In 1919, cattle hides were worth on average 30 shillings (calculated in 2024 as $145.39) each. The result, people started skinning the cattle that died, as no one claimed the carcass. More and more people got into the act, until eventually demand overtook supply. Therefore, the more humane and adventurous operators began to put some of the suffering cattle out of their misery. The practice grew, until later, the help of cattle dogs had to be enlisted.
Old sulkies and spring carts groaned under the heavy, freshly skinned hides as they made their way into town. On one occasion, Jake Lennon recalled seeing a fair-sized steer grazing along Branch Creek. He was in good, strong condition, but when he came back about an hour later, the skinned carcass was resting on the side of the creek. These happenings were eventually reported to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who in turn informed the Police. The slaughter came to an end.
The drought dragged on; cattle died in the thousands. People were forced off their land as when the drought broke in December 1919, cattle that had been saved were almost worthless. Cattle that had been selling for £15 (calculated at $1,453.86 in 2024), were difficult to sell at £2.10.0 (calculated at $242.31 in 2024). “Gunyan”, who set a value of 500 guineas (£525 or $50,885.05) for their young stud Hereford bulls, were hard pressed to sell pens of one bull plus nine stud heifers for £100 ($9,692.39) in the early 1920s when the station was being subdivided for closer settlement.
The reason for the market collapse was due to the expiration of meat contracts that Australia had with the Imperial Government during the war years. Everyone expected the contracts to be renewed on expiration; however, the contracts went to Argentina without any warning. This caused a lot of ill-feeling and hardship in Australia, especially as our soldiers had just help England fight the war with a great deal of hardship and loss on Australia’s part. Some people lost everything; others just walked off their property.
The end of the “Bullock Paddock” story was the final big muster. The whole area was mustered by 27 men including “Texas Station” stockmen. They also mustered “Down’s Camp” (now part of “Orana” and when it was complete, they had 5,000 head of stock. “Texas Station” cut out 400 bullocks first, then the rest were ready for splitting up. There were owners and claimers from Dorrigo, Bundarra, Inverell, Bingara, Warialda, Yetman, St. George, Goondiwindi, Inglewood and many places in between. There were arguments galore, but no blows were struck when there was more than one claimant for a beast or mob with a certain brand or earmark. The competition was extremely keen, but the local lads were better skilled in the finer arts of the game and furthermore, they were much better mounted. The whole operation took several days.
The great happening of 1921 for the local area was the big flood in July. It was the biggest flood since 1890, and the village of The Flat, Texas, was badly damaged. At the time, there were two Post Offices in the area – Texas Post Office (on the hill) and The Flat, Texas Post Office (in Elwyn Street). Following this flood, most businesses moved to High Street.
This was the first major flood experienced at “Riverbend” in 14 years. They were fortunate not to lose many head of stock, but the fences were a mess.
In 1922, Bernie Lennon, who had been teaching at the Texas School, and was a qualified teacher, was transferred to Rosenthal, a small school near Warwick to be the Teacher in Charge. Her sister, Madge, who had finished her schooling at Lourdes Hill Convent in Brisbane, taught at Texas for a time and later in the 1920s taught at a small school near Camp Creek, just below “Linton” near the “Tarwoona” boundary. She later took a job with Mark Foy’s Emporium in Sydney and was unfortunately killed in a motor accident on 23 July 1928.
On Christmas Day, 1923, another severe drought broke. It was the best Christmas present the people on the land could have gotten.
By 1924, most of the Soldier settlers in the Lease and “Bullock Paddock” area sold out. Gordon McIntyre, Brinsley Parker and Alan Cadell were the main buyers. There were other changes of ownership about that time: Jake and Roy Lennon sold to Alan Cadell, Percy Carroll sold to Brinsley Parker, William (Bill) Lennon and his brothers Pat, Jim and Charles and son Jake bought several holdings at Mandoe, New South Wales.
Sisters Jess and Kit Lennon took up nursing after finishing their education at Lourdes Hill in Brisbane. Jess did a long term of nursing overseas during World War II, returning to Sydney where she died in the 1950s. Kit became the matron at the Church of Christ Aged People’s Home at Boonah.
Jake Lennon disposed of his interests in property around Texas and left the district in 1936 as he had a lot of trouble with war disabilities and required hospitalisation many times over the years. His parents and brothers stayed on at “Riverbend” until disposing of the property and moving to the Texas township in 1954. William (Bill) Lennon died in 1958 at the age of 87 years and Jessie Scott Lennon passed away on 24 August 1964 aged 92 years. Both are buried in the Texas Cemetery.
If you are interested in visiting the Heritage Centre and Tobacco Museum, we are open each Saturday for a small fee. We also welcome new members.
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