June17th 2017

How lucky we were this evening to enjoy Roast Lamb on the banks of the Darling River. We have absolutely loved camping here on Mt  Murchison Station. It has been so peaceful with many birds living in the vicinity. We even saw a number of sheep and one goat coming down to drink from the river..carefully walking down the very steep bank on the other side of the river. The black cockatoos returned this evening and I now realise they have a splash of red on their tails..Red Tailed Black Cockatoos. We must be camping on their patch.

The morning was spent enjoying the warm morning and general peaceful atmosphere of this site. This afternoon we went down to the Homestead again to chat with Ian. He is a very knowledgeable man who enjoys Art and History. There are many examples of his work about the Homestead garden and general surrounds. Walking along the river bank this evening, we found the memorial slate/stone which Ian had erected in memory of a station hand and a cook who had lived here early in the 1900s.
The old shearing shed still stands but sadly, unused these days.

Old Shearing Shed on Mt Murchison Station

Edward Dickens, the youngest son of Charles Dickens had been sent to Australia, by his father to find his way in the world. He worked as a Station Manager, for several years, on Mt Murchison, 30 km east of Wilcannia. Alfred Desailly owned a property called called Old Netallia which is west of Wilcannia. Alfred was a younger brother to my Great Grandfather Edwin Desailly. Alfred's daughter, Connie, married Edward Dickens. They lived on this property, Mt Murchison, for a short while. Edward had managed it for 5 or 6 years, married Connie after which they remained here for only a further 5 months in about 1881.

Memorial Stone lettered by Ian Marr