Factsheet 04 – How did the Duracks become so rich in such a ‘poor’ country?

Australian Curriculum Links Year Subject Curriculum Links 5 Geography ACHGK028, ACHGK029 Quirky fact : History ACHHK094, ACHHK097 Eromanga, in the 6 History ACHHK116 Quilpie Shire, is the Science ACSSU096 7 Geography ACHGK043 furthest town from Science ACSSU222, ACSHE121 the sea in Australia! 8 Geography ACHGK056

Background Information “Cattle Kings ye call us, then we are Kings in Grass Castles returned in 1868 to establish Thylungra and Kyabra that may be blown away upon a puff of wind” Patrick stations on a tributary of Cooper’s Creek. He pegged ‘Patsy’ Durack, pastoral pioneer, 1878. out claims across 17,000 square miles (44,030 km²), stocked and then sold them to friends and new settlers. Patrick Durack was born in Ireland, the eldest son of eight Profits paid for other ventures – a butchery at Roma, children. His family, having survived the great famine of the holdings at Thargomindah, and , and 1840s, emigrated to New South in 1853 in the hope of new hotels to service the influx of opal miners and Cobb & prospects and a better life. However, tragedy struck when Co. services. By the close of the 1870s Durack was a Durack’s father was accidentally killed only weeks after wealthy man with substantial business interests in both their arrival, leaving the young man to support his large New South Wales and western . family. Durack worked hard and within two years purchased a small holding near Goulburn, where he continued to build Always in pursuit of new opportunities, Durack was his assets. keen to explore exciting prospects in the Kimberley district of Western Australia. In 1881 he and a long-time By the early 1860s south-west Queensland was opening friend launched an expedition to the area. Durack’s up and in 1863 the ambitious Durack, along with members brother, Michael, travelled ahead by ship with provisions of his family, set out with horses and cattle to establish a for the mob’s arrival. Soon after 7,250 head of breeding property in the emerging region. The undertaking almost cattle and 200 horses began the gruelling 3,000 mile cost his life. Overwhelmed by drought, all the stock (4,828 km) trek. At a cost of £72,000 the journey perished and the men survived thanks only to the help was the longest cattle drive of its time, taking the mob of local Aborigines. Despite this initial setback, Durack almost two-and-a-half years to reach its destination.

Baldy Top Lookout

58 Outback Queensland Education Handbook | Australian Curriculum Factsheets Inquiry Questions ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Subject Years Questions Kings in Grass Castles Australian biography Geography 5/6 What environmental challenges did the Author, Mary Durack early settlers have to deal with? First published 1959 www.amazon.com

How has settlement and management Kings in Grass Castles of spaces affected these places? TV mini series 1998 Available in DVD format 7/8 Why did people move to such remote places? www.amazon.com What were the lifestyle challenges they REFERENCES had to address? Quilpie Shire Council How has development of services changed www.quilpie.qld.gov.au the lifestyle for people? Australian Dictionary of Biography Select Bibliography History 5/6 What was the contribution of families like the M. Durack, Kings in Grass Castles Duracks, and why were they so successful? (Lond, 1959). www.adb.anu.edu.au/biography/durack- Science 5/6 How do people in the Outback respond to patrick-3457 extreme weather? Provide current examples Lure of the Land: a brief history of Quilpie 7 What features of the water cycle are Shire Lesley Jenkins (2001) most significant in the Outback? www.southwestnrm.org.au/ihub/lure-land- brief-history-quilpie-shire How do people use science understandings FURTHER INFORMATION to manage this resource? Quilpie Museum and Visitor Information Centre 51 Brolga St, Quilpie QLD 4480 Points of Interest Phone: (07) 4656 0540 Ray Station, via Quilpie www.quilpie.qld.gov.au Experience what life is really like on a working Cattle Station in Outback Queensland Open weekdays 8.00am – 5.00pm Diamantina Development Road (between Quilpie and Windorah) Quilpie QLD 4480 Cost: Fees apply Hours: 7 days by prior arrangement with management Contact: Sandra and Mark Tully Phone: (07) 4656 4737 m a PARK 100 A Email: [email protected] i 67 D 131 OPALTON Website: www.raystation.com.au LONGREACH 27 ILFRACOMBE BARCALDINE r JERICHO 168 e v i 80 The Australian Stockman’s Hall R 87 DIAMANTINA 53 n ALPHA NATIONAL LOCHERN o of Fame and Outback Heritage m s 89 101 PARK NATIONAL o Centre, Longreach PARK h 151 T 44 106 120 121 46 ISISFORD Qantas Founders Museum, 104 Longreach 112 BLACKALL 99 STONEHENGE 102 47 r 12 Australian Workers Heritage e 114 67 v 52 42 i 101 Centre, Barcaldine R EMMET IDALIA JUNDAH o o NATIONAL c Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton 92 r 120 a PARK TAMBO B 50 94 r Blackall Woolscour, Blackall e 209 v 109 WELFORD i R 52 NATIONAL 119

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p l o 84 91 orner o u C 85 B 85 87 QUEENSLANDTownsville CHARLEVILLE Mt Isa TREGOLE 69 QUILPIE 74 CHEEPIE 88 Rockhampton NATIONAL Longreach 37 PARK EROMANGA 48 99 74 Charleville 167 161 209 e r v i WYANDRA R TOOMPINE

Outback Queensland Education Handbook | Australian Curriculum Factsheets 59