The Black Stump

There is evidence that several wayside inns existed in the Coolah area in the early days of the colony. These were needed for traveller's along the long road routes.
The best known was the Black Stump Wine Saloon situated near the Gunnedah road, six miles north of Coolah. It was the staging post for north-western New South Wales. The importance of this inn resulted from its position at the junction of the old council roads, Gunnedah-Coolah, Coolah-Coonabarabran, and all points west.
It was also a resting place on the old Sydney stock route before passengers entered the rough country on the last leg of the journey.
The position of the inn is clearly marked on old New South Wales Lands Department maps and like many a pub before and since, it became the hub from which men dated their journeys and gauged their distances. On one surveyor's map of 1874 the layout of the inn, with its detached kitchen, is shown.
The saloon was named after the nearby Black Stump Run and Black Stump Creek. It was from these names that the saying "beyond the Black Stump" was derived.
In 1826 Governor Darling proclaimed "limits of location" or boundaries "beyond which land was neither sold nor let" nor "settlers allowed". This boundary was located in 1829 as being the northern side of the Manning River up to its source in the Mount Royal Range, then by that range and the Liverpool Range westerly to the source of the Coolaburragundy River, than along the approximate location of the Black Stump Run, then in a south-westerly direction to Wellington.
Land north of this location was referred to as land "beyond" and the use of the word " beyond" can be found in the Government Gazette of 18th January 1837.
However settlers did not strictly adhere to the Governor's proclaimed boundaries and often let their stock graze "beyond". Thus in the Coolah area, to avoid detection by officialdom, the location of these pastures was vaguely described as being "beyond the Black Stump". The expression caught on quickly.
In 1850 the Black Stump was granted to a Mr. Jonathan Parkins. However, much of the land was later claimed by the Higgins family, many of whom were later buried in the Coolah cemetery. It is reported that a teamster, John Higgins, took up a land grant called the Black Stump and built the inn.
The teamster, who died in 1912, aged 82, realized the need for an inn and staging-post to cater for teamsters and coaches heading out on the plains. The spot was the last before the long trek.
Pioneers of our outback transport welcomed the Stump as a place to rest, to grease the wheels and mend harness in preparation for the long haul ahead.
It is understood that the Black Stump Wine Saloon was erected in the 1860's. The centre was then a small settlement possessing its own racetrack. The saloon was destroyed by fire in 1908.
A small cemetery exists on private property nearby. In this cemetery are two graves ---those of Samuel Edward Bolger and George Richard Buckley. Copies of there original death certificates were obtained, substantiating Coolah's claim to the original  Black Stump. The certificate of Samuel Edward Bolger states that he died at Black Stump Inn and was buried at Black Stump cemetery on October 22, 1873. Samuel Bolger was 1 year 9 months old at the time of his death, caused by teething and cold. His medical attendant was Dr. Morris and the undertaker in charge of the funeral was Anthony Beer. The deceased's father was John Francis Bolger an innkeeper, whose residence was listed as the Black Stump Inn.
George Richard Buckley was only four years and four months old when he died from croup. He was the son of a sheep overseer Patrick Buckley and the former Ellen Hamlton and the place of residence was listed as Binnia. John Bolger was the undertaker and witnesses were D. McMaster and J. Lalee. The  date of George Richard Buckley's funeral was September 20, 1874 and it was held at Black Stump cemetery.
An Australian historian has stated that the Coolah area has the oldest and most substantial claim to the original "Black Stump".
The author "Duke" Tritton, in his book " Time means Tucker", wrote---" The Black Stump is real. It was a wine saloon. It had been closed for several years when I saw it in 1905".
The area six miles north of Coolah had been known as Black Stump for thousands of years by the natives. They referred to it as Weetalibah-Wallangan:    " Place were the fire went out and left a burnt stump".
The Black Stump Wine Saloon was  " home "to everyone from the ring barker to the squatter. There was "Long Bill" and "Curly Jim", the fastest shearer "beyond the Black Stump".
Remains of the old place have been unearthed recently and handmade nails, clay pipes, bottles with pointed ends and structural parts of the building are there as silent reminders of the origin of the now famous saying.
The New South Wales Government Gazette No. 24 (5th March, 1971) contains the following information issued by the Department of Lands, Sydney, stating that the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales assigned the geographical name of Black Stump Resting Place to a roadside reserve on the Coolah-Gunnedah Road about 5 and a half miles (9 kilometres) north of Coolah, Latitude 31 degrees 46 minutes, Longitude 149 degrees 38 minutes in the Parish of Queens borough.
Upon this reserve the former Coolah Shire Council, with assistance from the Department of Lands, Department of Local Government, Department of Main Roads, and the Coolah Chamber of Commerce, has erected a modern roadside rest area, as its Captain Cook Bi-Centenary project for the year 1970.
The roadside rest area was officially opened by the Minister of Decentralization, Hon. J. B. Fuller, on Saturday, 1st May, 1971