Pioneer Families and Characters

The Upper Murray is a remote yet beautiful country. The Pioneering families showed determination and self reliance. Many are known for their outstanding bush and farming skills to overcome great challenges.

The first Europeans crossed the Alps to the Upper Murray side in 1837. They were pastoralists looking for feed for their cattle in a severe drought.
Some of the early squatters names included Shelly, Guise, Watson, McIllree, Hervey, and Cowper. The first three settlers arrived in 1866 – Hugh Harris, James Briggs, and Robert Kiell. Other early names to follow were Collins, Mitchell, Wheeler, Whitehead, Hanson, Waters, Scammell, Sheather, Evans, Mildren, Pierce, Norrie, Urquarts, Land, McKenzie, Bailey, Jarvis and Carkeek.