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In May 1940, he contracted Abraham Andrew with son Merv to build a new lime concrete homestead. As
the Second World War was in progress, cement and other building materials were very difficult to obtain. Good
quality limestone was readily available in the hills close by, and with skill and hard work the local limestone was
burned and the homestead erected within a reasonable time. A difficulty arose over the roofing timber, so the
Andrews accepted some breeding cows in payment for their services and Bryan was left to complete the roof later.
This homestead, in later years, became the nucleus of the present day chalet, somewhat modified after a disastrous
fire and being extended. Owing to a dry year and lack of stock feed along the Finke River in 1943, Bryan moved
to Raggatts Well, where he set up a semi permanent camp. This later became permanent so the earlier homestead
was abandoned. By the mid 1940s he had built his stock numbers up to 3 000 head and had improved the water
situation to suit. After buying 1 000 head of breeding cows from Mount Riddock and some stud bulls from south
the numbers on the station books soon soared to over 6 000.
It was at this stage that Bryan decided to extend his cattle interests and move some of his stock to another
holding. As Tempe Downs had not shown a profit since he had been bought out, Bryan made an offer to buy it.
The terms not being satisfactory, he then inspected Coniston station, which at this time was owned by the elderly
pioneer Randall Stafford. Being well favoured as a client with the Stock and Station Agency of Goldsbrough Mort,
he had no problem with finance and acquired Coniston in August 1946.
Although Glen Helen and Coniston stations were 205 bush track kilometres apart the two properties
complemented each other well, in climatic and stock holding capacities. Glen Helen was good fattening country in
normal seasons, with Coniston well attuned to being good holding and breeding country.
To ease the stock situation on Glen Helen, Bryan moved 1000 head of cattle to Coniston, and then started
to improve the water situation. He engaged a well borer by the name of Jack Shepley who successfully opened
up a number of new bores. With these equipped, he then started buying cattle from the Top End of the Northern
Territory. The first mixed mob came from Inverway in 1948, followed by others from Humbert River about 1951
and 800 head from Jack McKay’s property at Mainoru in 1953. Good seasons followed and Bryan did well for his
enterprise.
In mid 1954 Bryan became a silent partner with Max Cartwright and Ray Arbon in Urapunga station on the
Roper River. The partnership worked mutually well for the next six years.
In 1954 Bert Gardiner, who was at the time operating Legion radio taxicabs in Alice Springs, approached Bryan
about renovating the old abandoned Glen Helen homestead and starting a tourist run to the Gorge. As there was
no road to the Gorge in those days, the bush tracks were rather a circuitous journey down the Davenport Creek.
Eventually Bryan became involved and financed the renovation of the old homestead. This was the start of his
heavy commitment to tourism and later in the ‘Central Australian Tourist Association’.
In 1957 Bryan’s brother Pete, with wife Sally and daughters Marion and Wendy, came up from Adelaide to
manage Glen Helen. Although Pete was a partner with Bryan in Coniston (B and H N Bowman), they preferred
‘the Glen’. Unfortunately Pete was not well on arrival and was suffering acute head pains that worsened over the
next few months. Medical attention had been sought and it appeared that the cause of the problem might be serious.
Christmas was not a good time for air travel in those days, as extra flights were not made. However a seat was made
available for Pete on medical grounds, and daughter Marion travelled in the place of Thomas Whelan. As Sally,
Wendy and friend Thomas Whelan were unable to fly they drove the family Vanguard car down the primitive south
road of the day.
Pete received prompt medical attention on arrival in Adelaide. With treatment the condition improved and was
found not to be as serious as first thought. When the rest of the family did not arrive within a reasonable time police
aid was sought. About 10 days later the murdered remains of Sally, Wendy and Thomas Whelan were found in
the far north of South Australia. The bodies had been brutally bashed and shot, as had the family dogs. This brutal
and senseless murder is known as the ‘Sundown murders’. It took Bryan a long time to get over this very great
personal tragedy.
In 1960 Bryan bought Max Cartwright’s share in Urapunga, so became the senior partner with Ray Arbon.
Bryan acquired the Sturt Plain grazing licence (near Dunmarra) in 1963 as a holding property for Urapunga cattle
and other stock he was to buy from the northern regions, prior to transporting them to Glen Helen or Coniston.
This worked well until Urapunga was sold in 1968. Bryan abandoned the grazing licence of Sturt Plains in 1974,
when it was no longer viable to buy store cattle in the Top End for fattening in the south.
During Bryan’s years on Tempe Downs, Glen Helen and Coniston, the properties were successfully worked by
90 per cent Aboriginal labour. These stockmen were very capable and needed no regular supervision. At branding
time, the tallies were faithfully kept by cutting notches on suitable length sticks. These would be handed to Bryan,
who would then enter the appropriate numbers into the relevant stock books.
In short, Bryan held his Northern Territory pastoral interests for 54 years before he retired from active
participation at age 82 years. He was on Tempe Downs from 1930 to 1938, Glen Helen 1938 to 1984, Coniston
1946 to 1976, Urapunga 1954 to 1968 and Sturt Plain 1963 to 1974.
Bryan was a founding shareholder in the Alice Springs Abattoirs and remained so until it closed down.
Bryan also contributed heavily to the founding of the Central Australian Tourist Association and financed the early
days of the Glen Helen Chalet and other aspects of Centralian Tourism. Bryan Bowman was an honest and sincere
cattleman, who made a great mark in the cattle and tourist industries of Central and Northern Australia. He was
progressive in the matter of education for his Aboriginal staff and families on his properties. At Coniston and
Urapunga, the earliest of pastoral property schools were established.
Lily, his Aboriginal companion of 12 years, had died about 1945. Not long after this Molly McCormack
Nabarula came into his life and became his long life companion. Molly was born about 1920 on Coniston. She was