Obituaries Australia

Don McLennan, n.d.

from Pastoral Review and Graziers' Record, 20 January 1958

Mr. Don McLennan, who died in his sleep on 20th November while on a business visit to Lake Victoria Station, N.S.W., was born in Adelaide in 1888 and was taken as an infant to Netley Station, where his father was manager. When his father died the family moved to Melbourne, and after attending Melbourne and Brighton Grammar Schools Don McLennan studied electrical engineering before going at 18 years of age as a jackeroo (17s. a week and keep) to one of Mr. Ben Chaffey's stations on the River Darling. He rose to be manager, but after six years returned to Netley Station, first as overseer, and then as manager.

In 1928 he left to manage Manfred and Kilfera Stations for Mr. Ben Chaffey, had a butchering business in Sydney for 2½ years, acquired a diesel engineering certificate, and was going to Malaya as a dredgemaster. However, the call of the bush was too strong, and he returned to the Darling to his wife's paternal home, Appin Station. After two years as overseer on Kinchega Station, he became manager of Wirrealpa Station, and six months later was offered the position of general manager of The Beltana Pastoral Co. Here he enjoyed the perfect set-up among directors, managers, and employees. The company owned the following stations: Beltana, Lyndhurst, Avondale, Murnpeowie, and Cordillo Downs.

At the time of his death, Mr. McLennan was pastoral inspector of Mundabullangana Station, near Port Hedland, Western Australia, and a director of Lake Victoria and Nulla Nulla Stations, N.S.W., Birksgate Ltd., Avington Ltd., and the Stockowners' Shearing Co. During World War II he was the only South Australian representative on the Government Hide and Leather Board. He held the Royal Humane Society Medal.

His widow and son, Jim, live in Adelaide. His daughter, Miss Fay McLennan, is at present overseas.