ROBERT EDWIN BUSH, J.P., EX-M.L.C.
THE grand old Dutch navigators when they sailed their small vessels near the north-west coast of Australia, were not prepossessed with the country disclosed to their view. They deemed it barren and desolate to a degree, and, in most of their reports, described the land as so much desert, notable for sandy reaches, containing sparse vegetation. Sometimes they saw thin grass and a few wild flowers. Sometimes, too, they had slight communication with the natives, whom they considered ugly, barbarous, and treacherous.
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Photo by R.E. BUSH, J.P., EX-M.L.C. Greenham & Evans. |
And so it came to pass that for many long years the potentialities of this north-west country remained quite unknown. Marsupial and bird and native were allowed the whole use of the immense domain. It was not until the latter half of the nineteenth century that any serious effort was made to prove its latent possibilities, even though it was 300 years before that navigators had gazed upon its shore-line, hills, and small valleys, eager to find gold that would make them immensely wealthy. But when the country within easy reach of the Swan River settlement was colonised it became necessary for settlers to advance their frontiers, and from time to time parts of this north-west country, which had so long baffled civilisation, were brought within their enterprise. Thus the hunting grounds of the blacks were surveyed into pastoral stations, and many portions of that country which was considered so barren have been found to contain soils yards in depth, and as good as any in other extra-tropical regions. Now we find the gold-digger prosecuting his curious search, and obtaining the metal; thus fulfilling the prophecy of one of the earliest navigators; and we also find stations scattered over the land, and cattle and sheep and horses browsing on its vegetation, and white men moving in busy occupation amid its vastnesses.
Of those so engaged is Mr. Robert Edwin Bush, J.P. and ex-M.L.C. The navigators little imagined that these places would some day support men of their own colour, nor did some of them dream that the great south land would ever have within it the germs of an empire. Mr. Bush is the son of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Bush, who was in command of a detachment of the Ninety-sixth Infantry, which did service in West Australia in the forties, and who returned to England in 1851, and settled at Redland, Gloucestershire, where his son, Robert Edwin, was born in 1855. When old enough Robert went to Clifton College, which was then under the headmastership of Dr. Percival, the present Bishop of Hereford. During his college career he, like his brother, Mr. J. A. Bush, who was a member of Dr. Grace's first eleven that visited Australia, was a prominent cricketer. He played with the college team, and was its captain in 1874 and 1875. He also played for the County eleven in 1874, 1875, 1876, and 1877. In 1877 he left the mother country to seek his fortunes in Western Australia. From his father he had obtained valuable information concerning the country, and on his arrival he went to the northern part of the colony. For two years he remained in the north-west, and in 1879 his attention was attracted to the Mauritius, where he was given to understand there was a likely demand for horses. With the object of developing this trade, he took a shipment of high-class animals from Cossack to Port Louis, but the venture did not turn out so well as he expected. Towards the close of 1879 Mr. Bush threw in his lot with Messrs. Walter Howard and S. E. Sewell, on an exploring expedition into the Gascoyne district. The party, which only consisted of the principals and two natives, was provisioned for three months, and entered into the then but little known Gascoyne district, travelling along the Wooramel, Gascoyne, Lyons, Minilya, Lyndon, and Yannarie Rivers. Their adventurous spirits took them further afield than they originally intended to go, and as provisions and water ran short terrible privations were undergone. With dauntless courage, however, they accomplished valuable pioneer work. As the days passed by and no news was received in Perth of the explorers, grave apprehensions were entertained for their safety, and when five months had elapsed without tidings, the Government equipped at Geraldton a party to go in search of them. This expedition was on the eve of starting when tidings were received of the safety of the party, and in due course the adventurers, travel-stained, weary, but in good spirits, reached Geraldton.
A very brief rest was sufficient to fit Mr. Bush for the road again, and he started out to take up land on the Gascoyne, which he then stocked with sheep, and subsequently with cattle and horses. The venture prospered, good seasons followed each other with fair regularity, and thus the famous Clifton Downs Station was founded. On the vast area of one million acres that Mr. Bush took up there were many difficulties to contend with. The succulent mutton was more to the taste of the aboriginal than
