rented to Francis Mancey  1 acre  £13/
           And was the proprietor of a Sheep Run at Lagoon of Islands  400 acres value  £25

1859  Three of his children and 4 of his brother's children died from Scarlet fever during an epidemic           in Oatlands.
1860  He had 1001 acres Somerset, 640 acres at Great Lake and 640 acres River Ouse and 510 acres             at Great Lake.
          The family property was called "St Peter's Pass" and it was sold in 1855 to Morrison.
1864  Purchased lot 95 - 190, 400 acres at Westmoreland.
1867  He was living at 13 Nicholsen St Fitzroy, and looking for a sheep station to rent or buy.
1869  Mornington Park, Victoria
1872  Purchased Buddyina Station in NSW
1877  Leased 200 acres Dundonald in Victoria (30 August)
1878  "Dundonald"  Broadmeadows, Victoria.
1883   He advertised an 8 roomed house to let, at Ascotvale

1884   "Greendale, Greenvale and Gartmore"  Consolidated run 1st August 1885.  Mortgaged to N.Z,     Loan and Mercantile Agency.

1889   Jillett & Sons, Greendale
1897   Mary Ann Jillett was residing at Widford, Auburn Road, Hawthorne Melbourne
1898   Lease on Greenvale Station became forfeited through non payment of rent

 
Thomas Jillett is reported as being an Autocrat who "rode to hounds", and when in a rage he would say "I will cut off my arm, inch by inch"  He was the owner of racehorses, and in 1843 won a Silver Cup.  That cup is held by his great grandson, in Brisbane.



This is a print of the family circa 1868 Thomas's grand-daughter Jan Russell of Brisbane, holds the original


46000 sheep on the property
 






Obituary

Saturday 31st October 1891.

The death is announced of Mr. Thomas Jillett, after a long illness.  He was born at New Norfolk on September 24, 1817 and commenced sheep farming at an early age and was very successful in that industry.  In 1866 he moved to Victoria with his family and purchased a sheep station on the Wimmera River.  This property he sold, and bought two large runs in New South Wales; these he also disposed of, and in 1880 he purchased Greendale Station on the Barcoo River, Queensland, his sons assuming the management.  Three years ago he returned to his native land, and has passed his last days in a life of ease and contentment.  When a young man he was passionately fond of horse racing and possessed a large silver cup that he won at the New Town races in 1843.  He leaves a widow and nine children to mourn their loss.  His sons are the owners of two valuable sheep stations in Queensland.


Dr John Jillett, from Dunedin in New Zealand visited the Jillett properties in 1991.  He shares some information below:


Here are some photos from my 1991 visit to Oatlands.


Hut 1825 -myself in bearded days, in the interior of Jillett's Hut, located behind the present "Springfield" property.  We were shown around by the then owner, Andrew Morrison.  The hut contained all sorts of old papers, receipts, furniture items, etc.  The Morrisons were a prominent farming/shipping/whaling family and had owned the property since buying it from Thomas Jillett around 1860.

 Jillettt's Hut was built by Thomas's father, Robert Jillett


Springfield1  homestead of St. Peter's Pass property, on the divide between Hobart and Launceston, near Oatlands.  John Jillett at sundial. Original, steeper gabled section of house built by Thomas Jillett about 1850.  Jillett's Hut (1825) is behind a Hawthorn Hedge at right of photo. at side of driveway are several whaling try pots.

Springfield2, sunny (northern) side of house.


There were two houses erected on the York Plains property owned by the Jillett family.  The property extended to what is now known as St Peter’s Pass.

The first house built was Springfield in 1837 by Thomas Jillett, his children who were born there were registered as being born at York Plains.  Thomas only built half of the home known as Springfield in 1837, the later owner Askin Morrison built the remainder.

Thomas and his family would have been living at Springfield in the years 1845, 1847, 1848 and 1850.  In 1850 he purchased the Callington Mill in Oatlands.  There are births recorded in Oatlands for 1854, 1856, 1858 and 1860. 

There was also a birth recorded at Cathrine Vale in 1852, presumably at the home of Grandfather Triffitt as he had a property of that name.


Will of  THOMAS JILLETT, formerly of Wallandra and Buddigower Stations, in the Colony of New South Wales, thereafter of Hawthorn, near Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, and late of Hobart, in Tasmania, Esquire, Deceased.


Notice is hereby given that, after the expiration of fourteen day fa from the date of the publication hereof, application will be made to the said Honourable Court that PROBATE of the WILL of tlie abovenamed deceased may be granted to THOMAS SHONE JILLETT, of Cassilis Station, Richmond Downs, in the colony of Queensland, Gentleman, and EDWARD FRANK JIL.LETT, of Greendale Station, in the Tambo district, in the said colony of Queensland, Gentleman, two of the Executors named in and appointed by the said Will of the said deceased,reserving leave for ALFRED CHARLES JILLETT, of Greendale Station aforesaid, Gentleman, TASMAN JILLETT, of Cassilis Station aforesaid, Gentleman, and ARTHUR JAMES JILLETT, of Tasmania, Gentleman, the other Executors named in the said Will, to come in and rove at any time hereafter.
Dated at Brisbane this Twenty-third day of January 1892.

¡ HART is FLOWER, Proctors for the said Thomas Shono Jillett and Edwatd Frank Jillett,
Adelaide-street, Brisbane.


Family of Thomas Jillett and Mary Ann Shone


1.      Alfred Charles Jillett                 B          13/12/1845 -  1921  
                                               m  Catherine Isabella Phillips    m2   M. Selina   (5 children)

2.      George Jillett                            B 21/03/1847-28/09/1935          
m Laura Lavinia Shone (cousin) 16/2/1881  m2 Ruby Miller

3.      Henric Thomas Jillett                B 27/11/1848  - 1914    m  Evelyn Isabel May Wilkinson                            20/2/1889  m2 E. Lette  (Sydney)


4.      Thomas Shone Jillett                B 29/7/1850 – 14/12/1897         

5.      Francis Powell Jillett                 B 10/7/1852 – 11/02/1859          Died of ulcerated throat

6.      Amelia Mary Jillett                   B 4/8/1854 – 26/2/1859             Died of scarlet fever

7.      Louisa Susannah Jillett             B 3/6/1856 – 16/2/1859

8.      Arthur James                            B 8/4/1858 – 25/6/1929          m Phoebe Brodribb 10/3/1892


9.      Fannie Ellen Jillett                    B 9/6/1860      1948      m Richard Roberts 1887  (had 2 children)    
                                                             m2 Charles Burchill


10.   Edward Frank Jillett                  B 6/5/1862 – 28/9/1947      m Flora Kathleen Cameron                                                                                                       Christison   (had 7 children)
       
11.   Amy Jillett                               B 30/9/1864 -1925      m H.W. Williams  8/11/1888                                     
   
12.   Tasman Jillett                           B 28/6/1867 -   m Kathleen Mary (Lola) Wood 24/12/1913 
                                                                                  m2 Margaret Chisler 29/6/1933 in Qld  (1 child)
          
Jillett & Sons

As the name implies, Thomas Jillett worked together with his surviving sons in grazing, breeding and rearing sheep.  

Thousands of them.


Thomas's sons,  Alfred, George, Henric,  Thomas, Arthur, Edward and Tasman settled in Queensland.  Later the name became Jillett Bros.  

Later Alfred's eldest son, Frank also joined his father and uncles working on the various properties.


The drove sheep from Queensland to Victoria, and return, they bought stud rams, they bred the best sheep.
Thousands of them!

There were elected members of Shire Councils, of sporting clubs, tennis, cricket and particularly racing.
They were involved in the social activities of the areas they lived in Central Queensland.

They owned or leased many substantial properties, and made headlines often for the wrong reasons.

They had sheds burnt down by disgruntled shearers, they were involved in pay disputes, they fenced their lands to protect their stock, much to the annoyance of some of the drovers of the time, and gave rise to the story "Saltbush Bill", by Banyo Patterson.

Their contribution to the early pastoral beginnings of Queensland, in particular, sheep grazing lasted around 110 years and with several generations of the family involved.


