The original Glenlyon property was first selected by Archibald Garden[-Campbell] [Born 1820 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.] and registered on the 7th July 1840 at Armidale. He had seven assigned convicts, and at the time this was the most northerly settled property in the New England District of New South Wales. The northern property boundary of Glenlyon in 1843 became the southern boundary of the Darling Downs District. Archibald named the station after his father’s ancestral home in Scotland, Glenlyon.
He established his hut and yards adjacent to the Glenlyon caves, about the middle of the property at that time.
As his elder brother Francis would inherit the Campbell titles, Archibald chose to drop the Campbell from his name. Archibald was one of the Aberdeenshire group inspired to come to Australia by Ernest George Elphinstone Dalrymple and his father Lord Dalrymple. Archibald with fellow Aberdeenian, Henry Stuart Russell, arrived in Sydney on the Barque The Alfred on the 15th January 1839. With partner Bennett, they selected a station, named Claverley, on the head waters of what became know as the Mole River. At that time this was the most northerly property in NSW, being north of Rangers Valley. We know he explored down the Mole to discover where it joined the Dumaresq River. Alan Cunningham had spent a night camped at the junction, in July1827 and dogged down an old Emu for supper. The area is now known as Mingoola. The Mole and Mingoola stations were selected by and registered to Ward Stephens in June 1840. Ward Stephens had sold his newspaper, The Sydney Herald, and his sheep properties and moved his stock to Claverley. In May 1840 Ward Stephens, with his stock and twenty seven assigned convicts, moved from Claverley and with Archibald Garden and his stock, they headed down the Mole to settle on the selected properties.
Archibald had discovered the Creek that became known as Pikes Creek and explored the area that he later selected as Glenlyon. In March 1840, as previously arranged, Archibald’s Scottish friend, Patrick Leslie with convict Peter Murphy, stayed three nights with Archibald at Claverley. Archibald gave Patrick a map of the area that he had discovered, and on the morning of 14th March 1840 Patrick and Peter started up Pikes Creek, on his journey north to rediscover and settle the Darling Downs.
Mid 1844 Alexander McLeod and son-in-law Richard Wright, with families, arrived at Glenlyon and on the 8th November 1844 a depasturing licence was granted to McLeod & Wright, at Cambooya, by Christopher Rolleston, the Commissioner for the Darling Downs district.
They had arrived with 3,000 sheep, 300 cattle and 46 horses. They established themselves on the flat where the existing horse yards are today, building three cottages and a workers hut. They sold out in 1854 to Robert Chester-Master.
Robert Chester-Master sold to Archibald Walker[ A cousin] on 19th April 1859.
In April 1861 Archibald Walker sold to Ships Master, Captain Henry Davis. Davis had sold in Victoria, his Barque The Medway to purchase Glenlyon. Henry Davis’ son in law, Samuel Robinson built the Homestead on the hill above the other buildings. He also built a floored woolshed just north east of the cottages. He also built a sheep wash complete with steam engine to pump the water from the creek.
In 1871 Davis sold to Henry Harden & William Henry Walker. In 1877 WH Walker sold his share to Harden. In 1879 Harden died and the property was bought by Donald Gunn Snr until his death in 1890. The property was then transferred to the White Bros of Belltrees, Scone
In August 1900 White Bros sold to Doug’s Great grandfather Roderick McLeod of Terrica. In 1908 Roderick McLeod transferred the property to his daughter Enid, who was living at her property Redgate, adjacent to Glenlyon. In 1910 Enid married Francis Percival Walker, Doug’s Grandfather.
Outbuildings: Dicks hut (currently used for storage) It was originally built early 1920’s by Jack Smith, as a workers hut, on his property “Wandara”, on the Texas Road. In 1952 the hut was relocated from “Wandara” to Spring Creek, part of Glenlyon, The hut was lived in by Dickie [Harold Bernard] Mann from 1952 until his passing in 1960. Then it was moved to the Tilba Homestead in early 1965.
Doug Walker is currently writing a book on the history of Glenlyon, if you are interested please contact me.