Joseph Bradshaw (pastoralist)

Bradshaw was born in Melbourne in 1854, one of seven children born to a Victorian landowner.{{cite web|url=http://www.kimberleysociety.org/oldfiles/2008/JOSEPH%20BRADSHAW%20Oct%2008.pdf|title=Joseph Bradshaw – Getting lost in the Kimberley and the art named after him|date=1 October 2008|accessdate=23 November 2013|publisher=Kimberley Society}} His father, Joseph Senior, owned Avoca and Bacchus Marsh stations. Little is known of his childhood other than he had an adventurous spirit and was ambitious and determined, and received his education in Melbourne.{{cite web|url=http://artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/northern-territory-library/collections/personal_papers_collection/guide_to_papers_of_bradshaw_family/bradshaw|title=Joseph Bradshaw's Biography|year=2013|accessdate=23 November 2013|publisher=Northern Territory Government|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091905/http://artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/northern-territory-library/collections/personal_papers_collection/guide_to_papers_of_bradshaw_family/bradshaw|archivedate=2 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}

After reading positive reports on pastoral prospects of the Kimberley district in Western Australia written by Alexander Forrest and also influenced by earlier stories by Philip Parker King, Bradshaw formed a syndicate to acquire land along the Prince Regent River.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3138033 |title=News and notes|newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth|date=24 October 1890 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

In 1890 they received approval for 20 blocks of land each with a size of {{convert|50000|acre|ha|0}}, a total area of {{convert|4047|km2|sqmi|0}} on either side of the river. In January 1891, Bradshaw left Melbourne for Wyndham only to find the town had been destroyed by a cyclone when he arrived. While exploring the area he became lost, and unwittingly became the first European to see Gwion Gwion rock paintings, a distinctive style of Aboriginal art. He first saw these paintings in 1891 and the style of art was named after him,Davidson, Daniel Sutherland Aboriginal Australian and Tasmanian Rock Carvings and Paintings Hesperian Press (American Philosophical Society) 2011 [1936] {{ISBN|9780859053754}} p. 132–133. but is now more commonly referred to as Gwion GwionDoring, Jeff Gwion Gwion: Chemins Secrets Et Sacrés Des Ngarinyin, Aborigènes D'Australie (Gwion Gwion: Secret and Sacred Pathways of the Ngarinyin Aboriginal People of Australia) Könemann 2000 {{ISBN|9783829040600}} p. 55 or Giro Giro.Worms, Ernest Contemporary and prehistoric rock paintings in Central and Northern North Kimberley Anthropos Switzerland 1955 p. 555

Bradshaw named the run Marigui, now known as Drysdale River Station,{{cite web|url=http://www.gibbriverroad.net/gibb-river-road-accommodation.html |title=Gibb River road |year=2011 |accessdate=23 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816152302/http://www.gibbriverroad.net/gibb-river-road-accommodation.html |archivedate=16 August 2013 }} and soon returned to Melbourne to organise the settlement of the property and marry Mary Guy. He soon returned with a group of settlers including his cousin, Aeneus Gunn, and his wife via Darwin.

A trial mob of sheep were landed and used to stock the property before cattle were to be introduced.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3321565 |title=Sittings, Local and Otherwise. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |location=Darwin, Northern Territory |date=27 May 1892 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} Bradshaw tried to introduce cattle in 1894 but received a large livestock tax bill{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3326088 |title=Notes of the Week. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |location=Darwin, Northern Territory |date=2 February 1894 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} that resulted in him abandoning his property and acquiring new lands in the Victoria River district in the Northern Territory.

The leases to lands along the Victoria River were acquired by Bradshaw in 1894, the property known as Bradshaw's Run or Bradshaw Station occupied an area of {{convert|4800|sqmi|km2|0}}. It was bounded by the Victoria River to the south, Joseph Bonaparte Gulf to the west and the Fitzmaurice River to the north.{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=reports/1997/1997_pp170.pdf|title=Development of Infrastructure on the Bradshaw Field Training area near Timber Creek|date=28 August 1998|accessdate=24 November 2013|publisher=Parliament of Australia}}

Bradshaw worked with a London syndicate to acquire {{convert|20000|sqmi|km2|0}} of land on the western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria taking in most of the country between Cape Wessels and the Roper River. The intention of the syndicate was to explore for minerals and pursue pastoral interests. The area was known as Arafura Station.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54839669 |title=Another capitalistic venture|newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide|date=18 July 1896|accessdate=24 November 2013|page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

In the Victoria River district a second lease of {{convert|2000|sqmi|km2|0}} was granted to Frederick Bradshaw, Joseph's brother, in 1898. Frederick joined his brother in 1898 to stock the property with sheep{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4198085 |title=Notes of the Week. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |location=Darwin, Northern Territory |date=10 June 1898 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} and both leases, which shared a boundary, were being run as one entity.{{cite web|url=http://www.nlc.org.au/html/files/03_07_16_Bradshaw.pdf |title=Northern Land Council – Media Release |date=16 July 2003 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |publisher=Northern Land Council |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20030730140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10075/20030731-0000/www.nlc.org.au/html/files/03_07_16_Bradshaw.pdf |archivedate=30 July 2003 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Frederick was murdered along with six companions in 1905 by Aboriginal people when travelling by boat along the Cambridge Gulf. The men were attacked during the night after they landed for wood and fresh water.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3276331 |title=Mr. Joseph Bradshaw. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |location=Darwin, Northern Territory |date=19 March 1914 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4991003 |title=Massacre in the Territory |newspaper=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=18 December 1905 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

The property was initially stocked with sheep but the Bradshaws had little luck with lambing,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59935722 |title=The man on the land|newspaper=The Register|location=Adelaide |date=4 December 1914|accessdate=24 November 2013|page=9|publisher=National Library of Australia}} attacks from Aborigines and dingos as well as grass seeds and focused their efforts on cattle instead.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63201303 |title=Around the campfire |newspaper=Townsville Daily Bulletin |location=Queensland|date=1 February 1952 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

In 1902 and 1905, Bradshaw donated to the British Museum an important collection of Aboriginal artefacts (boomerangs, weapons, tools, jewellery and vessels) that had been obtained in the vicinity of Victoria River, Northern Territory.[https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?people=41373&peoA=41373-3-9 British Museum Collection]

Bradshaw suffered from diabetes in later life, but died of blood poisoning following an operation in Darwin hospital. He was buried at 2 1/2 mile cemetery near Darwin.

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Category:1854 births

Category:1916 deaths

Category:Australian pastoralists

Category:19th-century Australian businesspeople

Category:Colony of Western Australia people