Occupation History of Noo-rilim Pastoral Run
First Occupier of the Noo-rilim Pastoral Run
Frederick Manton was the first occupier / owner of this Run, taking possession circa 1840, he remained here for about four years. Manton was a business man from Melbourne and was connected to Manton & Co, Steam Mills & Stores, Wharf, Melbourne. It did take considerable finance to stock the run, pay for shepherds to look after the stock, also to provide the labour necessary to build fences and to construct buildings, even though these were of very primitive nature.
The next owner of the pastoral run was Joseph Raleigh who took over ownership in 1844, he remained in occupation until 1851 when the lease was transferred to James Ray. During the time that Joseph Raleigh was owner of the run, there was a dispute between him and his neighbour John Livingstone who was the owner of the Molka Pastoral Run. It was not uncommon during the squatting era for disputes to arise over the location of boundaries or infringement on to a neighbours leasehold. Some correspondence regarding a dispute between Raleigh and Livingstone appears a little further along in this story.
No 93 Gazetted July 26th 1848
Original estimated area 44,320 acres
Licence 12 months prior to N.S.W. O.I.C. October 1847 Joseph Raleigh
1851 Mar. James Rae
1854 Apr.18 William Webster
1858 May.13 Subdivided into: 1 Noo-rilim
2 Noo-rilim East
Subdivision of No.93 Noo-rilim
Area 20,000 acres 1860; 8,550 1869.
1858 May.13 William Webster
1862 Feb.19 Hugh Glass
1865 Feb.3 William Drayton Taylor
1870 Dec.9 Forfeited
Occupation History of Noo-rilim East Pastoral Run
Subdivision of No 93 Noo-rilim
Area 17,000 acres 1860; 14,050 acres 1869
1858 May 13 William Webster
1864 Feb. James Miller
1877 Mar.9 Forfeited. Let under grazing licence
Year approx 1847.
Commissioners District Murray
General Locality On the bank of the lower Goulburn River.
Name of Run. Noo-rilim.
Estimated number of acres 44,320
Estimated capability for grazing Cattle Sheep 8000
Description of Run.Commences at a point on Castle Creek one mile and three-quarters a little more or less southerly from its junction with the Goulburn River bounded on the East by Castle Creek in a direct line from extreme points nine miles twenty five chain’s– on the South bylines bearing S 67 degrees 30 W 9 miles thirty chains, N 58 West fifty chains. W. one mile and by a gully to the Goulburn River northerly ten chains on the West by the River Goulburn in a direct line from extreme points twelve miles and fifteen chains and on the North by line bearing E to the commencement point.sixty nine chains.
H. B. Foote. Surveyor
Map of Noo-rilim Run 1847
A general description of The Noo-rilim Run
The Run covered an area of approximately 44000 acres, the northern boundary was a line from the Castle Creek, west to the Goulburn River, a distance of about 1 km. This northern boundary would have been about 1 km south of the now named Ross Rd. Possibly the boundary was marked by blazed trees or a brush fence. The eastern boundary was the Castle Creek, the Arcadia Run and the Molka Run occupied areas on the east side of the Castle Creek. The west boundary was the Goulburn River, a straight line from north to south following the general direction of the river was about 20 km in length. The Home Station was in the area where the present day Noorilim Estate is situated, about 6 km south of Murchison East.
Caveat against Mr Livingstone
Melbourne February 1849
I have the honour to object to the issue of a lease to Mr John Livingstone of the Station called Molka No 135 Murray district as the description Mr Livingstone has given in encroaches upon my Station called Noo-rilim for a lease of which I have applied see No 93 same District. It is impossible to point out with accuracy (looking at the description merely ) the portion which is wrongfully claimed by Mr Livingstone, but he has long been encroaching upon my Run and two actions of Trespass have been brought by me against Mr Livingstone in both of which I have succeeded and there is at present and an Action pending for the continuing trespass and the description in the Gazette of Mr Livingstone’s claim appears to comprehend the portion so trespassed upon by him. I now therefore tender this as a Caveat to Mr Livingstone’s claim.
