haunted house (wingen, 1925)

7/27/2019 Haunted House (Wingen, 1925)

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The Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Friday 24 May 1935, page 15

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116274266

By Esme ZMadden

MuruHa North Homestead, Wingen, formerly a well-known irin.in the

bushranging days.*

—Photo: Esme Madden.

THIS, my story, is an old,, old story

of simple bravery in the spacious

.days' when bulshrang'ers- and- hold-ups\x=req-\

were as common as politicians are

now. ,:

. .

If you would follow the pretty

zigzagoad from Wingen through the

beautiful flourishing countryside for

three miles, you would, after topping

a rise, see the Murulla North

homestead,hich has figured prominently

in many queer stories. It once fell

into disuse, and weird tales were

whisperedf a white form which haunted

the garden thiclcet, and of doors which

Refused to Shut. There is not a

swagmann Australia who does not know

of, and cannot tell, hair-raising tales



of, and cannot tell, hair-raising tales

of this century-old Inn, known

universallys the Haunted House.

To-day, care and renovations have

worked miracles; and in the soft lightof evening, the house faintly pink

against the green and gold of orange

trees, its old-world garden a riot of

blooms,it

appears anenchanted

place—a sort of misty Avalon.

It was built in the dawn of

Australianistory and has seen all

mannerf changes. If you care to climb

the hill at the back of "Murulla North"

the smoke from the famous Burning

Mountain can be seen,, while far away

stretches the winding track leading to

Warland's Range, once a terror to all

motorists, until the new road was



motorists, until the new road was

constructed.Away back in the eighties Peter

Clarke, with several other drovers,

stayed one night at this historic home

stead.' They were a merry crowd arid,

naturally, as • Wilson -the bushranger

had been seen in the vicinity,the

talkturned on these outlaws.. V

I have slept in the room where the

notorious Wilson lay concealed, listen

ing to the drovers express their con

tempt for him.

After hearing Clarke, a mere boy of

nineteen announce his intention to

push on. at dawn, the others of the

party to follow later, he evidently

slipped out unnoticed and melted into

the night.

And, as an old local poet has it:

At dawn Clarke climbed the steepascent (Warland's Range) and

scarce had climbed the top,

When a voice in accents stern and

bold commanded him, to stop.

"Hands ftp! Your money, watch and

chain" the robber sternly cried;

"Who takes my money takes my life,"

in anger Clarke replied.At this the robber laughed in scorn, as

he a pistol drew ...

Peter Clarke was a gallant youthand had no intention to surrender.

He grappled with the bushranger, andin the ensuing struggle Wilson shot

him. The bushranger then endeavored

to get away, but Clarke had the

"death grip" on him, arid Wilson was

using cruel means to free himself

when the other drovers arrived on th»

scene."

Wilson was taken captive, and was

almost lynched by infuriated villagers

when conveyed through Blandford,

thence to Maitland gaol, where he was

eventually hanged.

On the spot of the fatal encounter

the villagers of Wingen and Blandforderected a m'oniimen-t to Clarke.

Warland's Range is not a happy

spot, being the .scene of many, acci

dents, not to say murders, and it is

said that, there broods over this, placean unearthly quiet, .as though "trie

air <holds its breath.'.'

haunted house (wingen, 1925)

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