Alfred Charles Jillett

 Alfred Charles Jillett                                                                   married Catherine Isabella Phillips
Alfred Charles Jillett     13/12/1845   -  1921                               He remarried M. Selina Rex in 1921


Catherine Isabella Phillips was the daughter of   George Augustus Phillips and mother Isabella Warwick, her father was a ship's captain, who plied his ships between Tasmania and Southern Ports.
  Catherine was born in 1856 and died December 1918    

Children

·        Frank Alfred Jillett                    B          19/9/1879 – 1946  m  Marcia Cran Richardson
·        Reginald George                       B          22/7/1880         Died     - 7/12/1882
·        Eileen Mary                              B          18/1/1885        D 1856
                                                      m         Reginald Victor Judd  1910
·        Katie Isabella                            B          29/2/1888                     d  24 Oct 1954 
                                             M         Claude Harold Annersley 1910  and Samuel James Herron
·        Reginald George Augustus        B          18/6/1890 – 3 May 1987
                                                                  m Violet Celia Bryant 1924

George Jillett       


George Jillett was born 21st March 1847 at York Plains in Van Diemen’s Land, second son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett.

In 1866 he left for Melbourne and on 24th August 1867 he left Melbourne for Sale, Gippsland and from there to Tasmania with a letter dated 24th August 1867.

On 5th December 1869 he started for Mr Robert Moffatt, Wycheproof Station, in Victoria, and on 7th February 1871 he sailed for Tasmania.

In 1872 he married Laura Lavinia Shone, and he left with his father Thomas Snr to look at Buddyina station, in NSW which Thomas purchased and left George in charge.

In 1873 he was living in Melbourne and had Queensland interests with Alfred of Balpannah, Wilpeena, Ballkingcleroche and Duneed (Rockhampton and Port Curtis area),  auctioned and sold to Thomas Moffatt

In 1878 he was on Wallandry Station and on Buddicower Station

In 1887 He is mentioned in the sale of Wallandry Station in the Lachlan District of NSW

On 11th September 1879 he left for Queensland, for Fishers?

Between 1879 and 1880 he travelled with 12,452 sheep from Kerang to Thurrulgoona and Greendale.
In 1889 George was a JP at Greendale.

His wife Laura lived at Greendale with him, and painted a watercolour of the homestead.   (Now In the care of great nephew, Ian Jillett)

 
In 1900 he was Vice President of the Rifle Club at Tambo                       
On 1st February 1900 he purchased 3V, 4850 acres from Arthur Jillett

Laura died 1902 while in Launceston, of typhoid.

In 1906 with Tasman, he had a grant to modify fencing 2V and 3V (8850 acres).

In 1909 he married Frances Cara Ruby Miller at Melbourne. 

In 1917 George was mentioned as the informant of his brother Henric's death, and was listed as residing at 36 Manning Road, Double Bay

In 1915 he lived in Sydney, as it relates to probate on his mother, Mary Ann Jillett’s will

He lived at Croydon Park, Parkes New South Wales and died in Sydney 28th September 1935.
In 1936 there was probate of his will.






MR G. JILLETT
Another of the early pioneers in the Queensland grazing industry passed away in the person of Mr George Jillett, of the firm of Messrs Jillett Bros., of Greendale station.

The late Mr Jillett was a native of Tasmania, and in company with his brothers came to the Barcoo where they purchased Greendale from the N.Z. Land Company in 1881.

The late Mr Jillett resided with his brothers on the station until 1910, when he left for Croydon, New South Wales, to live in retirement.

Until quite recently he had maintained fairly good health, but three months ago began to fail. In his younger days he was a noted horseman over jumps and on one occasion rode a mare owned by his father, named Black Bess, into fourth place in a Grand National Steeplechase.

Besides his widow he is survived by two brothers, Mr. E. F. Jillett (Greendale) and Mr Tasman Jillett
(Chatham).

Arthur James Jillett                                                                  


Arthur James Jillett was born 9th April 1858 in Oatlands Tasmania, and was the 8th child of Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett.

Arthur must have been very lucky to survive the scarlet fever epidemic which saw his 3 younger siblings die in 1859, and he would have only been 10 months old.

Arthur was a grazier.  Extracts from the Jillett diaries (written by Arthur) show how travelled he was across Australia.

On 10th March 1892 he married Phoebe Broadribb (a cousin on the Shone side). 

Arthur and Phoebe lived at Montrose House, Rosetta, Tasmania.  Now for a mystery, when Arthur died he left £500 to his wife,, to his sister-in-law Mrs Frances C Jillett he left £1000, and to a Miss Florence Weldon (an unknown lady to this family) he left £6000.

Research reveals that Florence Weldon also lived in Rosetta Tasmania. 

In the 1880’s Arthur was a member of the Tambo Racing Club – Gentleman Rider.

In June 1888  He was the lessee of Greendale, Portion 3V Gf15, 4850 acres, and held it until 1921

Henric Thomas Jillett   


Henric Thomas Jillett was the third son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett, and was born on 27th November 1848 at York Plains in Oatlands, Tasmania.

He was involved with the sheep grazing interests of his brothers, and with the stories outlined in the extracts from the novel “Bell of the Barcoo”.

On 23 September 1872 he left to go to join his brother George at Buddyina Station with Lindlay, Moffatt and Band.

On 28th August  1879 he also left for Queensland on the trip from Kerang to Thurrulgoona with 12,452 sheep then on to Greendale.

On 1st May 1886 he left Greendale to Isisford with 8376 sheep.

Somewhere along the way Henric  or Henry or Harry, as he was often called, had a relationship with an Annie Robinson, resulting in the birth of at least two children.

                        Herbert George Jillett  who was born at Cloncurry in 1884
                        Harry Jillett      b          1887     born Coolah  NSW
           
In 1889 he married Evelyn Isabel Wilkinson and they had a daughter Nancy.  Nancy died in 1914 in New South Wales. 

In 1892 he was listed as living in North Sydney
Around 1896 Evelyn Jillett was made bankrupt, she had been operating a tea room in Sydney.

In 1900 she divorced Henric for adultery with person and persons unknown!

In 1903 he was at Cassilis Station.
In  1910 He left Hobart for Sydney
In 1911 he left Townsville to travel to Sydney

In 1913 he married Elizabeth Mary Lette, whose family were from Tasmania and Cooma.

He died 6th August 1917 aged 68.

He also fathered Herbert George Jillett and Harry Jillett with Annie Robinson, they never married.
His son Harry married Pearl Hall in 1913, and his other son Herbert George married in 1911.

 Harry was in Goulbourn Prison on three occasions, and went by several alias, ie Harry Gillett, Harry Robinson, and his own name.  Harry had grey eyes, the same as his grandfather! 

The likeness of Henric’s son Harry, to that of his brother’s son Robert is remarkable.  The only difference is Harry ended up in jail, and Robert was a POW killed in Sandraken. 

Thomas Shone Jillett                                  

Thomas Shone Jillett was the fourth son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett.  He was born on 29th July 1850 at York Plains Oatlands Tasmania.

He never married.  He died of typhoid on 14th December 1897 at Charters Towers in Queensland, and was buried at the Charters Towers Church of England cemetery (no 641).

At the time of his death he died intestate and it took 50 years to settle his estate.

On 13th May 1869 he left Mornington Park for a position in Melbourne with William Croly’s office at the salary of £50 per annum

He then joined with his brothers in the sheep grazing ventures.

In 1872 he started for Buddyina Station
In 1879 he left for Queensland with 12,452 sheep from Kerang to Thurrulgoona and on to Greendale.
In May 1886 he left from Brisbane to travel to Sydney by boat.  He was also a steward of Tambo Racing Club.
On 26th March 1889 he left Greendale for Cassillis with 10,624 wethers and then came back to Greendale.
He left Greendale on 11th June 1889 to Cassisllis with 5 horses.
1897  Newspaper death notice:

"Jillett - On 14 th December, at Charters Towers, of Typhoid, Thomas Shone Jillett of Cassillis Station, Qld, fourth son of the late Thomas Jillett, aged 48 years."

"We deeply regret to have to announce the death of Mr Thomas Jillett, the Senior partner of the firm of Jillett Bros. Of Cassillis and Greendale Stations and one of the best known and most popular Pastoralists in the West (says the Hughenden Observer of December, 22nd).

  Mr Jillett was admitted into the Charters Towers Hospital about three weeks ago suffering from typhoid.  Everything possible was done for  him at the institution but the poor fellow never rallied and he died at 6 o'clock on Tuesday last, 14th instant.  We understood Mr Jillett contracted the fever through drinking water form a tank which had not been cleaned out for some considerable time.  It was also reported that Tasman Jillett had arrived at Hughenden last week also suffering from typhoid caused the same way, but that report was not correct, although a person did arrive from the Station ill and is at present in hospital.  Many will be the expressions of regret at Tom Jillett's death, as he was universally liked.  As straight as a dye, he would fight for what he considered his rights to the bitter end, and it was only just prior to his death that a struggle with the Land Board over an unequal division of Cassillis terminated.  Mr Jillett was 47 years of age at the time of his death and had been in Queensland about 17 years coming over from Tasmania in 1882. 

