Mini-Run - Customs House to Lock 7 (8 - 13 May 2022) Charles Sturt, the first European known to have visited the mouth of th Rufus River, was met by "...a tribe of about 250 in number, assembled to greet us." (from Sturt's book about his voyage down the Murray River in 1829-30). By contrast, we would not have seen more than a tenth of that number in the whole week of our recent cruise through this area. Eight boats and 14 people were involved at various stages of the cruise upstream for 66km of river and return, spanning 4 - 6 days. Boats ranged from medium-sized cruisers to a 16' open boat and a tinny. Most slept aboard, but some slept in tents and at accommodation provided at two of the homesteads visited. The river was running at about 3kph and this made for more interest passing through Higgin's and Pollard's Cuttings. Mini-Runs haven't previously incorporated catered meals during the event, but on this occasion we had pizzas provided at Wompinni Station and a full (lamb shank and vegetables) dinner and dessert at Kulcurna Homestead. Eric Thomas and Kerry Alderson of Wompinni Station have a couple of transportable cabins and a range of campsites, the latter serviced by modern shared toilet and shower facilities. The weather was mostly kind, but deteriorated towards the end of the return leg and there was a late rush on room bookings at the spacious and gracious Kulcurna Homestead. In addition to our two course dinner, Paul and Belinda Hansen provided a cooked breakfast the next morning. Many of us explored the old shearing shed and the ruins of the Cal Lal police station at Wompinni and walked through to the ancient dunes at the rear of the property. Also at Wompinni was young resident artist Jasmine Rose, who works in diverse media, including sculpture at various levels and in fine arts. Jasmine offered a tour of her gallery and garden exhibits, explaining her techniques, including her interest with incorporation of local materials into her ceramics. You can find out more about Jasmine on our new Artists of the River page. By the time we got to Kulcurna on the return leg, locally rare rainfall had begun to settle in. People took the opportunity to read and play games in the large lounge and formal dining room before dinner in the family kitchen. After dinner Paul and Belinda told us about the history of their Higgins ancestor and his descendents, who have occupied the area for about 150 years. At one stage the property reached 90,000 acres in size and incorporated Wompinni Station and much more. It was a popular stopping off point for overlanders travelling to South Australia. Eric and Kerry and Belinda and Paul have become supporting members of the RCBC and you can see more about their properties at our Supporters page. An excellent campsite around the 696km mark served us for several days on the up and downstream legs. "I called the little tributary I have noticed, the Rufus, in honour of my friend McLeay's red head." (from Charles Sturt's journal of his voyage down the Murray River in 1829-30). The limit of our upstream run was Lake Victoria, accessed from the Rufus River. Lake Victoria is a vast and an apparently mostly empty artificial lake basin, but water flows from the weir were still quite substantial. An excellent series of display boards at the weir provided limited information on local history, including the Rufus River Massacre in August 1841, where at least 30 to 40 (aboriginal) Maraura people; men, women and children, were killed. No lives were lost amongst the attacking European parties. One of many massacres of the frontier war, it followed months of incursions and increasing animosity as tens of thousands of sheep, cattle and horses were driven through aboriginal territory by "overlanders" bound for South Australia. The names of many of the Europeans involved before, during or after the massacre have gone on to be recorded in our history and placenames; for example, Bonney, Inman, Dutton, Field, O'Halloran, Hawker, Langhorne, Tolmer, Finnis, Strangways, Sturt, Eyre. One of the attacking parties of Europeans was led by Matthew Moorhouse, the Protector of Aborigines, appointed by SA Governor Grey! While looking out over the expanse of Lake Victoria, it is worth pondering the nameless Maraura and other indigenous people who were killed outright or later died of their wounds. Amongst the many attrocities committed over these two days, the head of an aboriginal woman was cut off and later exhibited in Adelaide as a curiosity. Bones were dug up for years later and sold as souvenirs (Roysland, Dorothy, 1977, A Pioneer Family on the Murray River, Rigby, Adelaide, p13). "Once the shooting stopped, Maraura women were brought to the camp of the victors. 'The women were brought afterwards with a desire to promote friendly feeling, and the men had intercourse with them' said Mr. Phillipson from Robinson's party." (Marcus, Julie, in press, Sex and Savagery in the Good Colony, 1836-1901. How Good Intentions Go Wrong but Shape the Future Anyway, citing evidence of Phillipson to an inquiry subsequently reported in the South Australian Register). See also Mattingley, C & Hampton, K (eds.), 1988, Survival in Our Own Land. 'Aboriginal' Experiences in 'South Australia' Since 1836, Wakefield Press, Adelaide. As we travel through our beautiful river country, it is important to be aware of what price some have paid for our access.

Photos by Lindsay Dent (L > R): kangaroos on the floodplain inland of the 696km camp; and sunset nearby; Lake Victoria weir from Rufus River; moorings.

Photos by Lindsay Dent (L > R): sedimentary cliffs Devil's Elbow; Kulcurna Homestead peeping through the gums; one of two borders crossed; Wompinni Station; a tinny on the run; tent and 16' putt-putt; the other border; much insulted, but still standing - how old am I?