[AusRace] Lost momentarily - there is some horse racing in this, also geography and geology

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Where exactly was  Tyrendarra 15, Tony?

On Tue, 27 Apr 2021 at 17:55, Tony Moffat <tonymoffat at bigpond.com> wrote:

> 50 years ago today I was lost, somewhat, although I knew where I was I
> couldn't find what I was looking for, Tyrendarra 15, a well site in western
> Victoria. It had been completed some years previously and I was looking for
> some evidence of its presence, often  some sumps where the shale shakers
> had
> removed the cuttings, a well head is always a good indicator you'd think, a
> limestone pad is another, and always the crap and rubbish those drillers
> leave behind, drums of this and that, cables, surplus cement. None of it
> was
> seen amidst the swaying trees and lava stone walls of the district.
>
> It's ok, I did find the well site, I was about 2 minutes out,
> geographically, and whilst at the right latitude I was awry with the
> longitude, a little.
>
> Whilst lost and strolling around the perimeter of the prettiest paddock
> anywhere I was approached by a duo of galloping horses, an older male and a
> kid who rode past me, waved, and rode on, then reined back to ask if they
> could help. They did, they at least knew where the well site was, a mile
> towards Codrington and on the other side of the track. There it was,
> without
> a well head, without a sump, without mess or anything of notoriety
> regarding
> drillers and their habit of making a mess and moving on. Well done.
>
> The older male returned on his horse a couple of days later, he was a
> grandson of the earliest owners of these paddocks, although not the area
> where the drilling had occurred, that was Victorian Government land. Horse
> riding and horse ownership got us talking punting, as it does. This man's
> father rode Massinissa into Portland to collect Revenue off the delivery
> boat from Melbourne. So, you may well ask.
>
> Massinissa ran second in a Caulfield Cup. Revenue won the Melbourne Cup of
> 1901 at a short price (7/4 or perhaps 2/1). Both of those horses were sent
> to the owners property 'Ellangowan' to hack for a year as a holiday and
> respite for injuries, to remove them from the eye of the racing public,
> amateur and professional, and to see if either or both had another racing
> season in them. It was not uncommon for stayers to stroll about doing not a
> lot for extended periods of time, although this was then.
>
> Neither raced again. Revenue became a ride for the Clerk of the Course at
> Melbourne tracks. He achieved hero status again when taken to the First
> World War and was killed in action there, in a cavalry charge in Romani
> Egypt. See below
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Romani
>
> The owner of these two was also the owner of Wakeful. Now there is
> racehorse.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakeful_(horse)
>
> At her last run she ran second in The Cup, conceding the winner 22
> kilograms
> (or the imperial equivalent). In the book 'Melbourne Cup' under the year
> 1903 there is about 17 words dedicated to the winner, the rest of the page
> is about Wakeful!! - she was bonny, whatever that is.
>
> The elder male, and his daughter, (presumably 'the kid' mentioned) won
> prizes for their cattle. He was a Learmonth, and several of those won
> medals
> in battle. The airforce base in WA is named for them.
>
> Windemere 2 a well nearby that went through the same strata, essentially,
> produced oil, condensate and gas. It was sealed after completion. There is
> gas, tight though, underneath most of that ground.
>
> Cheers
>
> Tony
>
>
>
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