The gorget, similar to those worn by the 18th century British Army officers, is about seven inches long, and four inches wide, pierced at each end.

It is worn with a chain, military fashion and is inscribed: "Tony, a chief of the Merotherie Tribe a tribute of respect from William Bowman.

"Engraved on the left and right hand side of the inscription respectively reversed to the Commonwealth coat of arms.

The gorget came into the possession of the Rev. Dr. Cumming Thom, president of the New South Wales Council of Churches, and a former principal of St. Andrew's Presbyterian College, who is a member of the deputation of the World Council of Churches.

The gorget was found in an antique shop window in Aberdeen Scotland, and was presented to Dr. Cumming Thom when he was overseas in 1948, with a request that he take it back to Australia where it belonged.

Later the doctor came in contact with Mr R Stuart Bowman, of Redbournberry, Singleton, and discovered that the gorget was once given by Mr Bowman's great-uncle, Mr William Bowman. The latter was born on December 11, 1799, and died in 1874.

He selected the Merotherie property on the Talbragar River near Coolah, about 1830, when the Talbragar Aboriginal tribe lived in the district.

"Tony" was the "King" of the Talbragar tribe at that time, and was employed by William Bowman as a tracker for locating lost and stolen cattle.

William Bowman died and left the property at Merotherie to his nephew James Bowman who passed onto his son, the late Ronald Bowman. A gorget is a metal neck piece, lunette or crescent shaped, usually made of silver or guided brass.

Until the end of the 18th century gorgets were worn by many officers in various countries as symbols of rank. Originally a piece of steel armour for protecting the throat, gorgets had by the middle of the 17th century changed in shape and use until they were no longer functional as protective coverings.

For almost two centuries they were worn by military officers as ornaments of authority and not as protective armor. During this period the gorget was suspended around the neck by a chain or ribbon.

Sue Harding in her 1986 book, "Survivors in Time" in the section dealing with Merotherie make the following refer to Tony-Chief of Merotherie -

Preserved in the Gulgong Museum is a simple engraved shield - a breastplate depicting an emu and a kangaroo, a gift of long ago. The inscriptions reads, "Tony Chief of Merotherie, a reward of merit from Mr William Bowman.

It is the response of one unorthodox man to his situation as a pioneer to a strange and often hostile territory," The book also has a comprehensive coverage of the Merotherie homestead. Further information on the Aboriginals of the Coolah area, including King Togee of the Butheroe Tribe, may be found in Roy Cameron's writings in the Council library at Coolah.

Roy Cameron OAM

Mr Cameron began as the Coolah shire clerk in 1957 and remained in that position until his retirement in 1990. He still lives in Coolah and has written a number of history books including Around the Black Stump which sold more than 2200 copies on its release.

He is an active member in five historical societies including Coolah, Dubbo and Dunedoo, the Royal Australian Historical Society and the Lower Clarence society at McLean where he grew up. Mr Cameron has been a contributor to 19 other local history books.