Barry Coulter AO, an active Mate of the Murranji, has recently completed a range of important interviews with the five surviving Drovers who, in their early lives, tackled the infamous Murranji Track prior to the Road Train era in the mid 1960’s.

Pic (Piccaninny) Willetts, Ian MacBean, and brothers, Allan and John Hagan, all of whom are still living within the Northern Territory, were interviewed, with the interview with Pic being published in Issue 44 of TerritoryQ Magazine. Click here to read it.

Barry Coulter and Pic Willetts

Barry is planning to write a book based on these interviews, and which will incorporate the expanded history of the era. This will be a must read and topics will include but are not restricted to:

• Highlighting the significance of Newcastle Waters, not only as the proposed centre and capital of North Australia but noting that if Explorer John McDouall Stuart could have fought his way through the bullwaddy and lancewood vegetation as he tracked north-west to seek out the Victoria River (previously discovered by Explorer A.C. Gregory) our history could be much different.
• The development of the Road Train Industry which fundamentally (and very quickly) changed the droving world, inclusive of the impact of the Beef Roads Program and Noel Buntine’s return to the Northern Territory in 1960.
• The contribution of indigenous cattle men and women.
• Acknowledgement of the women, daughters, and wives who supported the drovers and raised families whilst traversing the stock routes.

Barry’s passion for horse-racing will be also reflected in his history of the Bush Racing era and the interface with the Pastoral Industry.

We acknowledge Barry’s efforts to commitment to ensuring this valuable living history is recorded before it’s too late.