For many years John Bax of Mudgee drove for Cobb and Co in various directions in and out of Mudgee. However, it was the route from Mudge to Coonabarabran and return that he was best known.
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This route went through Gulgong, Cobborah, Mendooran, Binnaway to Coonabarabran.
He was held up by the bushranger Rutherford on one occasion whilst passing through the Caigan property adjacent to Neilrex.
Charles Henry Souter, a doctor and poet came from Scotland to Australia
in 1879, settled near Coonabarabran, and wrote a long ballad about the exploits of John Bax.
It began:
- When old John Bax drove the mail to Coonabarabran
- His reins were made of rawhide, his whip of kangaroo;
- He’r four grey ‘whalers’ in his old shandrydan,
- And we all set our watches when his coach whistle blew!
- Tan-tan-tara, boys! Here comes the mail!
- Rolling down the cleared line, sun, rain or hail!
- Rocking up the main street as hard as she can go!
- When John Bax drove the mail for Cobb and Co.
John Bax was born in 1825 at Parramatta, son of Stephen and Mary Bax. At the age of 13 years he was apprenticed to a miller called Girard.
Seeking employment in the country he arrived in Mudgee in 1837, but being a mere lad, he returned to Sydney. There he took up a apprenticeship in the engineering business.
Afterwards he came to Round Swamp a locality on the Mudgee Road not far from Mudgee.
Here he worked for different residents and took the opportunity to learn coach driving. During 1845 age 20 years he was engaged by the contractors, Dargin and Barnaby, to drive the first mail between Hartely and Mudgee.
After leaving the service of the mail contractors he moved up to Mudgee for the second time and entered the service of W.R. Blackman, senior. In 1847, he married Jane Robinson, whose father managed for Robert Lowe, of Wilbertree, Mudgee.
At that time Mr. Lowe held Bolaro Station on the Talbragar near the later settled village of Dunedoo.
From 1848 to 1849, he worked for W and S Blackman on their Bullarora Station, situated on the Lower Castlereagh River near Mendooran.
One year later, 1850, Mr Bax returned to Mudgee, and became the licensee of the Court House Hotel.
After conducting the business for a few months he became wearisome of the indoor life and became a tenant farmer on the famous Burrundulla Estate.
Here he continued to follow farming pursuits successfully for 21 years. In 1892, age 65 years, above retirement, Mr Bax entered the service of Cobb and Co and was entrusted with the duties of mail coach driver between Mendooran and Coonabarabran and as relief driver on other lines such as Mudgee to Gulgong and Gulgong to Coolah.
He carried on with these duties until 1896, when he again returned to Mudgee
John Bax was fortunate that just prior to his time driving the Coonabarabran coach a timber bridge had been erected over the Castlereagh River at Mendooran, thus eliminating in flood time an endeavour to cross the river at the safer location up stream at Beni near Merrygoen.
During his time at Mendooran his obliging personality gained for him the highest esteem of the community and as a mark of appreciation the residents of the Upper Castlereagh River presented him with a valuable watch and chain, with Masonic emblems attached.
In addition the residents of Coonabarabran gave him a framed address of appreciation and a purse containing 70 sovereigns.
