PIONEERS HONOURED. A REMARKABLE GATHERING.
Speaking on Saturday 29 April 1922, at the celebration of
the 152nd. anniversary of the landing of Captain Cook,
Sir William Cullen said: "We should be proud of the pioneers,
who by their courage and energy have helped to make Australia
what it is to-day."

Taralga is not only proud of her pioneers, she honours them.
What was probably a unique gathering, as far as New South Wales is
concerned, took place at Taralga on Saturday, 29 April 1922, when
the pioneers of the district were entertained at a dinner by a committee
representing the remaining residents of the township and district.
The following were the veterans present:
John Barry, aged 89
F. Baxter, 75
J. Bee, 70
C. Blay, 70
Walter Bradbury, 87
W. H. Bradbury, 79
J. Cameron, 70
Chas. Chalker, 81
Ted Chalker, 71
John Clifton, 73
Jas. Connor, 84
J. Cooper, 72
R. Cusick, 75
Geo. Corby, 69
J. Cosgrove, 69
Mat Daulton, 84
Thos. Fitzgibbon, 83
M. Fitzgibbon, 77
T. Gorman, 71
Pat Hearley, 82
W. Horne, 72
T. Horne, 70
Jas. Keogh, 86
T. McAlister, 69
Alex. McDonnell, 80
Angus McInnes, 72
Alex. McInnes, 82
J. L. McKenzie, 93
Chas. McKenzie, 80
K. McKenzie, 75
Colin McKenzie, 69
R. McLennan, 72
P. Mooney, 74
J. Ross, 76
C. Ross, 74
F. Sullivan, 69
J. Venn, 73
J. Williams, 77
W. M. Wright, 76
The oldest, Mr. J. L. McKenzie, bears his 93 years most ably,
while the youngest, Mr. Colin McKenzie, is a boy of 68.
Scotia thus headed and "tailed" the fine procession which filed into
the hall and sat down to an excellent dinner.
Cr. C. S. Bradbury presided, and in an eloquent speech paid a tribute to
the courage and hard work of the pioneers. Cr. Walsh supported, and
the toast of "The Pioneers" was drunk amidst great enthusiasm. Among other
toasts honoured were "The Pioneer Ladies of the District."
Mr. John McKenzie, the oldest of the veterans, who arrived in Richlands
in 1861, responded to the toast of the day, and Messrs. James Connor,
A. Mc-Innes, and Charles Ross also spoke.
Speeches were also delivered by the Rev. Mr. Bramble, Mr. C. Keith,
Mr. T. M. Chalker, Dr. Lyons, and others.
After the banquet a photograph of the group was taken.
The people whole heartedly went into the matter of entertaining the
veterans, and the response of those who were invited was most encouraging.
The lunch was prepared by Mrs. Spence, of the Argyle, and favourably
known as that good hostess's reputation is, on this occasion she excelled herself.
On arrival at the hall the guests of the day were met by Crs. Bradbury and
Walsh, and Messrs. A. E. Swan, M. Fitzgibbons, J.P., J. Alders, J.P.,
and others and treated to refreshments. They then dispersed themselves
around the hall, old friends meeting old friends, recalling old and stirring
incidents of the 40's, '50's, and '60's.
"You and I," said two men, well past 80, "went picking
up fleeces at Lethbridge's woolshed at Rockwell about 1855."
"Do you remember the cricket match we had about 1860?" said "Sandy" McInnes;
"W. H. Bradbury and Walter Bradbury, both present, were there,
and Rory McKay wearing a Scotch cap was fielding at long-on when a
catcher came his way, and he caught it in his cap."
But they were mostly horsey men in their day and generation.
Practically every man had done his 100 miles almost straight
on end for doctor or clergyman, and Paddy Hearley (82) had ridden
from "Lambing Flat" to Taralga in a day getting home in good time,
and not hurting his horse.
And didn't everybody remember the races on Humbug Flat, near Taralga,
when the prizes weren't very big, no bookies, and every horse was a trier,
and nobody thought a horse worth owning unless he could do a two or three
mile gallop. And later on Davis Hannabury had "Barebones," that won hundreds
for him, and later still Hillas had "Macaroni," and Martin Gallagher, recently
deceased, used to ride in Taralga.