His father and his brothers were first on Greendale in the Central District but subsequently acquired Cassillis."

Edward Frank Jillett              


Edward was born 6 May 1862 at Springfield in Tasmania..  He died on 28th September 1947 at his home 107 Adelaide Street Clayfield and was cremated. 
He married Flora Kathleen Cameron Christison at the Church of St Thomas at Hughenden on 28th October 1905.  He with other brothers came from Tasmania via Victoria and New South Wales to Queensland in August and September 1879.   Edward married when he was 43 years old.  He and Flora had 8 children.
They lived at Cassilis Station, and then at Tambo, before moving to Clayfield in Brisbane in the 1940’s

Joyce Kathleen Jillett                b         1906
Thomas Edward Jillett              b         1908    
Clare Shone Jillett                    b         1909
Thomas Frank Jillett                 b         1913
Jack Christison Jillett                 b         1914  d  1958 
Arthur Bruce Jillett (Ned)          b         1917
Robert Edward Jillett                b          1919     d 1945  Sandraken POW Camp
Betty Flora Jillett                      b          1926

                                                                         Tom. Jack Arthur Robert Jillett



Tasman Jillett


Tasman Jillett, a stockman, drover, grazier and soldier (Boer War veteran), was born at 13 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, on 28 June 1867.  He was the twelfth and youngest child of Thomas Jillett (1817- 1891) and Mary Ann Shone (1821-1915), their only child not born in the York Plains/Oatlands district of central Tasmania.
At the time of his birth, Tasman’s parents had not long since shifted to Victoria, having sold up land, property and business interests at Oatlands, where the Jilletts had associations extending back to a sheep run leased as early as 1817, though they lived at New Norfolk, near Hobart.
 In 1842 Thomas lived at Oatlands, in his own brick house, and employing two men.  After marrying in 1844, Thomas accrued a considerable amount of property, including the Callington Mill flour milling business, several shops and houses, besides building a substantial stone house “Springfield” around 1848.  

The family lived on the “Springfield” property, where there is an even older building, “Jillett’s Hut”, dating from 1825 or even earlier.  The house still stands as the present homestead of the neighbouring large and historic St Peter’s Pass property, having been purchased in 1865 by Askin Morrison.  It seems likely that Thomas and Mary Ann cashed up their assets, intending to make a new life for their burgeoning family on mainland Australia, possibly free from the convict stain in both their families.  Both returned to Tasmania in their older age and died in Hobart.

 Tasman presumably grew up in the Lachlan region of NSW. There, in 1872, his father had purchased Buddyana station, moving back to Dundonald, Broadmeadows, Victoria, around 1878 and to Fernhill, Flemington in 1881.  Perhaps the day-to-day operations of Buddyana were in the hands of Tasman’s older brothers.  After the sale of this property these older brothers - George (32), Henric (31), Tom (29) and Arthur (21), contracted to drive 12,500 sheep from Yanga in northern Victoria, to a property on the Warrego River in southern Queensland. Their northward journey took about 160 days with loss of 119 sheep.  Their return south on horseback took 42 days.  Arthur, the youngest brother on this journey kept a diary that allows one to trace their track and contains skeletal details of the trip.

Soon after this epic journey, Thomas Jillett’s family bought two stations in Queensland, Greendale near Tambo, in the Blackall region, and Cassillis near Hughenden, both apparently operated by the brothers.  Arthur continued to keep diaries and his younger brother Tasman, aged nearly 19,  first appears on one of several droving trips between the two properties,  a distance of 389 miles (about 650 km), commencing in May 1886.  Tasman was subsequently associated with various properties in the Tambo district and further afield in Queensland including: Cassilis, Greendale, Gartmore, Withersdane, Oxford Downs, Rosedale, Begonia, Chatham, Horton Green.

Tasman served in the South African War (“Boer War”), leaving in 1902 as a private in  the 4th Australian Commonwealth Horse. He lived for some time in South Africa where,  in December 1913,  aged 46, he briefly married Kathleen Mary (Lola) Wood, aged 26, a vaudeville artist and pianist.  Tasman returned to Australia in January 1914, the couple were separated in the following month, and he lived in Sydney until around 1920.    In 1933, aged 66, Tasman was married for a second time,  at Augathella, Queensland, to Margaret Chisler (née Ritchie), aged 48.  He died, aged 90, at Brisbane in November 1957.

Tasman left one presumed child of neither marriage


Extracts from “Belle Of The Barcoo”   (1996) with references to Jillett.

It seems that the very large original properties from 1862 were Tambo Station and Nive Downs Station and Mt Enniskillen. Minnie Downs (originally Elizabeth Creek) appears to be another major property. Most other stations appear to be split off's from these properties.  However Greendale appears to have been a major property in the area. 

It seems that the Jilletts originally took up Greendale and another station at Hughenden.  This was called Cassillis and appeared to be owned by Thomas Shone Jillett.

Drensmaine Station was 23,680 acres was part of Chatham station which was owned by the Jillett family.  In the late 1950's when the Jillett brothers split up their country and re-allocated various property portions to family members, Drensmaine together with Uanda (which was formerly part of Greendale) became the property of A.B. (Ned) Jillett – who later sold the property to the Sargoods.

Chatham Station: It may have originally been called Darbys Point.

Consisted of several blocks – the first taken (7224 acres) up by James Rutherford (Cobb & Co) in 1886.  A second block of 15500 acres was selected in 1891. And a third portion of 3921 acres in 1896.

Somewhere most of the blocks passed to the Lord Brothers – who eventually sold different portions off to the Jilletts. On the 6th December 1923, Tasman Jillett (brother of Edward Frank (Ted) Jillett) of Greendale bought the second Portion of 15500 acres).  Tasman Jillett bought the 3921 acre block in 1923 also. 9,402 acres of the original block (query if original block) was sold to Edward Frank Jillett in 1925.

Jack Jillett (son of Edward Frank (Ted) Jillett) took over Chatham on the retirement of Tasman Jillett. After the (early) death of Jack Jillett his wife and sons continued to run the property until it was eventually sold it to IE and KM Walker in 1987.
Greendale station.  Originally selected on 4th November 1861 by John Moore Dillion of Sydney.  Dillion applied for other runs too but was refused. He also ended up forfeiting Greendale – which was then taken up by Berkelman and Lambert on 4th May 1863.  The size was 60 sq miles. 

During 1863, JT Allen was in dispute with Berkelman and Lambert of Greendale station over the ownership of Elizabeth Creek (later named Minnie Downs).  It was initially resolved in favour of JT Allen – however both parties claimed they had stocked Elizabeth Creek.  However 1865 was a dry year and Allen removed his stock because there was no water.  He was slow in returning stock and Berkelman and Lambert requested the previous decision be set aside.  Ownership was finally decided in Berkelman and Lamberts favour and awarded the lease of Elizabeth Creek on 14th August 1867.
The lease was transferred again in 1864/1865 and to ANZ Land Company Limited in 1866.  They held it until 1884 when the lease was transferred to Thomas Jillett and NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency Coy Ltd of Melbourne.



The Jillett family claim that the ownership of Greendale began from about the year 1878 and their residence on the station from the early 1880's;  however no Jillett s are listed on the electoral roll for the Tambo Police District for the years 1878 to 1881 inclusive; but they were certainly at Greendale by 1882 and quite possible earlier.

In 1886 three blocks, totalling 9061 acres, resumed from the original Greendale holding were selected by three brothers of Thomas Jillett ; Tasman (who later transferred his block to another brother, George); Edward Frank who, in 1901, transferred to his brother Alfred Charles, and Arthur James who also transferred his area to George.  In 1923, Flora Kathleen (wife of Edward Frank) Jillett selected 2653 acres which then remained part of Greendale.

There were seven Jillett selectors – G (George) – A.C (Alfred Charles) – T.S. (Thomas Shone), A.J. (Arthur James) – E.F (Edward Frank) – H.T. (Henric Thomas) – F.K (Flora Kathleen who was Edward’s wife).  T.S later purchased Chatham to reside there – A.J. Lived at Weathersdane (now a portion of Isoroy) while Edward. Made his home at Greendale.

