On Sunday the Upper Murray Historical Society conducted a Corryong Pioneer Cemetery Walk, the first since 2018.

The society was well-pleased with the community support with attendance estimated in the high 40s.

Six early pioneers were remembered on the walk.

The first grave visited was that of Elizabeth Playle, one of the founding members of Corryong.

The Playle family arrived here in 1883 and did much for the social and commercial development of the township.

Her life was recounted by one of her direct descendants – John Whitehead.

Although the Playle surname has disappeared from this district the high point above Corryong, ‘Playles Hill’, is a reminder of their former presence.

Of course many descendants remain.

The second grave was that of Alf Acocks after whom Acocks Street is named.

Marg Jarvis brought notice to Alf’s early life prior to immigrating to Australia and the huge contribution – much of it voluntary – that he made to Corryong’s early development.

Among the many causes Alf was involved in wa bringing reticulated water to the town.

Before then the water supply was always in a very precarious state, being mainly supplied by well and water tank.

Local teacher, Steve Learmonth, has done much work in researching and highlighting the military history of former residents.

He spoke of WWI soldier Albert John Knight.

This was a somewhat unique talk in that A J Knight, who was killed in action, is not actually buried in Pioneers remembered on walk the cemetery but many thousands of kilometres away in France.

However, he is prominently remembered on the headstone of his mother’s grave.

Another local teacher, Vicki Kane, gave a very well researched talk on the Garing family.

The Garings were a well- known mining family who arrived from Granya in early 1894 and who, along with Walton and Brown, discovered the rich ‘Bread & Sugar’ mine on Mount Elliot.

Of the three original partners, the Garings were the only ones to remain.

During her talk Vicki drew attention to a much under-recognised aspect of pioneering life – the plight of women and the sorrow caused by the high infant mortality of those times.

Marilyn Clydsdale spoke of her husband Neil’s ancestor, John Clydsdale who emigrated as four- year-old with his family from Scotland during the ‘Clearances’ which caused the Scottish diaspora to all the corners of the globe.

The Clydsdales arrived in Sydney as part of an extended family group consisting of the McLaurins, McMeekins and Patons on the ship ‘Brilliant’ in January 1838.

Rather than turning to the land as his cousins did, John chose mining at Zulu Creek, Sassafras and the Saltpetre diggings and ended up the poorer for it.

This resulted in him being buried in the Corryong Cemetery in a pauper’s grave.

His final resting place was lost but eventually rediscovered and through the work of Marilyn and Neil a fitting marker has been placed over his grave.

John Murphy recounted some of the life of Cheong Keong also buried in a pauper’s grave.

Cheong arrived in Australia along with many other thousands of Chinese during the Great Australian Gold Rush, eventually finding his way to the Upper Murray.

For 20 years he worked for James Findlay on Towong Hill Station then returned to his former profession but this time mining tin at Koetong.

After a short stint as a selector at Granya he returned to the Upper Murray in late 1894 and set up a market garden on the Back Thowgla Road, adjacent the bridge.

He supplied both Corryong and the Mount Elliot diggings with fresh fruit and vegetables for more than a decade.

Sadly, in October 1905, Cheong was drowned at Bringenbrong Ford while attempting to visit a friend working for the Mitchells at Bringenbrong Station.

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 11 May 2023.