Cooringa Homestead (Coorangoora, Bingara)
‘Cooringa Homestead’ was designed by Inverell architect J.F. O’Connor and built by Ben Wade of Inverell in 1910.  O’Connor had called tenders for erection of the residence in June 1909.53  The bricks were kilned on the property.

Members of the Bull family held a re-union at ‘Cooringora’ on 4 May 1980 to celebrate 150 years on Australian soil.  In 1980, present day ‘Cooringoora’ was the remains of the property taken up by Charles Bull in the 1840s.  

Aged twenty years, Charles Edward Bull immigrated to Australia with a companion Borthwick.  He married his wife Emma at Elsmore and they had seven sons and five daughters.  Emma and Charles are buried at Bingara cemetery.

Elizabeth Wiedemann has recorded ownership of the property ‘Big River’ later ‘Cooringoora’: Richard Wiseman c1836, sold to Drake 1837 or 1838, who then sold the property to James Hale in 1844.  Charles Bull and William Borthwick obtained the station in 1852.

Croppa
Scottish born John McMaster settled at ‘Croppa’, 16 miles north west of Warialda in 1885 with his second wife Lillian Howes.  He purchased the holdings of Conway, Morris, Meilforth, Cain and Husseys in 1881 and 1882.  Later the country owned by McIvor, Borthwick and Caroline Bull was added to ‘Croppa’.  At this stage, the property totalled nearly 21,500 acres.  The original home on ‘Croppa’ was built of pit-sawn timber from the station and wine making from the large vineyard and current production was developed.

In October 1910 J.F. O’Connor, the Inverell Architect called tenders for the erection of a cottage at ‘Croppa’ for H.S. McAlister.  

Later, the station ‘Croppa’ was subdivided into three properties for the three sons: ‘Wyreena’, ‘Doongarra’ and ‘Invereness’.

Derra Derra
The Pastoral Review57 published a detailed description of ‘Derra Derra’, then the property of Albert Capel.  At the time it comprised 15,000 acres freehold.  The property was originally taken up by the Cox family and was described as ‘a most picturesque area of country surrounded by heavily timbered ranges with undulating, sound grazing land in the basin, and a long sweep of rich river flats fronting the Horton River …’

The woolshed was built by Mr Capel some years ago and was of ‘modern design equipped with eight stands of machines’.  At the time of the visit by the Pastoral Review, Mr Capel had retired from active management.  The Review stated that the homestead had been built in the 1860s and although it did not ‘conform to the modern ideas of architecture, yet its old rambling style loses none of the charm of its relation with the past.  It is surrounded by a pretty garden and hedges, whilst the river winds past the back of it’.

Aged 78 years, Albert Capel the fifth son of the late Daniel Capel, of ‘Piedmont’, Cobbadah died in October 1931.  The seven sons formed themselves into a partnership under the name of Capel Bros. and each took up a station when the partnership was dissolved.  Albert Capel was born at Piedmont in 1854 and when the partnership bought ‘Derra Derra’ in 1901, he went into residence there.  In 1880, he married a daughter of the late David Farquhar, of Clarence Town, NSW.

Eulorie
An early run at the Upper Horton was ‘Eulorie’ with an area of 40,960 acres, occupied by Parnell until 1851 when it was transferred to Rawdon McDouall.  He held it until 1855 when it was taken over by the King family. 

Today (2006) one can observe a cemetery near the road leading to the homestead.  Patricia Withers has recorded a number of burials on the ‘Eulorie’ property.  The names included Henry Wenham (died 7 October 1875); John Hunt (died 21 January 1876); John Marsden (died 1876); Carl King (died 25 September 1896) and William Saunders (died 2 April 1897)

Glendon, Gravesend.
This property is situated 18 kilometres west of Warialda.  The homestead block used to be the centre of a much larger property incorporating ‘Hadleigh Valley’ and land west of the Gwydir River and south to Warialda Creek.  In the 1840s it was part of ‘Gunerai’ Run, the area being 83,000 acres and in 1895 ‘Gunerai’ and Singapora’ runs were joined to form Gineroi Pastoral Holdings. 

In May 1909, the Warialda Standard published a detailed description of ‘the fine new Homestead Residence’ nearing completion for the Mackay Brothers at Glendon.  Designed by architect J.F. O’Connor of Inverell, ‘the most striking feature is the domed roof with skylights, under which is an octagonal hallway with a terrazzo tiled roof.  The brick homestead had three large chimneys with distinctive chimney pots and within the roofline are three smaller gables.  The building also features stonework quoins.   

In February 1916 it was announced that the Glendon Freezing Company would shortly commence operations near the railway bridge over the Gwydir River about a mile from Gravesend.  That month, tenders were called for the supply of firewood for some twelve months.  Despite the optimism it was several months before the company commenced receiving rabbits.  The delay was caused by difficulties concerning the title to the land for the freezing works.  It was expected that the company would commence operations in August and that many trappers would earn some ₤12 a week.



Photograph 8: Glendon Homestead, Blake & Wilson 2006

Glen Prairie
In September 1928, J.F. O’Connor called tenders on behalf of Mr D. Sinclair for construction of a residence at ‘Glen Prairie’.