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Agnes BUNTINE

Also known as: née Davidson, The Mother of Gippsland

Born: 1821

Died: 29 February 1896

Special Achievements:

Pioneer, possibly first and only woman "bullocky".

Additional Information:

She, and her husband, operated a small inn at Morris Creek, outside Tarraville, Victoria. 1845 - They established Bruthen Creek Station (Bruthen, Gippsland, Victoria) and a pub, the Bush Inn (Bruthen, Gippsland, Victoria), for three years, then a general store. Agnes began a carting/delivery/transport business of oxen teams to transport supplies to Victorian goldfields.

1851 - Agnes drove a bullock team, carrying butter, cheese, and a rifle, 120 miles from Port Albert, southern Victoria to Forest Creek, Sandhurst (Bendigo) goldfields. To reach the destination, she crossed “The Great Divide” (“now known as The Great Dividing Range or Australian Alps, it is Australia’s biggest mountain range and the third longest in the world”). She opened one to two stores in Forest Creek. A third store was opened at the “McIvor diggings” when a gold rush began.

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