To the south and west of Tambo Township, there are a number of small freehold blocks which may have been resumed from the original Greendale lease as paddocks for teamsters.  Some of these blocks have been consolidated into the present Greendale holding.

It is reported that Greendale was the setting for one of the famous bush verses – Salt Bush Bill. SBB allowed his sheep to stray onto the Greendale paddocks only to be apprehended by one of the station owners.  The fight etc.....

Over the years the Jilletts often transferred their various blocks among family members.  Thomas Frank Jillett and family, controlled Greendale while Thomas’s brother Arthur Jillett. (Ned) built a homestead on the Uanda blocks about 1960 and lived there. 

In 1972 Ian Jillett and his sister Ruth Thomas (nee Jillett) purchased McFarlane from the estate of PP Doyle but in 1977 resold the property. Ian then sold his share in Greendale to his brother in law, Anthony  (Tony) Thomas and left the property.  The management of Greendale then came under the control of Ruth and Tony Thomas.  Ruth was Thomas Frank Jillett’s daughter.

 In 1993 Greendale was sold to Graham Walter Bauer and Rosslyn Bauer – its present owners.

Uanda station was a portion of Greendale.  In 1959 the Jillett family partnership was dissolved and AB Jillett took the Uanda blocks and part of Chatham (Drensmaine) as his share. He built a home on the Uanda portion and lived there with his family In 1977 Ned Jillett sold Uanda to Geoffrey Richard Herbert Lee.

  
Gartmore:  Gartmore was a Greendale resumption of 53,015 acres in two blocks.

In 1913, Frank Alfred Jillett took up both blocks of Gartmore.  In 1919 he transferred it to his uncle Arthur James Jillett.  In 1919, it was again transferred, this time to another two uncles, Edward Frank and Tasman Jillett.  About 1948 they sold the station to H. Walker.  It was again sold in 1977 and in 1983, Gartmore was divided into two and sold. One portion was bought by Clifford and Beres Birchley – this portion was then called Old Gartmore as the original Jillett homestead had been situated there.  The other block was sold and resold and eventually called Mt Blunt so the Birchleys reverted to calling their property Gartmore.

Tambo Pony Club:

Arthur  (Ned) Jillet first president in 1961.  He became patron in 1971 till 1981.  Mrs AB Jillett was amongst the first club members.  The club shield is called the Uanda Shield (Uanda Station was owned by AB Jillett from 1959 – as above). When a club shield has filled all of the name places it becomes a memorial shield and is replaced by another named shield.

Arthur Jillett was also a member of the polocrosse club and the racecourse/showground.

World War:   
It appears as though no Jillett from Tambo enlisted in WWI.
Arthur Jillett and Clive Jillett (and Robert Jillett) enlisted for WWII – Robert was killed in action.

Council:
It was originally knon as the Tambo Divisional Board which was established on 30th June 1881:
Tambo (Subdivision 3) was part of the Kargoolnar division.

It appears that Jilletts were not landholders so were not voters/ part of the board when it was formed.
Part of the rules for the existence of the boards was that they had to elect new members every year. However, in a note on page 486 – dated 10th May 1882, the name of George Jillett appears as a member of the 1882 Tambo Divisional Board (they were requesting free rail passes)

On 24th July 1884 – there was a suggestion to subdivide the Tambo division to ensure equalised spending across the division.   Opponents to the subdivision included George Jillett (board member) and Henric Jillett and AJ (Arthur James) Jillett and Thomas Jillett.

Elections were held each March – appears to run from 1st July to 30th June.  A certain percentage of the board was supposed to resign each year.  This was circumvented by a member resigning voluntarily and being replaced by someone of whom he approved – who then resigned after a month and was replaced by the original member.  The board was supposed to meet monthly but appeared to meet bi-monthly in the late 90's.

George was a member of the 1887 board – and is a member in 1897 – and is a member of the 1898-1899 board also.

On 31st March 1903 – all boards became town/shire councils except Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville which became cities.

George became a member of this first Tambo Shire Council – this also included the towns of Alpha and Jericho.  There were 6 members (including the chairman).  In November George moved the amalgamation of two divisions and increase the number of councillors to 7 – carried.
Edward Frank Jillett was a member of the 1923 council.

George was not a member of the 1927 council.

These are only references in the book with regard to some interesting issues – so when George left the council is not known and whether others served is not known.

Thomas Jillett purchased the property in 1880 and then in 1881 advertised it for sale.  The property, remained within the family.

History of the sheep trails

Prior to European settlement, The Aboriginal inhabitants of the Deniliquin area were the Barapa Baraba people.

In 1843 the entrepreneur and speculator Benjamin Boyd acquired land in the vicinity of present-day Deniliquin (probably via his agent Augustus Morris). The location was known as The Sandhills, but Boyd (or Morris) named it Deniliquin after 'Denilakoon', a local Aborigine famed for his wrestling prowess. An inn and a punt were established on the site in the period 1845-47 and the town site surveyed in 1848 and gazetted in 1850. Deniliquin Post Office opened on 1 January 1850.

In 1853, William John Wills of the Burke and Wills expedition worked as a shepherd at the Royal Bank sheep station near Deniliquin.

As Deniliquin was established on the convergence of major stock routes between the colonies of Queensland, New South Wales and the Victorian gold rush centres of Victoria, it soon became an important river crossing and the first bridge was built over the Edward River in 1861. The Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company built a private railway in 1879 to connect with Moama, across the Murray River from the busy river port of Echuca, connected by rail to Melbourne.
A water trough on a sheep farm 50 km north of the town

Wool growing quickly became a major industry and the area around Deniliquin was home to several Merino studs.

 In 1861, George Hall Peppin and his two sons, experienced English sheep breeders, established a Merino stud at Wanganella station, north of Deniliquin. There, the brothers developed the Peppin Merino, able to thrive in drier inland regions. Today, as many as 70 per cent of Merinos in Australia are said to be directly descended from these sheep.

In the 1860s, Deniliquin was the centre of a short-lived campaign by wealthy pastoralists including Peppin, George Desailly, Robert Landale and William Brodribb for secession from New South Wales and the creation of a new Riverina colony. This campaign was supported by David Jones, the editor of the local newspaper the Pastoral Times.

On 19 December 1868, Deniliquin was constituted as The Municipality of Deniliquin, and the first Municipal Election was held on 23 February 1869. In 1993 the enactment of the Local Government Act (NSW) saw the name of the council changed from the Municipality of Deniliquin to the Deniliquin Council.

Large-scale irrigation schemes came to the Deniliquin area with the establishment of the Deniboota and Denimein Irrigation Districts in 1938 and the Berriquin Irrigation District in 1939, using water diverted from the Murray River at Lake Mulwala through the Mulwala Canal. An ample and reliable water supply led to the development of water intensive industries such as rice growing.





Thomas Frank Jillett  

Thomas was the third son of Edward Frank Jillett and Flora Kathleen Cameron Jillett (nee Christison) and he was born 5th March 1913, in the original “Greendale” homestead and all his life had an enduring love for his place of birth.

His early childhood was spent with the aboriginal tribe of the Wadjabangai from whom he acquired his great knowledge of bushcraft.  This was to serve him well during the life he had chosen, once enabling him to rescue, by tracking, a lost two year old who had wandered into dense scrub.  Another time he tracked a cattle duffer into town following the truck’s tyre marks.

After completing some primary education at  “Greendale”, he and his brother Jack (Tuffy) attended the Church of England Prep. School in Toowoomba, and for the rest of his formal education went to Church of England Grammar School in Brisbane.  Following this he was employed as a jackaroo at “Thylungra” eventually being promoted to sub-overseer.  Due to his father’s failing health, he returned to “Greendale” as an overseer, becoming at the age of 27, manager of both “Greendale”(shown below) and “Gartmore” stations, in Queensland.    

With the outbreak of World War Two, he endeavoured to enlist, but due to his essential position in the grazing industry, he was prevented from serving in the armed forces.  With the threat of Japanese invasion, he joined the Australian Defence Corps, and was instructed in guerrilla warfare and spent many nights away from home.  An air raid shelter was built and preparations were made for a scorched earth policy.

Work was doubly hard from lack of man power during this period, but being a practical man, employed Eve as a fox-baiter by having her drag a freshly killed sheep skin behind the sulky and to drop fox bait while on the way to family Sunday picnics.

After the war, in the 1950’s there was a period of intense activity and danger due to the series of bushfires, one with a front of 150 miles.  It was not uncommon for him to be away from “Greendale” for a week at a time organising and fighting these fires earning him the title “The King of the Bush Fire Fighters”.

