Within Sight of Home

I'm still not sure why Edward took the Cedar-brush Pass rather than Murrundi, other than the fact that it does appear to be shorter, which would be important when travelling by horse. As the road appears not to exist now, we took Murrundi Pass which has been there since the 1830s and was the main route even then. Maybe Edward wanted to take a quieter road. With his horses roaming free at nights perhaps there was less chance of them being nicked. Who knows?

By taking Murrundi Pass, we were able to stop off at Burning Mountain where an underground coal seam has been burning for 1000+ years. While it was a fairly uninspiring sight compared to New Zealand's geysers and hot pools or Indonesia's volcanoes, its probably the best Australia has to offer in regard to smoke issuing from the ground. It was also a welcome opportunity to stretch our legs with a hour or so walk.

The view from Burning Mountain. Cedar Brush Pass runs up behind the ridge in the far distance.

On the northern side of the Pass it was all rain and mist with visibility down to a few 100 metres but the south side opened into bright sunshine and a glorious view over the hills and broad valleys of the Hunter and its tributaries just as Edward described. He got to the top of his Pass in daylight but had mistimed it and ere we reached the deep valley of the Dart...the daylight had completely forsaken us. In the hurry, they had dropped their meat-bag and although it was found in the morning, a marauding gnacom (wild dog) had eaten the contents, so dinner and breakfast was just bread.

Fortunately in the morning, Smith had discovered some old acquaintance, and provided himself with a famous supply of roast beef, a hot loaf and a bottle of home made wine, which he produced with great triumph. I should think so.

We came back up to the track into the south side of Cedar Brush Pass a few days after settling into Denman and called in and spoke to the manager of Thornthwaite.He confirmed that the Cedar Brush Pass road is no longer passable. He told us that Thornthwaite had been the major station here since the 1840s so it may well have been there that Smith found his bounty. The sandstone 1847 homestead still exists but is private and not able to be visited.

Thornthwaite c1855. Is this where Smith found his roast beef? Trish had the roast of the day - beef - in the Royal Hotel when we stopped for lunch in Scone. Coincidence? 

Edward was disheartened by what he saw coming down the Dart because the discovery of gold had led to the desertion of the area. Deserted houses, gardens choked with weeds, and broken fences, now everywhere meet the eye and depress the spirits. 

Near Scone he came across a shepherd tending his flock among the dilapidated enclosures of one of the ruined farms and he recognised him as Coolan, son of a chief of the once powerful tribe that dwelt in this neighbourhood. Coolan and Edward had been friends since their teens and that night over roasted possum he told Edward how the Camilarrai people had been decimated, not by hostilities but by disease and the dejection that still affects some Aboriginal communities today.

The main street of Scone today.

Edward would probably be pleased, however, with the Scone of today. It bills itself as the "horse capital of Australia" and you can smell the money here. Everywhere there are horse studs with miles of timber horse fence, manicured paddocks and grand restored, or new, homesteads.

The site of Muswellbrook's first block of land sold, utilised by pubs from 1835 till today. Not sure what Edward would've  made of the Lingerie Ladies (Tues, Wed, Thurs) but I'm  sure he would've enjoyed the $10 lunch.

Next day, near Muswellbrook, Smith left the group to visit his parents who lived a little way the other side of town. Denny and Edward continued alone and camped the night near Bengalla, less than 15kms from his parents home at Merton.