Lot 23

Mr. James Walker
The Yuille Family
Thence by descent
Private collection, UK
Private collection, Melbourne

In 1823, James Walker formally arrived in Sydney from Scotland, joining his younger brother, William Walker who had been residing there for the past 10 years. Together the two brothers developed Walker and Co. engaging in coastal shipping and whaling from their wharf and warehouse at Dawes Point.
Walker established himself at Wallerawang in 1824, taking its name from an Indigenous word meaning "place of plenty of wood and water". In correspondence to the Colonial Secretary, Alexander McLeay, dated 1837, Walker outlines his status: "I beg you will be pleased to submit to his Excellency the Governor's consideration the following grounds upon which I venture to solicit an extension of my present grant of land of 2000 acres which I received when I first came into this country in 1823, as a free settler. I brought out with me 18 merino sheep (having lost nine on the voyage), a free man as overseer, who is still in my employment, agricultural implements and workmen's tools to the amount of £200 and I have purchased sheep in this colony to the amount of £1500, and although I suffered the severe loss of upwards of 400 head last winter".
Wallerawang was a sheep and cattle station which also served as a major stop-over location for travellers between Sydney, Mudgee and Bathurst. James Walker continued to build both property and livestock numbers over the following two decades including Loowee (Lue) about 70 miles from Wallerawang, Biambil on the Castlereagh River, Yooloondoory, Coonamble, Barradean, and Mobilla near the Warrumbungle Ranges.