In 1956, between January to October, trouble in the shearing industry involved him as an organiser for the grazier’s stand against the Australian Workers Union, travelling as far away as South Australia to employ shearers to work on black listed properties.  Threats of violence to both he  and his family forced Tom to carry a side arm for protection.

Tom was well noted for his Animal Husbandry, Management and Horsemanship, being able to yoke and drive 19 draught horses to cart timber from “Gartmore” to “Greendale”.


A man to whom his word was his bond, he believed in being firm but fair with his men.  Many is the man today who had his start on “Greendale” and who were helped into a successful life by Tom’s example.

Tom’s knowledge of sheep enabled “Greendale” wool to attain top selling price in the 1963 Brisbane Wool Sales.  His introduction of Egelabra rams in 1941 has ensured that “Greendale” wool is still now highly respected.  Angus cattle brought to the district by Tom caused much mirth with the local wags, but he had the last laugh as any stray black cattle on the common automatically belonged to Tom.

Forever a practical man, when faced with the problem of Tetanus infected ground, he devised the first portable sheep and cattle yards, a measure soon adopted by others in the district.

During the 60’s when wool prices were high, he invested not in his comfort, but in the properties by refencing, building a new shearing shed and sinking large dams ensuring that “Greendale” has been watered even in the worst droughts.

The homestead which Tom said did not earn any bread and butter came last, while the run was kept in pristine condition.

Not content to be a leading grazier, he fully involved himself in the local community serving on the Tambo Shire Council for many years as Councillor and Deputy Chairman. 

He also served on the hospital boards of both Tambo and Blackall, acted as assistant stipendiary of the Tambo District Race Club, was a member of the Queensland Turf Club, Tattersall's Club, Blackall Club, Charleville Club, Brisbane Club, the Tambo Masonic Lodge and was patron of Tambo Rugby League Football Club.  He even managed to find time to fish with the Moreton Bay Game Fishing Club where he caught the world record Turrum.

Thomas married Eve Wastle 18th April 1939, and they had 4 children.  They divorced May 1978.  He died 5th September 1992 aged 79 at Tarragindi, in Brisbane.

Thomas married for the second time at age 66 to Roseann Smith (nee Tomlison) in 1979.

Pioneering in the “Thirties”

Just for a moment consider the life lead by Eve Jillett (nee Wastle), from her own words, delivered to a conference in August 1988.
Some personal anecdotes, delivered on 11th August, 1988 at “Miegunyah”, Queensland Women’s Historical Association, Jordan Terrace Bowen Hills, Brisbane.

Dear Madam President, Miss Campbell, members, friends

I have always been very much aware, that the Q.W.H.A”’s most important function, is it emphasis
on “history”, therefore it was with some reluctance, that I agreed to give these personal anecdotes of some of my experiences, out west, (actually the Tambo district, Central Queensland) in the “thirties”.  I fear the only research I have been able to do, is my own memory.  I expect you have been hoping for a learned treatise.  I do hope you will not be disappointed.

Some of my friends and acquaintances here today must excuse these repetitions, my apologies.  I am so happy to see some good friends, especially the ones I worked with here, for some years.  Thank you for coming.

Filled with missionary zeal, after completing my nursing training at the Royal Brisbane, and Lady Bowen Hospitals, I was appointed to the staff of the Tambo District Hospital, in charge of the operating theatre and maternity wing. 

 Tambo is situated 32 miles north-west of Charleville and 60 miles south west of Blackall, with a population of a fluctuating 400 to 500.  Tambo is an old town, at one stage it had 9 hotels, was a repeater station for the “Inland Telegraph”. 

Readers of Mary Durack’s “Kings in Grass Castles” will recall the Duracks road from “Thylungra” Quilpie, to register their lands at the “land Court” in the 1800’s. 

The hospital was staffed with a resident doctor, four trained nurses, and nurses aides.  We were kept very busy, as due to the deplorable state of the roads, which had originally been wagon and coach tracks, the town and country folk sought medical assistance at the local hospital.

Quite major surgery was performed, with good recovery rates.  You can imagine my dismay on my first morning on duty to discover the instruments were sterilised on a primus stove, and all bowls necessary for surgery were boiled up by me in a wood copper, in the yard!  I anticipated dire results as I had been trained so thoroughly in sepsis, but I am pleased to report in my two years, no wound broke down, and n patient succumbed

After two years at the hospital, I married a local grazier, whose family had been in the district for quite some years.   “Greendale” was purchased by the Jillett family in 1878, there has never been absentee landlords, during those 110 years and at present my eldest daughter Ruth and her husband manage the property.



I had tremendous admiration for my father and mother-in-law.  They were true westerners.  He, came, at the age of 18 years, after leaving Scotch College in Melbourne, with 50 Chinamen, to put down a dam.
 He camped out with the men for six months and never saw a European, existed on salt beef and damper and the vegies the Chinese grew.  Incidentally the Chinese put down the dam, removing the soil with baskets on their shoulders.  After all these years the dam still holds well, and is a wild bird sanctuary.

My mother-in-law drove a four in hand, from Hughenden to Tambo, six months pregnant and with two small children, her only company an aboriginal boy.  She was well versed in all the crafts, she endeavoured to teach me the art of candle making, (my candles never stood upright), soap making, (my soap always turned on itself) and when immersed in water left a white scum and no suds.  My jams and preserves improved over the years and I learned to cope with snakes, bush fires, mice, rats, grasshoppers, dust storms, that many of you have experienced also.

Two days after returning from our honeymoon, the cook was rushed to hospital and I was confronted with an enormous double oven wood stove, an enormous piece of meat and an enormous knife, and discovered I was to prepare meals for 11 hungry men!

  In my own home, I had never cooked for any more than six family of average appetite.  My first attempts were disastrous, but I learnt to cope with a 6am breakfast, always porridge, and cooked meats of different ways, smoko 9am gem scones, tea cakes etc, cooked by me, lunch 12md curry grill etc, smoko 3.pm brownies, biscuits, also cooked by me, and dinner 6.00pm, soup roasts and vegies and desserts, either milk puddings and dried fruit in the summer and boiled and steamed puddings in the winter.

Laundry was also one of my chores, up at 4am, huge big wood copper out in the back yard, clothes lines sustained by wood props which invariably fell down on a windy day.  My husband, his two brothers and two jackeroos all wore moleskins, and they had to be scrubbed clean on a scrubbing board, with a scrubbing brush, a time consuming job as they were always covered with saddle grease.  I loathed mole skins!  The ironing was done by sad irons on a wood stove.

Inevitably, my nursing skills were called upon and many occasions and during World War 11 I was “manpowered” by the Army for emergency at the Tambo Hospital, consequently most of the Tambo flok always called me “Sister”.

I separated milk, made butter, tended poultry, the huge garden and the homestead, which was double storied and 66 squares.

World War 11 erupted and our men enlisted. My two brothers-in-law could not wait, until they were 18 to do so and were in the “Forgotten Eight Division”.  They were both taken prisoner at Singapore. 



The younger one just disappeared after being transported to Borneo, and the other one, the “Burma Road” and hell ship to Japan to work in the salt mines.  He survived to return home and is now sadly a mental and physical wreck.  Poor Ned (Arthur). 
Our only hope of news was to ring the steward at the “Blackall Club” each night at 10pm to hear the news as the radio was just constant static.  With petrol rationing our car was put up on blocks.  Our son was eight months old before I went into Tambo which was only 16 miles away, consequently the only vehicle used very sparingly was a utility.  By this time I had acquired 3 small children, so on Sunday, the sulky and horse were prepared and our only outing away from the homestead was a trip around the dams to look at the toughs and the water.

Needless to say we also combined pleasure with business as at the back of the sulky, a freshly killed sheep skin was dragged and it was my duty to throw out poison fox baits.  My husband joined the VDC and was called on for duty.

After the “Fall of Singapore” we had three evacuees, an English woman of 26 and her two small children who came to us after witnessing horrifying experiences.  I had been in correspondence with Joan, (she had been hospitable to my two brother in law) we had a full house, with my reunited in-laws returning after the bombing of Darwin and Townsville, and after the    Battle of the Coral Sea, my own sister with her young baby. 
Air raid shelters were built, scorched earth policy discussed (dams and bore drains to be poisoned homestead to be burnt down and all the shed).  My husband had grown up with aboriginals and was aware of good caves in some trap rock country on the property. We were all to ride over and live in these caves, provision was made for basics, seeds, salt, tea, flour etc, in the event of a Japanese invasion.
We all felt “If Freedom is still left we are Rich”.

