The Dog's grave

The Smithfield Version

A number of versions of this, but here is the Smithfield one..

A tale told by Charlie MacNamara.(Mountain Cattleman of Victoria's High Country of Days gone bye...)

The Dog's grave is located at 6 miles north of Mt Birrigun, just out of Cobungra Station.
It is now only a speck on a map but pays tribute to the memory of the pioneers of the rugged mountain country, the hardships they suffered to raise their cattle, and of their dogs and horses for without them the life and living of the cattlemen would not have been possible.

The dog was said to have been a loyal Smithfield owned by Johnny Crisp, a resident of the mountain township of Omeo.

While out mustering with his master, "Angus" picked up a bait that had been meant for a dingo. The dog died and was buried under layers of stone with a fence built of bush timber. On a piece of bark, Crisp wrote this eulogy to his loyal servant:

Once he came across the plain
Wild cattle to surprise
Now he's slain
Be strychinine laid
And never more to rise.

Back to "The Smithfield Dog"

Back to Articles