When The Horsemen were Handy

[Duncan Williams]

North-West Magazine.



Don Fraser is just one of many 'old school cattleman to seem to dot the landscapes around Coonamble. six years driving cattle for stock legend Henry bell for its properties pier pier and Cooninba around 60,000 acres under the old scale. from as far south as wagga wagga to St.George and Dirranbandi in the north.
I use to knock around with jack Wakeman. Mel Bates, the Sings and Artie Hall. Don spent alot of his time in the Moree district before the big cattle crunch in the early 1960's.
Don said Henry Bell employed a lot of good people during his time before the crunch. and everyone got on well. most of the people in the droving game all got on well together. Henry bell was a gentleman who looked after his people. I recall one time in Wagga Wagga we had 3000 head of cattle in three different mobs at the saleyards and 18 drovers working for him. and this young bloke who was working for the agent came over and asked Mr Bell if he would like to come over and have dinner. Mr Bell asked the young if he knew a good butcher in town and when the kid said he did Mr Bell said well here's 20 quid and go and buy some good steak and tell him to come down and have dinner with us.