Entrance to West Maitland, NSW, 1837

Watercolour by Robert Russell

By permission of the National Library of Australia

Reprinted in ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788 – 1900) and The Serpents Legacy’ by Keith R Binney. Publisher: Volcanic Productions

While John Piper established himself at Point Piper the ultimate destination of imported livestock including all-important horses was much more bucolic and mundane.

Places like Maitland in the Lower Hunter Valley were just opening up for settlement. The Scott Brothers at ‘Glendon’ near Singleton were already up and running. Coal Barons such as John Brown also followed suit with stud premises at Wills Gully.