And have the honour to be.
Sir.
Your Most obedient Servant
Joseph Raleigh.
District of The Murray
Memorial No 93
To William Piper Esq one of the Commissioners appointed under an Act for appointing Commissioners to examine and report upon disputes; “respecting boundaries of Run’s between the Claiments of Leases under Her Majesty’s Order in Council” 9th March, 1847.
The memorial of Joseph Raleigh resident at Melbourne in the District of Port Phillip, Sheweth.
That your Memorialist claims to be entitled to a Lease of a Run of Crown Lands, situated on the banks of the Goulburn River in the District of The Murray and bounded as follows, that is to say :
Commences at a point on Castle Creek one mile and three-quarters a little more or less Southerly from its junction with the Goulburn River bounded on the east by Castle Creek in a direct line from extreme points nine miles twenty five chains on the south by lines bearing south 67 degrees 30 minutes W 9 miles 30 chains N 58 west 50 chains W one mile and by a gully to the Goulburn River northerly 10 chains on the west by the River Goulburn in a direct line from extreme points twelve miles and fifteen chains and on the North by a line bearing east to the commencing point sixty nine chains.
And the following it is a true statement of the circumstances under which your Memorialist claim is made : Your memorialist received possession of and occupied the land above described in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-four and continued in undisturbed possession untill the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six when Mr John Livingstone intruded upon the north eastern portion of the Run which has since been a subject of dispute and your Memorialist in consequence of such in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven sued Mr Livingstone in an action of trespass and received a Verdict with damages Fifty pounds and Mr Livingstone still continuing adversly to occupy the land in dispute your Memorialist in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight sued him in another action of trespass for such continual intrusion and likewise received a Verdict and again Mr Livingstone continuing still to trespass upon the same land, a third action was commenced and trial in one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine against him by your Memorialist upon which the Jury found one issue for your Memorialist and one for the Defendant and that without commencing an action of Ejectment against Mr Livingstone. Your Memorialist could not at law dispossess him of the land upon which he has so intruded.
Your Mororalist therefore pray you the Commissioner aforesaid, to proceed to hear, examine, and report upon your Memorialist claim, in a manner as in said Act mentioned.
Dated at Melbourne this fourth day of January 1850
Joseph Raleigh
Memorial No 93 cont.
List of Documents deposited with Memorial, and names and places of all witnesses by whose evidence the Memoralist’s claim is supported.
Office copy of the Judgments in the actions by Joseph Raleigh against John Livingstone tried in the Supreme Court in the years 1847 and 1848 and there remaining of.
- John Elwin at present in Van Diemen’s Land
- Henry Borne Foote. Surveyor Melbourne
- John Steigenburger of Noorilim
- Frederick Sanders. River Henty
- James Kirkland. Goulbourn
- Andrew Shiels. Noorilim
- Patrick Mahoney Edwards River
- John Fleming Noorilim
- Patrick Ratigan Noorilim
- William Snow Clifton of the Goulbourn
- Frederick Sawers
District of Murray
Report on Memorial No 93 dated 5th April 1850
By William Piper Commissioner
Appointed to examine and report upon disputes respecting ban trees of runs be playing claimants on Leases beyond the Settled Districts
Claimants name and address- Joseph Raleigh Melbourne
Name of Run- Noorilim
Opponent’s name and address- John Livingstone Molka
Situation and description of Run for which are a Lease years recommended to issue- Noorilim
Commencing at a point on the Castle Creek one mile and three-quarters a little more or less southerly from its junction with the Goulburn River bounded on the East by the Castle Creek to the centre of the large water hole near the site of Livingstone’s Head Station April 1850. Thence by a line bearing in a South Westerly direction to point upon the plough line drawn by Raleigh in from No 47 three miles from the Castle Creek and on the South by the said Plough line bearing 67 degree 30 minutes west nine miles 30 chains North 58 West 50 chains West one mile and by a gully to the Goulburn River northerly ten chains on the West by the River Goulburn in a direct line from extreme points 12 miles and 15 chains and on the North by a line bearing East to the commencement point 69 chains.
