Robert Smith 1838-1913
Robert Smith, the first child of Adam Smith and Jane (Jeannie) Armstrong was born 9 December 1838 at Southdean, Roxburgh-shire, Scotland and arrived in Australia with his parents the following year. (See Appendix 2-3 for more information on Adam Smith and his family.)
Robert Smith
He gained pastoral experience with his father on Hynam and was also interested in the Kadnook and Tallageira properties in Victoria, Eremeran, Dine Dine, Booberoi and Wirlong properties in New South Wales and in Isis Downs and Avington properties in Queensland. He also owned a farming property at Narre Warren, Gippsland, Victoria and leased Stamford Park, Scoresby, Victoria.[1]
Old Time Barcoo Squatter - Death of Mr Robert Smith
Vicissitude of Fortune - Western Champion
"Mr Robert Smith a former part owner of Isis Downs and Sole Proprietor of Portland Downs, in the Barcoo district, died at his home, Stamford Park, Scoresby near Dandenong, Victoria on Thursday last. Mr P. J. Hoffman of Blackall received a telegram yesterday from Mr R. Smith stating that his father took a bad turn on Thursday and died later in the day without regaining consciousness.
The deceased was one of the best and most widely known station owners in Australia. His affable disposition and genial temperament endeared him to all with whom he came in contact irrespective of their social position. Those who knew him throughout his long and eventful career say that he was a man full of the milk of human kindness.
For the roustabout and landowner he had the same courteous manner as he showed to those who were his equals. As an employer he always possessed the confidence of his men. He in town reposed absolute trust in those who served under him. No swaggy ever called at any of his stations for a bit of tucker and was sent away without having his wants supplied. His hospitality knew no bounds, and though a nature such as his was not likely to escape being imposed upon, he never lost faith in humanity, but to the last was ready to make personal sacrifice for the benefit of others. He has been described by several who knew him personally as "one of the whitest of men", a compliment not easily earned, but which in his case was well deserved.
As a sportsman he was well known, amongst his accomplishments in that line being his knowledge of horsemanship. he was a first class cross country rider and an excellent whip, his custom being always to drive with the open bridle. He was a native of South Australia, but when a young man he crossed over into New South Wales and took up Eremeran Station in the Lachlan district. Early in the 80's, he sold this property and came to Queensland, where in 1882 he, in company with Messrs Oliver Bros. purchased Isis Downs station. About the same time he bought Portland Downs, a few miles further up the Barcoo as his own. he was a large shareholder in the great pastoral property known as "Thurulgoona" near Cunnamulla.
For considerably over 20 years he was closely identified with this district and he did much to improve the various properties he was interested in. Like most of the pioneers of West Queensland he had his ups and downs in life and during the long drought periods of a few years back he lost heavily. About 1906 he relinquished his interest in Isis Downs and went to reside in Victoria, where many of those who had been associated with him in the previous years had their homes. The deceased gentleman who at the time of his death was about 73 years of age survived by his widow and several sons and daughters.
Their eldest son Adam G. Smith, managed Avington and Northampton Downs Stations, near Blackall, Avon Downs in the Northern Territory and Sarbiton in the Alpha District. About a year ago he died suddenly at Barcaldine. The second son, Robert, was for years overseer on Isis Downs Station. The third, Thomas, lives at Gosford near Sydney, whilst Percy and William are in Melbourne. His eldest daughter married the late Archibald McEachern, for some years manager of Malvern Hills Station, near Blackall. Another daughter is the wife of Mr R. J. McCullough, Solicitor of Barcaldine and Miss Smith resides with her mother."
Isis Downs Station is nine hundred and fifty kilometres north-west of Brisbane and 90 km South-East of Longreach in central Queensland, Isis and its sister station Emmet Downs cover a massive 123,673 hectares or 1237 square kilometres, roughly half the size of the Australian Capital Territory.
The Barcoo River, which joins Cooper Creek and flows into Lake Eyre, forms the station's north-west boundary. In local "lingo" it is "broken boree" country: dry, flat land, punctuated here and there by rosewood and two wattle species - gidgee and boree. The region gets an average of 450-500 millimetres of rain in good years (compared with Sydney's average of 1214 mm and Adelaide's 528mm), drought and flood having alternately ravaged the area throughout the stations history. The property, initially more than four times its present size, was first leased from the Queensland Government by C. L. Hill, W. B. Holberton and W. B. Allen after they first established its boundaries. It found its way into the history books in 1886 when the station's shearers formed the first committee of the Queensland Shearers' Union. The union was formed in response to graziers' attempts to reduce the shearer's wage in the economically tough and industrially very turbulent years around the 1891 depression - a period that also saw the origins of the Australian Labour Party and the Country Party.[2]
[1] Pioneer Families of Victoria and Riverina by Alexander Henderson
[2] Australian Geographic Number 7, 1987