The wethers on the property were drenched for worms when necessary, and that necessitated the men camping out some 30 miles away.  I was never able to cut a sheep’s throat for meat so whilst the men were away, we lived high on turkey geese, ducks and chooks.  I must tell you about “Dawn” a wonderful retired sheep bitch.  One had only to sharpen the butcher knife on a steel and she would run down the killers, which were the sheep we used for meat.  We also had an old wether a “Judas” sheep called Tony, who would also bring the killers up into the sheep pen.

Of course our children all had pet lambs and they taught them to lead, mouthed them for a bit, rode them and jumped them over hurdles at the sheep shows which were held each Saturday afternoon in the tennis courts.

This interesting account provides an insight into the difficulties of living in the 1930’s at Greendale.
Robert Edward Jillett

Robert Edward Jillett was born 6 August 1919, his death was listed as 5 June 1945, as a Prisoner of War Sandakan, Borneo.
Robert enlisted in the 2nd A.I.F. in August 1940 No 17167 – 19th Battery, 2nd 10th Field Regiment 8th Division.



He sailed on the “Queen Mary” in December, 1940, to Malaya.  He was there for a year and he played football for Australia.  He was stationed mostly in Penang.  He was taken prisoner of Japanese Imperial Army in February 1942 at Changhi, Singapore.

  He was then sent to Borneo in June 1942, along with 2000 Allied prisoners of war, as part of E Force.  The 500 Australian and 500 British POW’s who made up E Force left Changi on 28th March 1943 on board the SS DeKlerk, arriving at Berhala Island, adjacent to Sandakan Harbour, on 15th April 1943. 

The POW’s were held there until 5th June when they were taken by barge to Sandakan.  The net day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound.
 From that time the only communication from him was an Imperial Japanese postcard.  There is no knowledge of his whereabouts, when, where or how he died.

He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 2 at the Australian War Memorial.
His mother was the executor of his will, and she had a long running battle with the Army to get his soldier’s gratuity.  He left his estate to his sister Betty.


Sandakan 1945-10-24. North East Borneo force. In an area of no. 1 compound of Sandakan prisoner of war camp the bodies of three hundred prisoners of war were discovered. They were believed to have been those men left in the camp after the two death marches to Ranau.  All the graves contained a number of bodies, in some cases as many as 10 and it is thought that these mass burials indicate that Australian and British  were buried together as identity discs were found in one of the mass graves.

From Australian War Memorial

From the Jillett Family Bible      Droving sheep to Queensland






 

Dundonald Station












The daily accounts of Jillett Bros.






Diary of Arthur Jillett  7th August 1879


Extracts from the Jillett diaries (written by Arthur) show how travelled across Eastern Australia.

Diary of 1879 started from Bridgewater to Kerang, Swann Hill on the Murray River, Yanga (lake) mustered weaners at Balranald (12452 of them),  Paika Creet, Box Creek, Glen Emu, Tilltill, Hat field, Clare Station, Kieran,Hanford, Lake Victoria Station, Terrance Station, Tintinallogy, Baillie on the Darling River, Mute Station, Niamey, Curranyalpa, Win bar, Gunderbooka, Yourdon, Bourke, Port Burke, Wagner River, Fords Bridge, Encino, Barring, Tinenburra, Thurrulgoona.

Then back to Melbourne:  Thurrulgoona, Tobin Creek, Baillie, Eagan, Bourke, Sandra, Gundabooka, Lout, Dunlop, Commodore, Curranyalpa, Bombay, Niamey, Addington, Yorker, Dominique, Red bank, Chua, Kilgore then train for Essendon, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Marlborough, Rockhampton, West wood, Gagnon, Daring, Walloon, Dingo Town, Walton, Black water, Comet, Minerva Creek to The Graveyard, Spring sure, Greendale. 3rd October, 1880, then he went back to Melbourne, with Thomas, Henric, George and Edward (his brothers).



Both Arthur and Henric were in Melbourne to begin a drove of a mob of sheep back to Queensland.