Commissioners Report
The applicant and claimant in this case having arranged their Boundary and in my presence and with my sanction having signed a memorandum to that affect. I beg leave to report the as on the and to recommend the Boundary there described for in the lease of the Noorilim Station upon the Goulburn River to Joseph Raleigh.
William Piper
Disputed Boundary Commissioner
James Rae who had followed on from Joseph Raleigh as owner of the Noorilim Run remained there for only about three years. In The Victorian Government Gazette of February 14th 1854 it shows James Rae as the Licensee of Noorilim P R. with an estimated carrying capacity of 12,000 sheep. In a later publication of the same journal, dated February 16th 1855 it shows that William Webster was now the Licensee of the run, with an amount payable to the Government of 10 Pounds for the Depasturing License and for the assessment of the stock, 94 Pounds 8 Shillings and 8 Pence ( $188.86 ) for the 11,140 sheep, 16 head of cattle and the 8 horses that were on the property.
In the mid 1850,s as selectors began to stake a claim for Crown Land in areas occupied by the squatters, the owner of a pastoral run was given the opportunity to purchase any land under the pre-emptive right. This allowed the owner of a pastoral run to purchase an area of land under his control, up to 640 acres usually in the area where the homestead was situated.
It appears that William Webster exercised his pre-emptive right for Noorilim. An advertisement in The Argus on April 22nd 1856 titled Crown Lands for Selection Noorilim, stated that there were 14 Lots varying from 49 – 100 acres, situate in the Parish of Noorilim, on the Goulburn River about 5 miles south of Murchison near the old Aboriginal Protectorate Station and adjoining Webster’s pre-emptive purchases.
In 1858/1859 William Webster sub-divided the run, the area of about 24,000 acres where the home station was located remained as Noorilim P R and the area of about 14,000 acres that was situated between the Castle Cr and the Muddy Waterhole Cr as it was called then, he named Noorilim East. He remained as owner of both until 1863 when Hugh Glass was shown as the owner of Noorilim. In 1864 the ownership of the Noorilim East P R was transferred from William Webster to James Miller.
Proposal for a vineyard on Noorilim
In the Melbourne Age newspaper on January 7th 1860 a proposal to establish a vineyard on Noorilim was advertised as follows:
Prospectus of Goulburn Vineyard Propriety formed for the cultivation of the Vine and the making of wines on the banks of the Goulburn River. Capital 30,000 Pounds in 6000 shares of 5 Pound each. The vines to be planted on 610 acres, originally the pre-emptive right of The Noorilim Station now the freehold property of the Company. It appears that this venture was abandoned, as the property was advertised for sale in 1865 and was purchased by Mr William Drayton Taylor. Also an article published in the Canberra Times on 31st may 1969 written by Don Aitkin where he appraised a book written by Enid Moodie Heddle about the “Story of the Vineyard – Chateau Tahbilk” where it states the reason for the Noorilim project not going ahead. “The vines were to have been grown on Noorilim Station, but the death of it’s owner after a drunken spree caused the company to purchase instead the adjoining Tabilk run”
The last Squatter to occupy Noorilim Pastoral Run
William Taylor who had purchased the Noorilim Run from Hugh Glass was the last person whom could be described as a “Squatter” to occupy the run. As the selectors moved in to the area pegging out their claims on the land, fertile land and access to water being prominent in their selections. The areas of land under squatter control quickly diminished and they also had to purchase land on which to run their stock and grow crops. Squatters therefor forfeited their runs, The Noorilim Run was declared forfeited on December 2nd 1870, Government Gazette December 9th 1870.
William Taylor remained at Noorilim for a number of years, an advertisement in The Argus on June 1st 1878 for a Clearing out Sale account William Taylor who has sold his estate, ended his tenure at Noorilim. However the Noorilim Estate remained in his extended family, William Winter Irving had married William Taylor’s only daughter in 1868, so they became the new owners of The Noorilim Estate.