All the pioneers present, down to the last one, are sons of the soil.
John L. McKenzie, of Fassifern, the father of the gathering, is 93 now,
and is 83 years out. "I came in '89, and George-street was nothing much
to look at then. My family later went to Illawarra, but then, as now, the
would-be-settler could not get on the land, and one of the worst droughts
the State has ever seen was just about winding up. Work was scarce, wages low.
The progress of Macquarie's day had given place to the stagnation of Gipps' term.
After a spell at the Snowy, the family came to Richlands and still no land
available only in isolated blocks of 80 acres, till Robertson's Land Act of '61."
And so this wonderful old man, who signs his name and writes letters with
the facility of a lawyer's clerk, tells his tale. "How old is Will ?" I asked.
"Oh, the baby, he was born on the 1st January, 1850."
And John Barry, of Hill Crest (89), is hale and hearty, able to eat like a boy,
and till very recently could ride about the Cookbundoon Ranges.
He bemoans the fact that Jack Williams ("Good old Black Jack"), who is 76,
is getting fearful and is not the man he ought be, at his age. But nobody
is sure of Jack's age, and barring Sandy Mclnnes - he is easily the youngest
looking man present.
There is a tradition in the Barry family that one day there arrived at the
old homestead a black boy, wearing only a long coat and generally
in a bad way. But Jack's star was in- the ascendant that day - Barry's has
been his home ever since, and a good home he has found it, and Jack has
been a good member of the family too, for he is treated like one. Jack can
still "shin" up an apple tree to get ripe apples for the kiddies, and any
day he will ride fifty miles for a pup. Recently Jack was confirmed by his
Lordship Dr. Gallagher, and he took a few days off to prepare. Anyhow Jack
reckoned the Bishop would not be "hard on him," because "once, when the
Bishop was only a young chap," said Jack, "I boiled his billy for him,
and he won't forget." Jack is a pious man still, and the only thing
worrying him on Pioneers' Day was the fact that there was Mass at
Myrtleville, but anyhow he felt pretty confident that Father Ryan
would give him a "Dispensation" if it was needed."
Walter Bradbury (87), of the Paling Yards, came to Taralga in '47 in Oct.
Grass was four feet high. The township was then called Trialgang, and
later Trialga and Taralga. It got its name from the three round hills
near the township. "The first races were on Humbug Flat. There was a
large tribe of blacks in the district, Miranda was the king. He was
buried at the Paling Yards, and I was at his wake," says Mr. Bradbury.
"There was a large ring made, and the body of the king was placed in it,
and fires were lighted all round to keep the 'Debil Debil' away.
The Macarthurs were at Richlands in these days, and left a good record
behind them. Sir Charles Cowper, who was Premier, had Chatsbury, and
the McAlisters had Strathaird and Lethbridge's at Rockwell."
James Connor (84) and M. M. Daulton (84) were both born in Taralga district,
and Sandy McInnes (82), who is the oldest native of Taralga present, was
christened in the old Strathaird Arms, Myrtleville, now John Miskelly's.
Pat Hearley (82) was born in Goulburn. Tom Fitzgibbon, Golspie (83), has
spent nearly all his life here, and it is not an unusual sight to see him
a dozen miles from home with a mob of fat bullocks at nine o'clock in the
morning.
John Keough (86) is still farming on The Meadows, but feels that he is
getting the old man on him a bit. W. H. Bradbury (79), C. Chalker (81),
M. Fitzgibbon (77), W. M Wright (73), John Ross (Hanapool (78),
Charles Ross, J.P.(75), as well as practically all the younger men present
are natives. John Ross, of the Abercrombie (73), rides in and out from
Goulburn when he has business to do, and practically every man in the
70's is actively engaged in farming, dairying, and grazing pursuits
The combined ages of these old people total 3645 years, an average of
76 years, or, taking a few of the youngsters out, the average is 80 years.
An analysis of the ages shows one over 90, 5 over 85, 7 over 80, 11 over 75, and
16 over 70.