‘Towards morning I roused up, and with some surprise realised I had evidently slept most of the night.  The country we were passing through was very pretty and the small town of Rylstone not yet awake.

When I commented on this to the old gentleman in the compartment he said, ‘ Yes. But it was quite a busy place for all as trains and transport pass through going north-west. 

And yes, it was pretty, but nothing compared to “Gundare” where I was going.’ He added that he knew “Gundare” personally, the master was a close friend and neighbour, and he was sure I would get on well with the family.

Just before we reached Mudgee at 7am he told me he would not be going to Coolah immediately as he had business in Mudgee to attend to there.”  

Maud’s fellow passenger was James Mair Allison (1827-1904) owner of Oakey Creek Station 30kms north of Coolah and the holder of  a pastoral run that butted onto the boundary of Gundare Station.

“Mudgee was reached a little after 7am. It was actually the end of the line so far as Coolah was concerned and Maude was informed that she must now transfer to the stage coach which would leave at 8am and take her a further 60-70 miles to Coolah

She enjoyed the first 50 miles of the trip. The country indeed was very lovely and the distant ranges rested in a shadowy blue-purple on the horizon. The coach stopped at Gulgong for refreshments, to change coaches and to transfer the mail. Unfortunately the second coach following had sustained a broken spring.

Outside Gulgong the road developed rapidly into rough dirt and full of pot holes which did nothing to improve the travel.  Maude found this last part of the trip increasingly difficult. 

The constant jolting was affecting her back, and she was very thankful when the lights of Coolah became visible in the surrounding darkness.  It was now 9.00pm and the end of a very long day.

The coach pulled up in front of along, low, typical country hotel.  Nothing else was discernible in the darkness but the glow of an occasional lamp lit window. There seemed to be a group of men and some half-grown boys in the front of the hotel judging by the exchange of pleasantries.  

They were evidently awaiting the coach to collect various parcels and letters.The driver jumped down and went into the building and came out with the publican who informed Maude that no-one had come in from “Gundare” to pick her up, and that she was to stay at  the C.O.E.  Parson’s Rectory. When the coach was unloaded she was driven down to the parson’s residence.  

The sudden weight of uncertainity lifted, and Maude smiled confidently and thanked the man. Meanwhile the waiting men and boys had drawn nearer, and evinced curiosity about the passenger, particularly a girl.

One of the men shouted ‘Who’ve you got along there, Jock?  Where’ she for?’ The coachman replied in what he considered a confidential tone, apparently, ‘New governess for Gundare – staying the night with the Parson and his lady.’

This seemed to satisfy the men and they automaticaly transferred their interest to unloading various  size parcels.”            

Most of the above information was taken from Dorothy Hulme-Moirs 1989 book, “The Edge of Time”.  Dorothy was Maud Richardson’s daughter and the wife of clergyman the Rt Rev. Francis Oag Hulme-Moir An acknowledgement appears in her book for Peter Ramsay, former owner of “Gundare” and Roy Cameron, retired shire clerk.