His daily notes

Thursday 28th August 1879      Started from Melbourne to go to Bridgewater.  Arrived 10pm.
29th Aug. Fri.  Came 11 miles camped 4 o'clock in a bend of very good feed for horses.
30th Sat. Came about 21 miles. Camped on a reserve 3 miles. Plenty horse, well.
31st Sun. Camped about 13 m from Kerang at 5 o'clock.  Repaired my extenuations.
1st Sept. Mon. Arrived at Kerang about 1 o'clock and camped for the day, Plenty grass. Had some fine rain. Got my pedal extremities wet and changed my things.
2nd Tue.  Camped all day.  Cook left and got another. Got 3 m from Mt. Amos
3rd Wed.  Camped about 15 mile from Swan Hill.
4th Thur.  Came to Swan Hill crossed Murray and camped on the bank. 40 m from Kerang.
5th Fri. Came about 16 m. Camped on a brackish creek.
6th Sat  Reached Wyckool on the Edward's ready to cross in punt. Plenty mosquitoes.
7th Sun Crossed the punt and reached Yanga in the afternoon.  Any amount of grass.
8th Mon  Stayed at Yanga and had a row on the lake.
9th Tue Went out to Carter's hut and camped.
10th Wed. Mustered the weaners out of a paddock 5 m by 3 m and drove them 7 mile.
11th Thur  Drove them about 13 m and returned to Yanga.
12th Frid. Went into Balranald.  Had fine rain.
13th Sat. Took horses at Tom  12452
14th Sun, 15th Mon, 16th Tue, 17th Wed, 18th Thurs  Rained
19th Fri, 20th Sat, 21st Sun, 22nd Mon   Rained
23rd Tue  Punted 12648 sheep across at Balranald and came 2 mile.
24th Wed  Camped at Paika Creek 12 m from Balranald
25th Thur  Travelled 5 mile
26th Fri  Came 6 m across a Salt Bush plain.  Rained heavily.
27th Sat. Notice to "Glen Emu", Tysons,. 12 miles Camped at Box Creek 30 m from Balranald.  Salt bush plains. Cold wind.
28th Sun Travelled 8 m over Salt bush plains. Camped at "BAby Clump" Good grass
29th Mon Came 7 m S.B. Plains. Notice to "D Block"  F.T. Parkers.  Camped at boundary near Byrnes Hotel.  From Balranald 45 m
30th Tue Came 7 m to boundary of "Glen Emu" S.B. Plain.  Camped on a scrubby rise 1/2 mile off the road to East.
1st Oct. Wed  Found 2 horses four miles from camp.  Gave notice to "Till Hill" 10 miles and camped ay boundary. S.B. Plains.  Came 5 m - 2m from Hatfield.
2nd Thur  Rather warm in afternoon.  Came 7 m S.B. Plains, Camped 1/2 mile off road East.  Fine grass.
3rd Fri.  Came 7 miles S.B. Plains Camped 1/2m to west of road. Now on watch.
4th Sat. Hot day came 6 m S.B. Plains. Camped in a corner of the road.
5th Sat  Came 10m Greater part scrubby.  Hired 2 new shephers. Took horses about 1/2 m for water.
6th Mon Came 6 m. 1 mile scrubby remainder S.B. Plains. Shepherded all day.  Strike in camp, Henric gave notice to "Clare Station" (Campbells). Camped near Victoria Hotel at boundary.  At watch fire 21/2 hours more.
7th Tue  Came 6 m At "Claire: rained all last night.  Flooded out of tent continued all morning. Got wet, scrubby country. (100 miles from Balranald).
8th Wed  Came 5 m. Scrubby with open patches.  Notice to :Hanford" Taylors.  Camped boundary. Fine day.
9th Thur. Came 6 m.  S.B. Country with belts of scrub. Roads very near. Camped in a corner.  Good feed.
10th Fri. Came 6 m.  S.B. Plains. Good grass.  Windy and dusty. Camped at brush yard.
11th Sat. Strong storm last night. Fine rain. Notice to "Kilfera" 14m Macdonalds. Fine feed. Came 10 m camped at the A well.  Boundary of Kilfera in a corner.
12th Sun Came 6m SB Plains. Carted wood 1 1/2 m. Camped on a straight fence
13th Mon Came 7 m Open plains, fine feed. Camped at brush yards near out station of Kilfera.  Passed "Freshwater Well"
14th Tue  Came 6 m open plains. S.B. Camped at brush yard 1 mile into Hanford St.
15th Wed Came 6 m part S.B. Plains rest scrubby.  Camped at an old yard.
16th Thur. 6 m open plains.  Camped at old break.  Took horses 3 m to water.  Thunder storm during night.
17th Fri. 11m scrub. Camped at boundary of "Lake Victoria Station" Went to give notice but could not get to it for water.  Rained steadily all night.
18th Sat.  6 m open plains.  Notice to "Lake Victoria (Phelps) 12 miles. Rained most of afternoon.  Horse fell. Camped at yard at "Pidgeon Lake"
19th Sun 71/2 m plains. Camped at Victoria Lake.  Fine feed.
20th Mon 7 m plains. Henric gave notice to "Tarrawena" (Learmonth) station.  12 m camped at 2 m from boundary and he went on to Tom 20m
21st Tue (195 m from Balranald) 6m First part rather scrubby rest plains. Came on "Lake Tarrawena" Henric came back.  Coffey left.  The Doren Easter installed as head cook.
22nd Wed 8m Plains fine grass. Camped at yards. Warm and windy weather.
23rd Thur. 11m plains.  Camped on the Talywwalka Ck about 1 m from road to the West. Very hot. Now just through Tarrawena on the "Tintinalagy" Staughton - a cattle station.
24th Fri.  6 m rather scrubby.  Camped at Talywalka Cr (220 m from Balranald)
25th Sat  7m plains  Notice to "Belila Station 13 m Chirnsides Camped in the creek 1m from boundary.
26th Sun 8m Sandy and scrubby. Camped in a bend
27th Mon 6 m Scrubby Camped in a small lake.
28th Tue  5 m scrub.  Camped on a wire fence.  Windy, Had a moonlight ramble after the horses
29th Wed. 6m Rather scrubby.  George came to see us and Henrice went with him to Wilcannia.  Camped at a yard on the creek. (252m from Balranald)
30th Thurs  9 m open country. Went back tot he bridge for stores. Camped on a lake.
31st Frid.2m plains.  Camped on a lake 1 m into "Murtee Station"  Martins.
1st Nov Sat  6 m Part plain scrub.  Waterson counted sheep 172 short. Camped at yards near station.
2nd Nov Sat 7m pretty open.  Camped at yards near creek.
3rd Mon. 6 m Part plain part scrub. Camped at a break
4th Tue  7m plains. Rained steadily all day. Camped in the backwater of creek
5th Wed. 8m plains. Camped on a lake near a well.
6th Thurs. 7m plains. Camped about 5m into "Cutawra Stn" Herne & Wragges on a lake (52m from Wilcannia)
7th Frid. 12m plains. Camped on the backwater.
8th Sat.  3m plains.  Camped at boundary of "Nelyambo" Campbells. Thunder storn.  One of George's men out all night.
9th Sun  6m Camped on a fence at a bank.  Notice to "Buckamby Stn" Mogrides.
10th Mon 6 m open country.  Camped at a corner, wire fence and lake.  Thunderstorm. The last mile today on Buckamby, then came on Nelyambo again.  Storm at night.  Sheep got off camp (79 mile from Wilcannia)
11th Tues. Went to Thom's sheep at "Currunyelped Stn" 25m
12th Wed. 6m Rather scrubby.  Camped in the backwater
13th Thurs. 6m open country.  Camped in a corner.  Saw Mr. Clarke. Camped near boundary of "Winbar Stn".
14th Fri.  6m scrub.  Camped in the Darling River in a corner on Winbar Stn. Free fight in the camp.
15th Sat 6m Open and scrub. Camped on the backwater
16th Sun 6m Open and scrub.  Camped on the backwater.
17th Mon 6m round, 3m straight open. Camped on the backwater. Hot day.
18th Tues  3m scrub. Camped in a corner, wire fence and backwater. Tom caught up. Little rain.
19th Wed 6m scrub and open. Very windy. Camped in a wire corner.  The "King of the Darling" left.[2]
20th Thur 8 m open and scrub. Camped at yards near the Darling River 1.5 miles from "Louth".
21st Fri  6m scrub and open. Burst up among the men. Camped in a corner, Fence and creek
22nd Sat. 6m open. Camped at boundary of "Gundabooka Station" Smiths
23rd Sun  Shifted Tom's camp 6m and came back to Henric on Winbar Stn 19m, about 3m from Louth. (from Wilcannia to Louth 167m-Balranald to Louth 442m)
24th Mon 7m Scrub and open.  Camped in a bend of river Passed Mother Ward's shanty today.
28th Fri  6m open.  Camped in a corner about a mile from the river on the outside road
29th Sat. 4m open Camped at boundary of "Yanda Stn", Hattons. Brown's old mare got bogged and had to haul her out.
30th Sun  6m open  Camped in a creek. Very hot today
1st Dec Mon  6m open "Jandra Station" Armitage, Fletcher manager
2nd Tue 6m open and plains. Camped on a wire fence 1.5 from river
3rd Wed  6 m Camped in the middle of a paddock, a round camp.
4th Thurs.  5m open and plains. Camped at boundary of common.
5th Fri.  5m open.  110 in the shade. Crossed the punt at Bourke and camped near the town.  Harry Blackman fell of the bridge while under the influence of liquor and was drowned. (67m from Louth, 509 from Balranald)
6th Sat. 6 m round from Burke 3m open.  Camped near "Port Burke" home station on a creek.  O'Shannasseys.
7th Sun  6 m open.  Camped on a creek.
8th Mon  5m plains. Camped on river
9th Tue  6m open and plains. Camped on river
10th Wed. 5m open and plains. Camped on a water hole. Very warm.
11th Thur 7 m plains. Plenty roly poly and grass. Camped on "Carne Stn" Wilson
12th Fri  6m Cane swamp rscrub and open. Reached the Warrigo R at midday. (From Bourke 41m) Camped on river.
13th Sat 6m open Got bushed. Camped on river. Donald Robertson left the sheep and went to the river but could not find his way back.
14th Sun 3m open. Camped on river. Donald made his way back to the camp at sunset.
15th Mon 4m and plain. Camped on river. Heard several dingoes yelling in the night.
16th Tue 5m rather thickly timbered. Camped at a dam in wire yards near river.
17th Wed 5m thickly timbered and open. Camped on a wire fence near the river.
18th Thur 4 m open Camped on the river near the outstation of "Carney".
19th Fri 4m open. Camped on the river.
20th Sat 5m open and plains. Hunted for horses but could not find them. Camped at boundary of "Dareller Stn" Wilsons (From Bourke 81m) at Ford's Bridge tonight
21st Sun. 7m scrubby and hills and plains. Camped at a dam in the river.
22nd Mon.  6 m Crossed over to west side of river. Plain and timbered country. Camped on the river.
23rd Tues. 7m scrubby and open and scrubby sand ridges. Camped on the river
24th Wed 4m Scrubby and open. Camped on the river
25th Thur 6m scrubby and open. Very warm day. Camped on the river.
26th Fri  4m open and scrubby.  Camped on river. 2m on "Balalie Stn".
27th Sat  5m open and scrub. Camped at a dam about 2m from Conway's Hotel.
28th Sun 6m open. Camped on river.
29th Mon 5 m Crossed over to East side of river and scrubby and open Camped on river close to "Engonia" (From Bourke 133m)
30th Tues 7m open and thick lignum. Camped on river
31st Wed. 6m open and plains. Camped on river near "Balalie Home Station".
1st Jan 1880 Thursday  7m open and plains. Camped at a wire fence on the river. Passed a Pub today.  A good deal of Yidy poly on the plains. Dog in sheep in night but did not do any damage.
2nd Fri. 6m plains. Passed Barringun into Queensland and camped on the river on "Owen Huon Station"
3rd Sat  11m Started the sheep at 3 o'clock am. Plains and timbered country. Camped about 2m into "Tinninburra" Station.  Took horses 5m to water to Touin Ck and camped with them.  Henric came in the night and we returned to the sheep with the horses at 2 o'clock
4th Sun 5m plains. Camped on the Touin Crk, 1m from boundary of "Tininburra Station"
5th Mon 7m open and scrubby. Camped at boundary of "Thurrulgoona Stn" in a wire  corner.  Took horses into station for water.
6th Tues  6m plains.  Arrived at Thurrulgoona and came 1.5m past. Camped on a creek. Mr Morphatt counted the sheep 12381. (From Bourke 188 m from Balranald 699)
7th Wed. Started with 9,000 sheep out to a  tank, came about 4m and camped as there was a fire ahead.
8th Thur  Came to the tank.  Rained in afternoon.  Had round camp. Watered from 6 o'clock till daylight. Delightfully muddy.
9th Fri. Shepherded the sheep about. Fine open country. Plenty of grass.
10th Sat  Same caper. Henric went into station.
11th Sun 2,000 sheep started into station.  Henric went in with the waggon and I stayed with the remainder of the sheep.  The men with the 2,000 got bushed and I tracked them up.  Henric came up soon after and we got within 1m of the station and camped.  I went to station for sucker.  Watched about 3.5 hours.
12th Mon.  Sheep came into station.
13th Tue  Went down to George's camp.
Cheque No 38822
After travelling with over 12,000 sheep some 681 miles from Melbourne to Cunnamulla,  taking nearly 5 months, they were on the move the very next day.
14th Wed.  12m Started from Thurrulgoona Station and came to Touin Crk. 12 m.


