| Corner Country Transportation Cobb and Co
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Freeman Cobb was the first to introduce coaches to Australia starting in
Victoria, July 1853. The American coaches were built in Concord and
Connecticut in USA. Instead of the conventional metal springs, the new
bodies were suspended with stout leather straps. Although this type of
suspension has a tendency to produce a rolling motion - it made some
passengers feel seasick on the rough bush roads - but it provided a much
more comfortable ride. Coaching services were established across New South Wales when Cobb and Co relocated from Victoria to Bathurst, and under the guidance of James Rutherford, became the most successful company of its kind in Australia. Cobb and Co provided the fastest service by changing horses every ten miles and harnessed up to 6000 horses a day throughout Australia. Cobb and Co established a coaching service between Wilcannia and Milparinka in 1882 with Robertson and Wagner as agents, although it was later sold to Morrison Brothers, and then to Kidman. The mail service also operated twice each week out of Wilcannia, and visited Tarella, Yandarlo, Cobham, Milparinka, and Tibooburra. a journey of 331 km. Two or more horses were used. There were times, however, when droughts prevented the service from using horses, and camels were used to pull the coaches. In 1892 a branch of the Cobb and Co coaching service began in Broken Hill with a depot at John Murphy’s Wilcannia Club Hotel on the corner of Oxide and Crystal Street. This service ran twice a week to Tarrawingee, Eurowie, Cobham, Milparinka and Tibooburra with another service for Round Hill, Mt Gipps and Wilcannia once a week. Coaches went to Sturt’s Meadows, Langawirra, Mootwingee (Mutawintgee), Gnalta and Tarella. News of delays were telegraphed and printed in Sydney newspapers, such as the follow report from the 1890s: "MAIL COACHES DELAYED. Showery weather set in early this morning, and continued during the day. Altogether 16 points fell. To-night there was a heavy thunderstorm to the eastward. Owing to the heavy state of the roads out back mailcoach drivers continue to experience unusual difficulty in getting through. The Milparinka coach, which was due in Broken Hill at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, had only reached Euriowie at 7 o'clock last night, and the mail arrived at Broken Hill at 11 o'clock this morning." |
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