Who were the Jackson Bros?
The Jackson Bros company comprised Barlow and Jack, and operated for over 20 years.
Their droving business was based in Barcaldine, and they moved stock ‘the length and breadth of the Territory’.
'The Jackson Express'
The Jackson Bros used to load all their equipment onto a train at Barcaldine to transport it ‘to the end of the line’. There is practically nothing else on the train after supplies etc are loaded, hence the reference to ‘The Jackson Express’.
When asked about their men, the Jackson brothers said they were mostly local, then Barlow grinned his famous grin and said: 'Great bunch of fellows, can you pick the new ones?' They all looked the same to the reporter, but not to the Jacksons. 'See the American touch to some of the clothes, the new saddle bags, the new whips and the smart, but not serviceable, bash in some of the new hats. Well, they're the new hands. Next year they'll dress like me, and there'll be other new ones, with the same ear marks'.
An example of a trip was to load their plant – 3 wagonettes, 18 men and 140 head of horses – from the railway loading ramp in Barcaldine to be entrained for ‘the end of the line’, Dajarra.
After detraining, they would travel overland to Avon Downs in the Territory. It would take them about two weeks to get there.
Then they would shift 4500 head of cattle to South Galway (about 750 miles) – a short trip of about 10 weeks.
Apparently a ‘fair trek’ would be about 36 to 40 weeks.
Dajarra is a predominantly Aboriginal town about 140 kilometres north of Boulia.
Avon Downs is a pastoral station on the Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located 260 kilometres northwest of Mount Isa. Today there is only one building – a police station complex.
South Galway is located in the heart of the Channel Country, 400km south west of Longreach, situated on Coopers Creek.
Today, the property is a growing out station, back-grounding cattle for AACo’s beef brands.
Good employers
Prior to one of their trips, Barlow put on a ‘Drover’s Ball’ in the Shire Hall.
He paid the orchestra and all necessary incidentals, so his men could have a dance before they left. All the town was invited and turned up, and saw that the men had a good time before they headed for ‘the end of the line’.
One time, the Railway Department could not supply a carriage for the Jackson Bros men.
So, ‘No carriage, no train’ was the reply. ‘The men don’t ride in open trucks’.
Stumpy (the dog)
Stumpy was an ‘enormous’ cattle dog, ‘almost human’ in the opinion of a Longreach Leader reporter in 1950, ‘seeming to understand every gesture given by Barlow’. Stumpy played ‘Two up’.
‘Barlow threw a penny on the ground; the dog picked it up, and waited for his master to say the word. Barlow says whether he wants it to be head or tail, and 19 times out of 20 (the Leader reporter counted them), the flipped was what was asked for; the penny being concealed in his mouth till he received the word’.
The reporter thought this may have been one way of playing ‘Two up’ legally.
The Jackson Bros must have retired in 1953. Their plant and horses were disposed of at auctions in that year.
Note added to the story by Dell Scott, Barcaldine resident
‘I have been talking to Shirley Jackson (nee Burns), wife of the late “Wacker” (Allan) Jackson. Wacker Jackson was the son of Jack Jackson and Barlow Jackson was his uncle. Barlow and Jack had a sister who was Kenny Pumpa’s mother so that Wacker and Kenny Pumpa were cousins. The Jackson family came from Alpha to Barcaldine and Wacker sat next to Shirley in class at the Barcaldine State School. I can remember Bill [Scott] talking about Barlow Jackson. Kevin Jackson is the son of Wacker and Shirley’.
