Some history about Rocky Creek Station

History Notes

History Notes has concentrated on sporting history as well as some of our local residents for a little while. This week I have been sorting out some Horton Valley history going back a little further.

Rocky Creek Station is actually on the western edge of the area and along with the surrounding settlements dates back to mid-1800’s. John Pringle was the first settler settling up his camp on the bank of Rocky Creek somewhere near where the old tennis courts were.

He built a small dwelling for his wife and family on the bank to ensure they had permanent water. Apparently, the water was not very reliable and he set up a system with a bucket and pole worked by a horse.

After a few years John Pringle moved on and John Arndell purchased Rocky Creek. John moved the homestead across the creek and built a brick home on the high bank – this building was still standing a few weeks ago. As the Arndell family grew a new brick home, was constructed, beside the original building.

John and his wife, Catherine Clynes, became parents to 12 children over the next 18 years – 3 sons and 9 daughters. Sadly, Catherine died in November 1875 aged 45 years and then John found a new wife, Amelia Parsons, widow and daughter of the King family of ‘Eulourie’. Sadly, she died after six years of marriage.

John Arndell than married Jane Young in 1898 and she outlived him when he died in September 1905. There is a grave at Rocky Creek and there is a special memorial to John Arndell (1827-1905) in the fenced area.

Rocky Creek was put on the market and purchased by John Capel and family, who moved from their home at Piedmont Woolshed as a result of the division of the Capel family properties.

John and Maria Capel’s family were adults when they moved to Rocky Creek – Anne, the eldest daughter, had married Arthur Crowley, Emma married William Lockrey, Alice married Walter Wearne. The remaining seven moved to Rocky Creek. John Capel’s son, Daniel George, probably took over management of Rocky Creek as his father was already suffering poor health and sadly died in January 1909. Henry Capel and Jessie Capel both married in the succeeding years. Henry Capel left Daniel George to manage Rocky Creek while he took up Long Arm raising shorthorn cattle and race horses in later years. There are many descendants of this old family and they are well known in the Barraba/Bingara areas.