Everybody called him “His Lordship, Lord Hill” although nobody knew for certain if he was a real Lord.
His Lordship purchased Umargamah Station through an agent in Sydney, and following his personal inspection of stations on the New England, he was sure that he had a good buy
This expansive holding had cleared green pasturelands, and the heavily timbered portion boasted fine Red Cedar that could be used to build a magnificent mansion.

The Georgian styled station house was completed before the new squire arrived, and all who saw it marveled at the magnificence of the house. A racecourse had been built at the bottom of the hill and a sweeping vista of English grass was planted in front of the house for the sumptuous garden parties that took place.

The squire and his wife, son and four daughters arrived in the flush of spring, the panoramic views from the upper floor held promise of a secure and prosperous future for this aristocratic family from England.

His Lordship dreamed of presenting his four daughters “At Court” in England, and marrying his son to a suitably aristocratic young lady from one of England’s best families. To achieve this ambition would require a substantial amount of money, and vast expanse of Umargamah Station should provide that wealth.

Such ambitions were possible on the New England at that time, if a man owned sufficient land, but this was far to the North of those pasture lands and in a very different climate. The dingoes killed all the sheep, paralysis tick killed all the newborn calves and good stockmen were hard to find.
As the wealth of his Lordship was diminished each year, and it became apparent that the triumphant trip to England would never happen. The family was condemned to live out their lives in this wilderness called the Upper Clarence.

The other station holders within one days ride were for the most part plainer living people. The settlers had left behind them the social divisions of England and were considered to be of a lower class, not suitable as friends for his lordships household.

Visitors to the Georgian mansion tended to be from the New England, traveling for more than a week to be his lordship’s guest. Glamorous Balls were held in the grand entrance hall and an orchestra was engaged for the entertainment of guests over the “spring season”.
The loss of power and respect was not easy for his lordship, or his daughters.

None of his Lordships children ever married. They all eventually died and the mansion burned down in the 1930’s. Nothing remains for Umargamah Station or its inhabitants.