Tumut - The Beautiful

8 September 1927 The Gundagai Independent and Pastoral, Agricultural and Mining Advocate

On The Wallaby. (By Cecil Poole.)

I had a most enjoyable tramp from Gundagai to Tumut over a switch back road.

Had it really been a switchback, some of the coasting would have been decidedly violent, by the way.

The hills appeared to be excellent wool country - the dips and flats to have great fattening possibilities with many patches of possible, grazing lucerne and on the flats first and last encountered with great possibilities of crop lucerne.

But everything, of course, depends upon the subsoil.

With that sufficiently pervious there can be no doubt of it, and right away from the rivers and creeks.

For there, there is bound to be a subsoil drainage from the hills and only a favorable season for a 'set' need be waited for.

I stayed for the night at 'Eurobin'' - having the evening meal with Mr. James Brennan.

Then, as circumstances had demanded the presence of a nurse in the house, he took me across, to his mother's for the night.

There are three homesteads - the other being occupied by Mr. J.'s sisters. 'Eurobin' was taken up by the late Mr. Jas. Brennan and his sons in 1862.

It is now a fine estate, carrying both sheep and cattle.

The only cultivation is of oats for home consumption the hay being stacked in sheds.

That night, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. F. C: Crowe - a much travelled man - and Miss Carberry, who are both of the Gobarralong families of these fine clans.

I retain the most pleasing and grateful memories, though it must be well over 30 years since I experienced their kindness and hospitality.

And I well remember Mr. Crowe's mother, an aged lady when I visited the two stations and who ultimately attained the great age of ninety-one.

The Crowes and the Carberrys, in partnership, took up that country in 1835 - close on a hundred years ago.

And they still have it. Such a record is beaten only by such families and such records as the Stewarts, of Bathurst.

The next morning, I stayed several hours at the Gocup Public School - remaining to lunch with Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Warren.

The gentleman is the teacher.

The school is in a beautiful position - making a charming sight amongst its trees with a bloom of wattle, almost in full blaze on one side.

But the building is not so satisfactory. It is of out of date type, while the flooring, is almost as white-anted as is the Labor Party by Willis and his creatures - Lang and Co. And the school furniture needs renewal.

The enrolment is 23. Mr. Warren is four years there and really appears to be an excellent teacher. He has invented a most ingenious contrivance for teaching mental arithmetic and incidentally - mental alacrity.

It may be used both for the tots and the higher classes and consists of little sums on a rolling slip of cloth.

Each appears for a second or two as it passes a slot and by its means each of the four elemind, it is the second best, thing in vented in the Department - the best being the invention of a new system of reading by my old friend Jones, once of Bundarra and now of Sydney.

Mr. Warren would do well to bring his idea officially before the Department.

It may be added that he writes verse of grace and correctness.

The school singing is extraordinary good.

In Tumut, the Beautiful, I found excellent quarters at the Wynyard Hotel. My hostess, Mrs. Windridge, I had not seen since she was a little girl in Adelong when I was staying at her parents' hotel.

Another, but more recent acquaintance was encountered in Mr. R. H. Gilbert, head of the local public school, and who seems to be as popular with the kiddies as when I met him in Narromine.

Considering his work there, Tumut is to be congratulated on the acquisition of him.

The school-house has a fine assembly hall flanked by the various class rooms - a very up-to-date affair altogether.

The enrolment is 370 and there are 12 assistants. Of one of these - Mr. Harris - I've seen a little - a returned man of vigorous personality.

When I arrived, Mr. Windridge was ill in bed, I'm sorry to say.

Mr. A. W. Lynch, his capable second in command, was in charge of affairs.

His chief, however, is now in his usual form.

Others met, so far, have been Mr. J. Elliot, once manager of one of the giant freehold Riverina squattages of the olden days.

Mr. H. H. Crouch is one of our numerous land men who have had to move into town in order to afford his kiddies adequate educational advantages.

He is a man of rare powers of thought and is an organiser for the Country Party, therefore we found a bond of union at once.

Mr. Thos. Sullivan, of Windowie, and Mr. A. W. Lynch, of Bombowlee, have also been briefly met. Next week, I hope to meet many of the country folk as I purpose a tramp up the Tumut River.