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PART2·GENERALBACKGROUND
Chapter 2 EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT WEST OF THE DARLING
2.0 Introduction
RIVER
European settlement expanded west of the Darling River during the 1860s
and 1870s. Settlement following the tracks of Charles Sturt's 'Central
Australian Exploring Expedition' of 1844-45, the first European exploring
party recorded to have traversed the district. The various narratives and
reports of Sturt's Expedition provide an image of these lands prior to
European contact, while the history of their subsequent occupation helps
to establish the context of Milparinka township and the community which is
central to my research.
Milparinka and its general vicinity is extremely remote. In the years which
immediately followed Sturt's exploration there was little incentive for
pastoralists to move into the area. Sturt's experiences gave the districts
involved an unenviable reputation, and land with better access to markets
remained available in other parts of New South Wales and in Queensland.
Settlement of the far north-west of New South Wales was therefore
preceded by the occupation of areas to the north in Queensland, and along
the Darling River in the central west of New South Wales. Once the
Darling River frontage had been taken up expansion took place firstly to
the east of the river, and then to its west, leading eventually to occupation
of the north-west corner of the state.
This chapter presents information about the vicinity of Milparinka which is
available from the records of Sturt's expedition, together with a summary of
the European occupation which eventually followed. The intent is to
provide an insight into the remoteness of the area and to demonstrate that
even after most other land in New South Wales had been taken up by
European settlers it remained remote and relatively unattractive to pastoral
interests. I also present an assessment of Wilcannia, which town was the
major a source of supply and the origin of early communications with
Milparinka. This assessment demonstrates that at the time gold was
discovered in the far west a number of Chinese were resident in Wilcannia.
Later discussion will suggest at least some of these Chinese became
associated with Milparinka, and that the occupations followed by them and
the evidence of their relative prosperity in Wilcannia are significant.