At a funeral this afternoon I met a couple from Grong Grong, north west of Wagga. Paul Kennedy ( 86 years old ) said his father obtained a 2,000 acre property there by ballot when the large properties were broken up and he grew wheat. The land was cleared by
the Chinese who had pigtails. They grew pigtails so they could be pulled into heaven. I mentioned that I was interested in birds and he brought up the subject of rarer birds.
He spoke first about a reserve that had been made for the bird that built mounds. ( probably Round Hill.)
He said his father told him he shot the last bush turkey in Grong Grong. Later I thought he must have been talking about a Mallee Fowl being shot. On reflection it was more likely to have been a Bustard.
My question is: What was the historical distribution of the Mallee Fowl in NSW? Did it occur in the Riverina?
Bill Graham
