Abraham Wallace
Abraham Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1828 County Offaly, Ireland |
| Died | 27 April 1884 |
| Occupation | Pastoralist |
| Years active | 19th century |
| Known for | Establishing Sturts Meadows Station and Elsey Station; pioneering pastoralist in Australia |
Abraham Wallace (1828 – 27 April 1884) was a pastoralist active in 19th-century Australia. Originating from County Offaly, Ireland, he migrated with his family to Australia aboard the Joseph Soames, arriving in Adelaide in 1850. The family established themselves in the Mount Gambier area. Abraham and his wife, Matilda (née Hill), were engaged in sheep and cattle farming on the frontier, a life Matilda later chronicled in her memoir.
Sheep and cattle farming
Following a short period spent on the Victorian goldfields, Abraham returned to Mt Gambier where he wed Matilda Hill. After the loss of their first child, the couple departed Mount Gambier in 1863 to pursue land opportunities in Queensland. Their travels brought them near Wilcannia on the Darling River, where they briefly operated a store before returning to Adelaide due to restrictions on moving livestock into Queensland. Approximately one year later, they relocated with their stock and equipment to the Barrier region of New South Wales, crossing the Barrier Ranges near Byjerkerno to settle at the edge of European expansion.
In adapting to the arid environment around Fowlers Gap, they employed a mobile strategy, shifting sheep between water sources. Indigenous Australians provided assistance by locating water and helping with shepherding duties, alongside workers such as the Blore brothers. Despite challenging climatic conditions, wool production remained economically sustainable.
The Wallaces were among the pioneering settlers of the area, establishing Sturts Meadows Station roughly 110 km north of Broken Hill. The lease for this property was secured in September 1869, displacing squatter George Raines. Due to limited water availability at Sturts Meadows, they frequently relocated during drought periods to locations including Cobham Lake. They also recorded Aboriginal rock art found on their land, which has since been recognized for its cultural importance. In 1871, Abraham constructed a stone homestead supported by a permanent well located with guidance from local Aboriginal people.
In late 1872, Matilda, who was pregnant at the time, traveled back to Adelaide, leaving Abraham responsible for managing Sturts Meadows. By 1876, the station encompassed 40,469 hectares and had seen considerable development; by 1882, their sheep numbers reached 32,000. Matilda later authored her memoir titled "Twelve Years' Life in Australia," which was archived posthumously in Adelaide.
On 21 January 1880, Abraham set out for the Northern Territory where he obtained a lease for Elsey Station. Over an eighteen-month journey covering about 3,300 km through Blackall and Aramac, he acquired 2,700 cattle along the way. Elsey Station was established jointly with his nephews Jeremiah and John Wallace as well as John Henry Palmer; Abraham soon returned to Sturts Meadows, appointing Palmer as manager. With approximately 1,500 cattle, Elsey was relatively small and financially marginal, placing strain on Abraham’s resources.
The creation of Elsey Station restricted local Aboriginal peoples’ access to traditional resources and sparked tensions. The station is associated with explorer Joseph Ravenscroft Elsey and gained recognition through Jeannie Gunn's novel "We of the Never-Never." Following Wallace’s lease application in 1877 and formal acquisition in 1879, it became one of the earliest cattle stations established in the Northern Territory.
Retirement and death
Following his retirement in 1884, Wallace reunited with his spouse and acquired a large residence at Reynella, known as The Braes. This home was originally constructed in 1868 and designed by the distinguished Adelaide architect Sir Charles S Kingston. Soon after, Wallace tragically took his own life after an accidental incident. He was laid to rest at St. Jude's Cemetery in Brighton.
During this period, Elsey Station and Sturts Meadows were overseen by on-site managers. Several years following Wallace’s passing, Elsey Station was sold. The property subsequently experienced multiple ownership changes until 1901, when a consortium including Aeneas Gunn acquired it. Gunn managed the station until his death in 1903. His experiences, along with those of his wife Jeannie Gunn, served as inspiration for her 1908 autobiographical work We of the Never Never. A photograph of Abraham Wallace taken in 1875 is preserved within the South Australian library archives. In 1998, ownership documents for the property were restored to the traditional custodians.
Memoir
In 1922, A. T. Saunders, with assistance from John Lewis—who had encountered Abraham and Matila at Mingary, South Australia in 1867—uncovered that Matila Wallace was the anonymous author of a memoir deposited posthumously at the Adelaide Public Library. This memoir was later recounted and published in the Mt Gambier South Eastern Times in 1927, highlighting Abraham’s contributions. The memoir is accessible online.