The Donkey Man

The Donkey Man –

Sun-Tanned Outbacker Who Travelled 19,000Miles
Now Cooks for Well-Sinkers on W.A. Station

Most Western Australians retain vivid recollections of ‘the man with the donkey’ — the gallant A.I.F. man who with a donkey in the Hades of Gallipoli’s shot and shell conveyed wounded men to succour and safety. Let us introduce now a W.A. man who might be styled ‘the man with the donkeys’ — and in his way, too, an unusual personality.

S H Cameron and two of his donkeys

He is sun-tanned S. H. Cameron —at latest advice, cooking with a party of well-sinkers on Dalgetty Downs station about 300 miles from Mullewa and he claims to have travelled about 19,000 miles with his party of ‘donks’ on a long trek to the East and back to Western Australia. The story of his travels is one of hardship, a tough constitution and a plucky heart, and in the conquest of distance and changing weather conditions of the faithful and hardy donkeys played no inconsiderable part.

In 1927 he left the West to make for Queensland, his starting point being the Fitzroy River. Eventually, he worked his way to the Bananaland State and after extensive travelling there he moved out to Central Australia and roamed along to Alice Springs. Followed then a trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria. He plodded his patient way onto Cape York — to the extreme point of the peninsular. Back again he went to Alice Springs and then on to Tennant’s Creek of goldhunting fame. Up to this time, all had been fairly good travelling. Then he went to Newcastle Waters, Anthony’s Lagoon, and on to Fitzroy River— thus back to the dear old West again. In the long and sometimes arduous going

much depended on the plucky ‘donks’ — sometimes life itself.

Nor did the animals dine like princes — there were occasions when all that was available for them was a piece of damper. For the most part, the natives were fairly decent, and in outlying parts, there was extended welcome assistance from the police in the loan of firearms (which of course had to be returned). According to the hardy traveller, his only regret in connection with the long wanderings is the loss of his mate, who died of thirst 30 miles from Flora Valley station and is now buried by the telephone line in that vicinity. There are many unsung heroes of peace times and of the vast open spaces. Their feats of endurance and gallantry in braving the perils of lonely places and trying temperatures are not extolled in stirring words and swinging metre— but they typify the spirit of pioneer Australia in all its stoutness and gallantry. ‘The man. with the donkeys’ it just one of that customarily unlauded band of courageous men who treat remarkable feats as part of the ordinary affairs of life.