Obituaries Australia

Cunningham Henderson, n.d.

from Pastoral Review and Graziers' Record, 19 January 1954

A long and valuable career associated with the pastoral industry ended when Mr. Cunningham Henderson, of Mynumi, Coraki, N.S.W., died last month at the age of 89. Up till a short while ago he led an active life on his property, despite his advanced age, and it is only eight years since he wrote a comprehensive autobiography entitled Main Camp, which was published and widely read through the columns of the Review.

Born at Roslyn, Goulburn, N.S.W., on 6th November 1864, he was one of 12 brothers and two sisters, of whom only one, Walter G. Henderson, of Glencraig, Robertson, N.S.W., survives. During the early years the Henderson Brothers had their own complete cricket team, and at one stage were offered to be taken to England as a team to play but business reasons prevented them accepting.

In the '80's the late Cunningham Henderson settled at Myrtle Creek, on the Richmond River, N.S.W., where he took up a 1280-acre selection adjoining a 1280-acre block held by Marion Jane McDougall, whom he later married, and where they lived for the next 35 years. During this time he gradually built up his small selection to one of the largest cattle stations on the Richmond River. Known as Main Camp, it comprised about 70,000 acres and carried approximately 7000 head of Hereford cattle. During the 1915 drought about 500 of the Hereford breeders perished.

In 1918 Main Camp was sold to Messrs. Widdis Bros., of Melbourne, and Sir Sidney Kidman—the "Cattle King"—and Mr. Henderson moved closer on to the Richmond River, acquiring the major portion of the old Coraki Estate and naming it Mynumi. Here he remained until his death. Mynumi was later formed into a company, known as Henderson and Cardow Pty. Ltd., and two further cattle properties, Braemar and Tatham House, acquired. This company is still in the family, being controlled by Mr. Henderson's only daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Cardow.

During his 65 years on the Richmond River, Cunningham Henderson was connected with many boards and local government bodies, including a period of over 40 years as a member of the Casino Pastures Protection Board and 25 years its chairman. He was a councillor of the first Woodburn Shire Council, a member of the Tick Board, president for many years of the old Richmond River Agricultural Society, and in addition to being a foundation member of the Graziers' Association of New South Wales was a member of the cattle council of that organisation up till a few years ago.

The late Mr. Henderson, whose wife died in 1935, had a family of three sons and one daughter. The eldest son was killed in a riding accident on Main Camp Station, while the second son lost his life in World War I. The remaining son, Carlyle Henderson, has a sheep property in the north-west, and the only daughter, Mrs. H. C. Cardow, resides at Mynumi. Six grandchildren and five great grandchildren also survive.