Dust Bowl Dance

The Cotter boys circa 1906

The young man stands on the edge of his porch,
The days were short and the father was gone,
There was no one in the town and no one in the field,
This dusty barren land had given all it could yield.

I've been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen,
And I have no idea where else my heart could have been,
I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill,
And now I am sure my heart can never be still,
So collect your courage and collect your horse,
And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse.



Me on my stock horse.


Seal my heart and break my pride,
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide,
Align my heart, my body, my mind,
To face what I've done and do my time.


Well you are my accuser, now look in my face,
Your opression reeks of your greed and disgrace,
So one man has and another has not,
How can you love what it is you have got,
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves you know not what is in store.



Jim Cotter 1907

There will come a time I will look in your eye,
You will pray to the God that you always denied,
The I'll go out back and I'll get my gun,
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son".

Seal my heart and break my pride,
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide,
Align my heart, my body, my mind,
To face what I've done and do my time.


Clearing land by hand 1907


Seal my heart and break my pride,
I've nowhere to stand and now nowhere to hide,
Align my heart, my body, my mind,
To face what I've done and do my time.

Well yes sir, yes sir, yes it was me,
I know what I've done, cause I know what I've seen,
I went out back and I got my gun,
I said, "You haven't met me, I am the only son".

Song. Mumford and Son

Ankle update

They are not going to fuse it (YAY!). However, on the 14th of December they are going to open up the ankle, remove what's left of the cartilage, then clean the damage out, take the cartilage away and grow it in a dish for 6 weeks.

They then put it back in the ankle. The upshot is an 80% chance of success and ankle movement without pain. The down side is 12 months before I can put weight on it. They will replace the hip in June whilst I am recovering from the ankle.

So there is a HUGE shift in my future coming up.

Perhaps its the drop kick I need. So- here's to sitting still for that time! Ouf!

Yoma Sabina. The Lurcher

The Lurcher!

(Photo Courtesy Stella Crosley)

With back burning operations occurring in the national park, Dave and I thought we would walk the fire trails before the fires reached our favorite spots. A beautiful warm day, with a light breeze, it was not too long before we spotted Lewins Honeyeater, Whip Bird and Eastern Spinebill. Last week I observed the Glossy Black Cockatoos feeding further down Wool Wash creek.



The Warratahs were in full bloom and they looked superb, as too were numerous other flowers. Butterflies were in abundance and we noted this one we had not seen before, looked it up and I thought "what a funny name for a butterfly"..so I posted it.

After a 2 hour walk talking about motorbikes, bushwalking, birds, we returned home hot, sweaty, and tired but all the better for it. I hope the birds and animals will be ok with the fires that will soon appear.

Later that afternoon we went for a motorbike ride. Heaps of fun and quite eerie with the fires burning alongside the track.


NOTE:- Full apology to SOSSA. I was booked to be on the boat today, and got the date mixed up with next Sunday. My own stupid fault. Worse still the boat sits in harbour and waits... So, to Lindsay Smith and the 12 or so people waiting for me .... I am utterly sorry.. I will gut fish, swab the decks, turn the sausages at the next meeting to make amends. Its the least I can do.

Birds seen- Crimson Rosella, Australian Magpie, Lewins Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebil, Whip Bird, Laughing Kookaburra, Galah, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Currawong.

First long ride

I previously posted about my family history, and realised that one of the newspapers is doing the same and using some of the photos I had posted. This history will be published in "The Land" newspaper next month , so I thought it best to withdraw the post from my blog until after the article is published.

So, here is my first ride:-



Getting ready.

On Sunday, with the weather typically warm, sunny and with blue skies I chose to ride the bike to Mountain Lagoon. Its a particularly favorite spot of mine and it is a ride that, not to long ago, I did on my mountain bike.

The ride takes me through, and across Wheeny Creek before winding its way up into the mountains along a dirt road/firetrail.

I must confess that I had more confidence on the tar road as I have not done much dirt riding for many, many years.





Daves bike and my bike.

The bike performed really well for a 250, with a lot more power than the ones I rode as a kid. It was not too long before I was at the lagoon, with purple swamp hens enjoying the waters edge.

On the way back I spotted a dingo which was quite exciting and rare. The ride requires a degree of caution as the road is narrow with blind spots and hairpin bends, the risk of being hit by a 4wd is there.



The Lagoon

Later, I rode the firetrails which are quite rough and had to cross a fallen log. I had forgotten how to do that and got stuck halfway across before recalling what I had to do. Second time around was sucessful both ways.Then I rode through a creek and nealry swampped myself with mud....

After I returned I was really quite sore but satisfied with the way it went. The bike will now need its first service after 120km of travel.

Thurloo Downs

Left to Right. Jim Cotter, Plummer Cotter,the owner of Thurloo Downs/Elsinora Station Mr Killen?,and Frank Cotter.

I have recently discovered and am researching my families pastoral history here in Australia and our links with the Darling River. My great grandfather, Plummer Cotter and his wife Mary, had three children born in a town called Wilcannia. For my overseas friends, the Darling River is one of the great rivers of the world and would be similar to the mighty Mississippi.


Darling River at Wilcannia in drought 2006

Wilcannia Is situated north of the Menindee Lakes and was Australias third largest port. Paddle steamers worked the Murray-Darling river, and with the boom in the wool trade, mining etc, Wilcannia thrived. Today Wilcannia is a shell of its former glory. Many of its old buildings remain,sadly many have become burnt out.


Darling River at Wilcannia with paddle steamer "Tolarno" circa 1906

The town itself is on the Barrier Highway east of Broken Hill. Many travellers refuse to stop in this town. There has been a history of riots and violence.
The three children were Margaret Valentine Cotter, James Cotter and Frank Cotter. Frank is my grandfather.

Plummer managed a station called Glenlyon. (Note- we call large farms "stations" here in Australia).

Sheep in the main street of Wilcannia circa 1900

The most significant piece of this history is the property called Thurloo Downs. Now a 1.3 million acre holding owned by Mr Peter Hughes. Plummer and his sons managed this property which included Elsinora Station until 1907. Set further north, between Wanaaring and Tibooburra in the States north west. The Paroo River features in my family history too, and it flows into the Darling river. I have recently discovered that Urisino was also incorporated with Thurloo and Elsinora. A huge area of land

Left to right Mr Killen?, Plummer Cotter, Frank Cotter

You can enlarge the historical photos and see the men and their work. My family worked for the Killens, Sir Sam Wilson, and the McGraths. I shall post more soon.

This is the new bike. A Honda CRF250XB. I shall ride it where I used to ride the mountain bike. I guess its what they call "retail therapy" and being stubborn, is my way of Keeping moving!

First ride is planned for Sunday

Pastoral History

In the outback we crossed flooded roads...



...and travelled straight, rough tracks for hours and hours....



...to set up camp...



...and enjoy a walk with my family....



To defrost beer...



...and enjoy a fire...



As the moon becomes a ghostly galion tossed upon cloudy seas.......



Before returning through flood waters home.


Birds of significance. Brolga

( A walk in the footsteps of my grandfather...)