Tim Fischer AC praises Urana Court House Museum
Published on 11 July 2017
Recently Tim Fischer AC visited the Urana Court House Museum , deposited a collection of historic maps and gave a framed photo of a famous rail meeting held at Oaklands.
He also met with Jenny Hearn and saw the displays.
Mr Fischer said the Urana Court House Museum has greatly expanded and improved with a touch of polish in the last decade and deserves full support.
“This is the building where Australia’s greatest citizen General, John Monash appeared in Land Board proceedings in 1897, the only time he led a case of this kind; the following caption gives the background, could I suggest to be placed near his portrait in due course”, Mr Fischer said.
"In 1897, Sir John Monash having graduated from Melbourne University with degrees in Law , Arts and Engineering returned to Jerilderie to gather evidence to represent the Billabong Creek downstream water users.
"Monash had grown up in Jerilderie and armed with three degrees soon became sought after as an expert witness on water matters and as a legal advocate."
Mr Fischer said Jerilderie water users were objecting to the large weirs of Coonong Station that the McCaughey family had established.
"The case went initially to the Land Board sitting at Urana Court House, a loaded compromise was ordered by the Land Board that Monash said would still be injurious to the downstream water users, so he led an appeal to the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney," he said.
"This Court ruled in December 1897 outright against the McCaugheys and for those downstream. Monash was a hero as a result downstream, even the McCaugheys had both sides out to their Sydney residence for a drink after the decision but later took their big irrigation plans to Tralee on the Darling River.
"Long serving Mayor of Urana, Councillor Ian Coghill maintained that this decision was a major blow for Urana’s economic development at that time, indeed it was but it was also a gain for those downstream and for the growing reputation of the capabilities of Sir John Monash who 20 years later greatly helped turn the tide to victory on the Western Front."