Obituaries Australia

Norman Brown, n.d.

from Pastoral Review and Graziers' Record, 17 December 1956

Mr. Norman Harry Bell Brown, who died recently, was born at Dubbo, N.S.W., in 1886 and educated at All Saints College, Bathurst. He was a first class athlete, playing with the first XI at school, and being a champion swimmer and tennis player. He was also accomplished at polo and played with the Dubbo and other western New South Wales teams.

Originally Mr. Brown was a wheat grower on a large scale, but later established himself on a sheep property in the Warren district, N.S.W. However, in 1925 he purchased Nonda Downs, Julia Creek, N.W. Queensland, from Mr. Eli Carter, and early in 1926 took delivery of this property of nearly 100,000 acres on the Flinders River. Almost immediately he had to battle through a drought, as well as the big droughts of 1928, 1932, and 1935, but each time managed to save most of his flock of breeders. As a keen and knowledgable wool grower Mr. Brown was constantly endeavouring to improve his clip, and in 1927 bought the top stud Merino ewes at a Moree. N.S.W., dispersal sale. He also purchased drafts of rams annually from Wonga stud, Jerilderie, N.S.W., and built up a large sale for Nonda Downs rams in the Julia Creek region. In 1955 and 1956 Nonda Downs sheep took the champion prizes at Hughenden show for district bred ram and for the best group of three ewes and one ram against keen competition, which included some sheep recently introduced from Riverina.

Mr. Brown raced several good horses, his best being Grecian Orator, Nonda Lad, and Hunter's Game. Last year he flew to New Zealand and bought three yearlings for 4600 gns., and this year he again went to the Dominion and secured one yearling for 1100 gns.

The late Mr. Brown married a daughter of Mr. George Hall, of Scone, N.S.W., and his widow, son, and married daughter survive him.