Tallala Station Owned By Tennant Family

Interesting information regarding some of the early settlers of Eyre Peninsula, particularly the Tennant family, is given by Mr. J. D. Somerville in the following article.

Tallala Station, near Louth Bay, has been the property of the Tennants for more than 90 years. The history of Pillaworta, and the tragedy which overtook C. C. Dutton and his party, as well as many other, informative facts are related in the story.

It was in March 1839, that the special survey of Port Lincoln was started, entailing the survey of 4,000 acres for the association. The work was not completed until November or December, 1840. The terms of the special survey meant that another 11,000 acres of land should also be surveyed. In March 1839, Tod and party explored northward of the intended township as far as Mount Gawler. C. C. Dutton and party explored west-ward to the present Marble Range, returning via the Tod Valley. There is no doubt that the Marble Ranges were called "Hawson Range" by this party. In December of the same year, Resident Magistrate Matthew Smith, with Dr. Harvey, C. J. Driver and others followed in Tod's footsteps as far as Mount Gawler, then they went northwards to Mount Liverpool and as far as the open plains which were designated the Port Lincoln Downs. None of these explorers found any settlers. In May 1840, Governor Gawler went to Franklin Harbor, probably following the coastline from Port Lincoln and returned a route further inland. He likewise makes no mention of any settlers.

Later in that year settlers commenced to occupy land adjacent to the town, one venturesome pastoralist going out as far as and occupying Pillaworta. Eyre, in October 1840, found Dutton in possession of Pillaworta as manager for Driver, and received much appreciated hospitality. Messrs. S. and F. White and Brown also had stations on the Tod and White's River. It will be recollected that Eyre (1840) bought sheep from the latter and two kangaroo dogs from the former, at "rather a high price." One of these dogs was lost at Mount Wedge and returned to its old home, White allowing Eyre a credit on the deal. The White Bros, had three stations, one at Gawler Ponds, one at Tallala and the other somewhere on White's River.

Due to the native murders of 1842, and the expense of running the station "across the water," the White Bros, decided at the end of 1842 to abandon Eyre Peninsula, subsequently taking up land north of Laura, forming the well known "White Park."

Apparently Tallala was unoccupied for sometime, for the Government Resident C. J. Driver reported that "on the 1st of July (1844) the native constable brought me a crowbar which he had found at Tallala, a station formerly occupied by the Messrs. White. The Government Resident also submitted a report showing the livestock in the Port Lincoln district on 1/7/1844, neither Tennant's or Anderson's names appear therein. These reports seem to be a clear indication that John Tennant was not in occupation at Tallala at that time.

During 1842, C. C. Dutton also abandoned Pillaworta ; and in tracking overland with cattle he lost his life as well as the lives of the men accompanying him, supposedly between Franklin Harbor and Whyalla. Arising out of this catastrophe, one writer has said that Tennant and Anderson travelling overland to Port Lincoln found traces of the lost party, unfortunately no date is quoted nor is there any corroborative evidence as to the correctness of the statement.

Rodney Cockburn in his "Pastoral Pioneers," stated that John Tennant, one winter took sheep and cattle overland, on reaching the country near Mount Arden (Quorn) two of the party were killed by the natives. Tennant was forced to retire, but the following winter successfully completed the journey. He also said that John Tennant purchased Tallala from Mr. White, of White Park. The same author also stated that James Anderson succeeded the White Bros, at White's River, saying that James Anderson, and John Tennant collected sheep in the Barossa district and drove them overland to Port Lincoln. No dates are quoted.

Fortunately we get a clue from the Commissioner of Police, and were the whole official correspondence perused, doubtless much further information would be gleaned. However, the commissioner in his quarterly report for March 1846, in referring to the loss of sheep as well as the disappearance of two men, wrote "Mr. Tennant who had encamped near Mount Arden to the extreme north on his way to the head of Spencer's Gulf in search of new runs." Sergeant-Major Alford and Inspector Tolmer gave long reports as the result of search in February 1846. Alford expressed the opinion that the sheep were lost and the two men absconded or vice versa, in which opinion he said Tennant agreed. A Mr. Anderson was with the party when the police investigations were made.

In the Government Gazette for March 12, 1846, it is notified that Henry Price and Charles Lloyd Hawker had applied for an occupation licence, and in the gazette of September 24 of the same year, it is recorded that James Anderson had applied for a licence for land 25 miles south (probably should be north), of Port Lincoln, while John Tennant applied for land in the County of Flinders. These latter applications do not actually indicate that the two pastoralists had just arrived, but by collateral evidence It is almost certain they had.

In August 1846, John Bishop complained of Tennant taking possession of land at Pillaworta, which he (Bishop) had applied for in November 1845. In September 1846, Daniel Higgins wrote to the Commissioner of Crown Lands saying that Mr. Tennant had "brought a flock of sheep and some cattle to his section which is situated at Tallalla within the limit of my run." It will be noticed that the name was usually spelt with four "L's." Mr. Tennant wrote to the commissioner in explanation giving his views. Henry Price in October and again in November, also complained of Mr. Tennant's "intrusion" upon their land, saying that J. Tennant had taken possession of White's River — which place was within the two mile limit allowed— which they (Price and Hawker) had formed and occupied for more than five months. In the November letter, Mr. Price recorded the second "intrusion" with flocks, into "country, already occupied by us and we must either retire from a station of which we were in occupation long before his (Tennant's) arrival here or run the risk of having our sheep mixed with his. Mr. Tennant has now endeavored to obtain fresh country in this district, but has hither-to maintained his sheep almost solely upon other persons runs with a total and avowed disregard of their prior rights." Here we have the basis of a wild western "Nesters" novel, only a little shooting being required to complete the story.

It might be mentioned that John Charles Darke explored portion of the peninsula in 1844, meeting his death near Darke's Peak. Theakstone, the second in command, towards the end of that year brought back a favorable report of various parts of the country. The earliest time that pastoralists could take advantage of the report would be 1845. Assuming that Tennant started on his abortive trip that year, then the second trip would be in 1846. The present evidence supports the foregoing theory, seemingly pointing out as it does that both J. Tennant and J. Anderson arrived in the Port Lincoln district about August 1846. Andrew Tennant (a son) made his first venture apparently at Lake Newland about 1853, where he took up land and with John Chipp Hamp either as a partner or helper settled at Salt Creek, a holding that had been abandoned by Pinkerton. Both of these lads were only about 18 years of age at the time.