Unsung Hero: Cora Kate Coventry at The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame
Cora Kate Coventry returned from “Queenswood,” a prestigious private school in Glen Innes, New South Wales. Here, she met Charles Chalmers, the inaugural teacher appointed to a new school on the station property of Blair Hill, owned by her parents, Andrew and Helena Coventry. The couple exchanged vows at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church on Macquarie Street in Sydney 1910.
The initial years of their marriage were marked by significant financial strain. While Charles was a dedicated and skilled teacher, he soon realised he could not adequately support a wife and four children solely through his salary. Consequently, he decided to ballot for land in Queensland. After being appointed to Mungindi, New South Wales, situated along a stock route leading to Queensland, he conversed with drovers from the Northern Territory. He ultimately resolved to apply for a block near Elsey Station at Warlock Ponds.
Disregarding numerous warnings, Charles resigned from the Education Department and prepared for their move to the Northern Territory at the end of February 1921, when the extreme heat would have subsided. Their journey involved transporting three hundred sheep, thirteen horses, a small herd of goats, several dogs, and five bantams housed in a cage slung beneath the wagon. Cora skillfully drove the covered wagon with their children, Don, nearly five, and Jessie, aged three, while Charles rode alongside the two oldest children, Jean, nearly eleven, and Mac, aged eight, as they herded the sheep. While in Winton, they received correspondence from the Minister for Home and Territories, informing them that the block of land they had applied for was unavailable and advising them to submit a new application.
Redirecting his focus to Central Australia despite lacking detailed maps, Charles and his family determined to journey directly to Alice Springs through uncharted territory that had seldom, if ever, been traversed by white settlers, especially not by a white woman and her children.
After five weeks, they arrived at the Plenty River, marking the end of the most challenging phase of their journey. They established a base camp and a yard for the sheep while Charles scouted the surrounding area for a more permanent homestead. Eventually, they selected a site near the Bundy and Fraser Rivers junction, which they named Macdonald Downs. They erected a tent, a large bough shed for shelter, and constructed pens for the sheep. However, their financial situation was precarious, as the prices of essential goods had surged when they reached Arltunga, a three-day ride away from Macdonald Downs. Supplies were primarily transported by Afghan merchants using camel teams.
Education was a priority for Cora, who ensured that the children continued their studies using Correspondence School lessons. Charles also engaged them at night with reading sessions. The Chalmers family developed a strong rapport with the local Indigenous people, who provided invaluable assistance during their settling period. Their children became proficient in the local language, further fostering these relationships.
Over the years, despite the harsh conditions, the Chalmers made significant progress, gradually expanding their landholdings. In June 1934, they shorn 2,506 sheep, an achievement that excited the family. Their fortunes improved further when they relocated to a new, comfortable home with an ant-bed tennis court. By 1936, they had installed a wireless radio and acquired a piano and a V8 sedan, enjoying regular outings to the Alice Springs races.
Cora Chalmers made only one return trip to her home in New South Wales. The toll of years of hardship ultimately impacted her health, leading to arthritis and necessitating closer proximity to medical care. She remained in Alice Springs until her passing in 1958. A true pioneer, Cora adapted to her environment and faced challenges with resilience, maintaining a sense of humour, grace, and kindness throughout her life. Charles often remarked, “I married the right wife.”
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