This column's recent exposé on bushranger John Gilbert and his bush grave near Binalong prompted a bulging mailbag.
While many readers recall stopping at the lonesome grave over the years, some readers like John Chalmers of Kambah were "completely unaware" of the bushranger's final resting spot.
One reader who has visited the grave on many occasions is Barry Snelson of Calwell. "I often stopped at the grave in the 1960s during trips between Canberra and Young," reveals Barry who confesses to "having a thing about bushrangers" while never forgetting "they were criminals and had killed police".
Barry especially remembers that for many years [1960s-1980s] on the anniversary of John Gilbert's death, a vase of flowers would mysteriously appear on his grave. "There was talk of locals planning to stake out the grave to catch who was responsible but the culprit was never caught," he says. According to Barry, "when one of the local ladies died, there were no more flowers [on the grave]".
David Rainey of Kambah who, as a kid, also admits to being a bushranger buff, recalls a memorable family trip to Gilbert's grave with his aging father, Bert, in 1971.
"By that stage, dad was pretty buggered and he just managed the climb from the road up the embankment to the paddock and across to the grave," recalls David. "Huffing and puffing, he deadpanned, 'Move over, Gilbert' and sat down on his footstone." On a 2015 family visit to the grave, David's niece Jacqui recreated the pose of Bert resting on the footstone.
Meanwhile, Elaine Stanford of Strathnairn said her first visit didn't live up to grisly expectations. "Over fifty years ago we used to drive to Grenfell regularly and as a kid I always begged my dad to stop the car so I could see a skeleton at this grave ... so we stopped one day ... [and] I was very disappointed to see the little grave and no skeleton!"
Honouring a murderer?
Most correspondence I received was in response to the question I posed as to why Gilbert's grave receives more public attention than that of poor Sergeant Parry who was murdered by Gilbert near Jugiong in November 1864 and whose body is buried in North Gundagai cemetery.
Lyn Little of Belconnen has a theory. "Many visit Gilbert's grave because either they stop in that roadside bay for another purpose, notice the sign and mysterious looking path leading up the hill to his grave, or they stop because they've seen the sign many times in passing. Un-signposted, Parry's grave is only visited by those who already know about it, or by the small number of visitors who may stumble upon it while wandering about the cemetery."
One man intent on ensuring Parry's legacy is not forgotten is Wes Leseberg, a former (2006-2011) officer in charge of the Binalong police station.
In 2018, the retired police officer led the charge which resulted in the street next to the Jugiong police station being renamed Parry Street. "It's only appropriate that his name will now always be connected to law and order in this area," says Wes.
"You always hear about the so-called bravery of the bushrangers, but that's a bit of a myth, bushrangers like Gilbert chose a life of crime and wreaked [the] benefits," explains Wes, adding that most cops were courageous and trying to help local communities. "Parry was courageous and despite being called on several times to surrender he refused and paid the ultimate price."
As part of his leading role in the 7th Light Horse Gundagai Troop, Wes and his colleagues also recently restored Parry's grave at Gundagai, along with that of Constable Webb-Bowens who was killed by Captain Moonlight's gang at nearby Wantabadgery.
Sam Standen of Kaleen also points out there's a monument to honour Parry opposite the popular Sir George Hotel in Jugiong. It was built in 2012 to mark the 150th anniversary of NSW Police and has become a regular stop-off for the hordes of grey nomads who camp on the adjoining oval, adds Sam.
But is it Gilbert's grave?
Finally, several readers asked whether the grave in the pull-out bay on the outskirts of Binalong is really Gilbert's.
Former Binalong resident Tony Southwell reckons "according to at least one local legend, Gilbert wasn't actually buried there; the story goes that the ground was too hard and made the digging very difficult, so the troopers given the task of burying him carried him across the road and buried him down by the creek".
Wes Leseberg also isn't convinced of the location of Gilbert's final resting place. "Everyone says he was buried there as a lesson about what happens to criminals, but the road didn't go through that spot at the time of his death, so he may be buried where some paupers also were back then, on the other side of the hill."
Check it out
Gilbert's Grave: Located about 1km to the north of Binalong on the Burley Griffin Way. It's only safe to access if heading north-west, away from Binalong.
Gilbert's last stand: There is a sign located about 1km out of Binalong on the Hughstonia Road which points to the creek bed (on private land, so no access) where Gilbert was shot by police on May 13, 1865.
Sergeant Parry's Grave: Located at North Gundagai cemetery, a couple of rows on the eastern side of the stone wall that divides the cemetery. Marked, but not signposted.
POETRY IN MOTION
During the week, celebrated performance poet Robyn Sykes recited a heartfelt rendition of Banjo Paterson's How Gilbert Died for your akubra-clad columnist at Gilbert's grave.
It was, of course, this poem, which, when published in 1894, was partly responsible for catapulting the outlaw's bush grave from relative obscurity to the morbid tourist attraction it is today.
It was only the second time the modern-day Binalong bard had recited the poem at the grave, previously doing so on the 150th anniversary of Gilbert's death in 2015.
"As a performance piece, I like the poem because it's got both highs and lows, and light and dark moments," she explains. "Audiences seem to relate to it, particularly because of the drama of the build-up, the drama of the shoot-out and then the resolution."
Robyn admits she has more than a soft spot for Banjo, who attended the Binalong Primary School after his family moved to the area in 1869, revealing both her mother and grandmother recited Banjo to her when she was a child.
"As a result, I knew half a dozen Banjo poems before I thought there might be others worth learning," she laughs.
Robyn's Italian-born 5th class teacher at Murrumburrah Primary School was also an influence on her future career.
"He taught us the The Man from Snowy River and The Man from Ironbark so I had a lot of exposure to Banjo as a young person, long before I moved to Binalong," she explains.
As to whether Gilbert is buried at the grave which bears his name, Robyn says, "I like to look for evidence and ... there is no evidence to support any of the theories that he is buried elsewhere."
For more information on where you can catch Robyn's public performances, check out her Robyn Sykes Poetry Facebook page. She also performs at monthly open mikes run by the Binalong Arts Group.
WHERE IN THE REGION?
Rating: Hard
Clue: Lots of treasure in this far-flung op shop.
How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au The first correct email sent after 10am, Saturday 29 April wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema.
Last week: Congratulations to Chris Ryan of Kirrawee who was first to identify last week's 1968 photo taken from the western shore of Lake Burley Griffin, in Yarralumla's Stirling Park, looking across West Basin to Acton Peninsula and the buildings of the since demolished Royal Canberra Hospital, and city. You can see the lower slopes of Mt Ainslie on the horizon. Chris just beat Penleigh Boyd of Reid and Phillip Dean of Kingston to the prize.
Kim Bal-Al recognised the location well as she "used to run along ACT school cross-country tracks on the foreshore in the early 1980s and it's not far from the tree rope that we jumped off as kids".
GRAVE MATTERS
Earlier this week while on a tour of the Braidwood Historic Cemetery, the informative guides from the Braidwood & District Historical Society pointed out two unusual grave markers; one made of timber, the other of brick. Both are at least 120 to 150 years old and unfortunately the details of whose graves they mark has been lost through the mists of time. I can't think of any other similarly marked graves in our region, can you?
CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601
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