The man from Cox river.

[puredingo]

I watched this film the other day and found it quite interesting.

Anybody else seen it? I'd be interested in others views.

[johnw]

Thanks for posting puredingo. You prompted me to order the DVD, which I finished watching last night. I knew about the film through a long term acquaintance at NPWS and had been meaning to get a copy for some time. Yes I also found it interesting and the differences in the views of the Carlons and NPWS were very clear, but the relationship improved as the work progressed. It was a good story but I'm curious why the program was put on hold in 2012. Maybe because "Appletree Flat" eventually became flooded (still trying to find that location on the map)? They had captured I think around 50 brumbies of the 80 odd that were believed to exist in the region. Having worked in the public sector for many years until recently I'd guess the most likely reason is that the funding dried up. The expense per animal was a key concern through much of the film, although they eventually started to make some efficiencies. It was interesting to get a close up look at the country beyond the catchment no go zone. I remember how dry conditions were around that time and that certainly came through in the film. I was somewhat amazed at how small and wiry those animals are compared with the ones I've encountered in the Snowy Mountains. Definitely dangerous and difficult work. Worth a look, particularly for anyone who knows the region and its history.

[puredingo]

Yeah John I get the feeling they were somewhat humouring the boy Carlon with the idea of capture/relocating of the brumbies. None of the officials shown at the meetings seemed to impressed of the cost and inefficiency of the scheme.

There was some typical old school land owner attitude in there when they spoke about how they cut the Carlons off from using the land for business purposes. The old chook likened it to how the Aborigines got dispossessed of their land...drawing a pretty long bow there, lady.

And when they were having a hell of a time escorting the brumbies the distance out of the capture site to the pens, Carlons asked if he can bring his machine in a push a road through?.... The NP ranger over seeing the project was like " what don't you get about this whole National park, catchment, heritage wilderness thing, son!?"

[johnw]

I agree with your observations dingo. I thought they might have canned the whole thing at that meeting given the costs at that point. Something else I noticed was early on when some of Luke's comments more or less implied that Myles Dunphy may have been something of a traitor, in that he (and other bushwalkers of that era) accepted the Carlon's hospitality knowing that the subsequent bushwalker efforts to have the area declared a NP would have negative consequences (for the Carlons). That said Luke struck me as a reasonable sort of bloke for the most part albeit with the inherent landowner thinking. I can understand both sides but the times have changed and It was at least in part a PR exercise by NPWS I think. I know the usual approach is to engage with the local community and try and get them on board with their plans.

[juxtaposer]

I would like to comment on your observation, johnw: "some of Luke's comments more or less implied that Myles Dunphy may have been something of a traitor, in that he (and other bushwalkers of that era) accepted the Carlon's hospitality knowing that the subsequent bushwalker efforts to have the area declared a NP would have negative consequences (for the Carlons)".

Myles Dunphy never betrayed anyone. He actually spent very little time at the Carlons; it wasn't a favourite camping place of his. He probably only met Norbert Carlon a couple of times. Norbert, a big, affable man, was proud to be made an honorary member of the Sydney Bush Walkers, whom he loved. I have found no record of any resentment on his part to the bushwalkers' efforts to get a Blue Mountains National Park established. The biggest impact on the era of the Blue Mountains cattlemen was not the park but the flooding of the Burragorang Valley (which was the Carlon ancestral home, not Megalong), after which only a handful of grazing leases on the Coxs and Kowmung continued into about the 1980's. By the time these were terminated there was little profit in them. Luke's comments in the film reflect not Norbert's, but those of Norbert's son (Luke's dad), who battled with NPWS over permission to run horse parties through the park to his Konangaroo lease for his commercial Packsaddlers operation started up in the 1960's.

[juxtaposer]

The Carlon's were fine people, and indeed very hospitable, but does any one think they put people up and fed them farm fresh eggs, milk and bread purely out of the goodness of their hearts? They did very well out of campers and visitors, which is one reason why they were always pleased to see them.

[puredingo]

G'day Juxtaposer, isn't the camping spot/car park at Carlons called "Dunphys park" or something like that.

Seems strange they would give the man that naming privilege if he had little regard for the place?...or is it a case of people not in the know making uninformed decisions?

[climberman]

G'day Juxtaposer, isn't the camping spot/car park at Carlons called "Dunphys park" or something like that.

Seems strange they would give the man that naming privilege if he had little regard for the place?...or is it a case of people not in the know making uninformed decisions?

It was named recently, by NPWS. I don't think it was intended to represent a direct link to that particular place.

[johnw]

I would like to comment on your observation, johnw...et al

Thanks for your comments juxtaposer, it sounds like you have first hand knowledge. My observations are obviously based on perceptions from watching the the DVD, which I found interesting. I remain open minded on the subject. Reminds me I have one of Jim Barrett's books on the Burragorang that I've yet to read.

G'day Juxtaposer, isn't the camping spot/car park at Carlons called "Dunphys park" or something like that.

Seems strange they would give the man that naming privilege if he had little regard for the place?...or is it a case of people not in the know making uninformed decisions?

It was named recently, by NPWS. I don't think it was intended to represent a direct link to that particular place.

This was discussed in this linked topic some time ago (and that I had totally forgotten about). According to the signage it is called Dunphys Camping Area: No Parking for Myles Dunphy. Based on that discussion it would appear Roger Caffin has accepted responsibility for naming it . Regardless it remains an interesting area to visit and my understanding is that Myles mapped and named many places in that region (and others).

[climberman]

Thanks johnw, that must be what I was remembering