Later in the year, after their father had bought Greendale, they left  on Sunday 29th August by ship, to Sydney.  On Tuesday 31st August they boarded the "Kielawarra" at 5.20pm
On Wednesday 1st Sept they Passed Mermaids reef at 9.20. Passed South Solitary at 5pm. Off Clarence R at 8pm.
Thursday 2nd Ploughed through the bar at the mouth of the river at 11.50. Arrived at Brisbane at 1.3-pm Sydney time. 1.35pm Brisbane. time.
Frid 3rd Looked through the gardens at Government House. Plenty tropical plants.  Some very large bamboo growing to a height of 50 ot 60 ft.  Very warm day.  Started from Brisbane at 8 o'clock.
Sat 4th Entered the Mary R at 8.am  Reached Maryborough at noon.  A very scattered place and very dusty.
Sun 5th Left Maryborough at 7.30am  Anchored at the bar about 50 miles form Rockhampton at midnight.
Mon 6th Started at 9a. Arrived Rockhampton at 12 o'clock
Tue 7th Came to Sandy Ck  13 .5 m from Rockhampton
Wed 8th 14m in morning. Coarse grassed country 2.5 to Westwood. 30 m from Rockhampton.
Thur 9th 9m to Gogango. 6m to Rockly, the last 6m through scrubby hilly country.
Frid 10th 10 m to Herbert's Crk. Scrubby and very hilly.  Had to walk up most hills and had to lock a wheel coming down some of the steepest. 5m to Dawson River 7 m to Duaringa.  Nearly all the way through dense scrub. 67 m from Rockhampton

Sat 11th  7m to Wallaroo.  Scrubby.  Caught a kangaroo  11m to Bridgewater Crk. 3m to Dingo Crk.
Sun. 12th Heavy shower last night. Found horses 2.5 miles from camp. 2m to Dingo town. Henric shot a snake 7ft long. 7m to Stanley 3m to Spectacle. 100m from Rockhampton. 2m to Walton.
Mon 13th 8m to Duckwood, 6m to Blackwater Crk, 2m to Blackwater Town, 7 m to a creek.
Tue 14th 15m to Comet 140 from Rockhampton
Wed 15th Thunderstorm last night. Heavy rain at 2 o'clock this morning. Flooded out of bed. Got up and made a fire. Felt extremely happy. Dried clothes in morning and came 9 m in afternoon. Heavy road, sand and blacksoil.
Thurs 16th 7m to a creek which took 3.25 hours . Road to bad to go on.
Fri 17th 8m to Minerva Crk. 8m to The Graveyard
Sat 18th 8m to a Creek, 11m to a creek. Plenty wallabies about.
Sun 19th Camped all day.
Mon 20th 4m to Springsure (55m from Comet, 195m from Rockhampton) 4m to a creek.
Tue 21st 12 to a creek, 9m to a creek
Wed 22nd 12m to the Swamp 7 m to a creek
Thurs 23rd 7m to Solomons.  Got a spell this morning 10m to Buckley R. (61m from Springsure, 116 from Comet, 256 from Rockhampton) Today we came over the pinches, bad road all the way.
Frid 24th Met some horses from Greendale. 8m to a Water hole.
Sat 25th 10m to "The Devil's Elbow.  2m to a creek
Sun 26th 8m to the old house. 8m to the well
Mon 27th 13m to the Dam across the Gorge[3]. 5m to a deserted Pub, 3m and smash went out starboard hind axle.  116m from Springsure.
Tue 28th Henric started for Greendale this morning. Short of provisions.
Wed 29th Ate the last of our Johnny cakes for breakfast, but got some flour from a carrier.
Thurs 30th Baked the last of our flour. Tom came with a dray in the afternoon
Fri 1st October  6m to a creek, 8m to the Long Waterhole.
Sat 2nd 8m to the Barcoo R, 10 m along the River.
Sun 3rd 3m to Tambo, 13m to Greendale.  Warm Day.
With that, travelling 346 miles from Rockhampton, the Jillett Brothers contribution to early Queensland history began.
Today, it is not possible to drive the direct route that they took  as the Carnarvon Gorge National Park is sited on the lands they would have crossed from Springsure to Tambo.



The diary continues in 1886.

1st May, With Tasman, started from Greendale for Isisford - also Henric to Ravensbourne, Lavern Hills, Thornleigh, Smith Lagoon, Albilbah, Tolundilly Creek, Isis Downs *8376 sheep), Thornleigh Creek, Isisford, Abington, Alice Downs, Blackwall, Northampton, Enniskillen, Greendale.

1st January 1887: 13 September 1888, he went from Tambo by coach to Charleville, then a train to Roma, Brisbane to Sydney by steamer “SS Kubota” and steamer to Melbourne.

15th November, 1888, Mother (Mary Ann Jillett), Fran and Amy and Arthur started from Melbourne to Launceston in “”SS Flinders”, caught the mail train to Hobart and were met by father (Thomas) and Uncle Shone.

14th January, 1889, Left Hobart on train for Launceston.  Caught the “SS Paten” at Launceston.  Arrived in Melbourne 15th January.  Left Melbourne “SS Rondo” 19th January.  Jarvis Bay towed by steamer “Kim” “SS Behr” towed them to Sydney.  Left Sydney on “Behr” to Brisbane, 28th January, Maryborough to Rockhampton, left by train to Alpha, by buggy to Tambo.  Alfred came for me in the buggy 8th February 1888.

26 March 1889:   With Tasman and 10624 wethers for Cassilis and Tom.  Enniskillen, Northhampton, Blackall Reserve, Home Creek, Patrick Creek, Alice Reserve, Barcaldine Reserve.  Wire from Alfred to return to Greendale with the sheep as they had rain.  18th April 1889 Lagoon Creek, Patrick Creek, Blackboy Creek, Home Station Creek, Alice Downs, Skeleton Creek, Blackall Reserve, Northhampton, Greendale with 10264 sheep.

11 June 1889:  Greendale:  With Tom, started for Cassilis with 5 horses. Northhampton, Alice Downs, Home Creek, Barcaldine, Stainburn Downs, Aramac, Muttaburra, Lerida, Katandra, Mills Creek, Sesbania.  Cassilis on 24th June 1889.  Edward camped out lambmarking at Cassilis.

31st August 1891:  Left Cassilis for Melbourne. Richmond Downs, Hughenden by coach, Townsville by train, Sydney by Leura, train to Melbourne, “SS Flora” to Hobart

19th October 1891: Phoebe (wife) Alfred and I (Arthur) to Richmond with Tom.  Coach to Hughenden, Townsville.  Left in “Arrawatta” for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne 3rd November 1891.

On 10th March 1892 he married Phoebe Broadribb (a cousin on the Shone side).  However, 2 months later a Phoebe of the same name marries William Thomas Francis Moore on 21 May 1892.  Further research shows that there were two ladies of the same name. The other Phoebe who married William Moore, her a father William and her mother is Elizabeth Curry.  Our Phoebe's mother is Emma but both Emmas have the same father William Broadribb.

In 1896 Arthur was busy in Melbourne.  He was the master of the hunt, leading the hounds when Lord Richard Nevill, the ADC to the Governor was thrown from his hors


[1] Wikipedia
[2] ‘It has been a common custom hitherto to regard the squatters as among the wealthy classes, and they have figured in romance as “shepherd kings” and “grass dukes”, rioting in affluence and far beyond the reach of penury.’
Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, 4 March 1895

[3] Carnarvon Gorge

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