Ride for true bush man

Saddle up to honor Frank Ryan: nature’s gentleman

Written by JACQUIE SCHWIND.

A HORSE ride this month will remember one of the district’s last true bush men.

The memory of Frank Ryan, who passed away in July 2007, will be honored by a trail ride, led by nephew Chris Ryan, from Bennies in the Upper Rose River to Frank’s Dandongadale lease on Saturday, March 21.

The ride and unveiling of a plaque the following day has been organised by the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria, developed from the thoughts of local farrier, former Rural City of Wangaratta councillor and MCAV member, Neville Wright.

"It was my idea to keep some of our heritage alive," Mr Wright said.

"I really believe Frank’s was the only funeral I’ve been to where the man never had an enemy.

"He was one of nature’s gentlemen.

"He was always well-liked and he would do anything for you."

MCAV’s official journal, Voice of the Mountains (No 31, 2008), speaks of Frank’s cattleman days:

"As a young man, Frank had joined with Alan Bennie and Ian McKay in running cattle in the bush in the Dandongadale River/Little Dandongadale River area as well as holding a lease between the Rose River and the Wabonga Plateau in the Stockyard Creek area," the journal says.

"This latter area complemented the former Soldier Settlement block on Wabonga Plateau that Frank had purchased in 1957.

"Along with clearing the one square mile block, Frank also completed the construction of the partly built double storey log hut.

"Cattle grazing was an integral part of Frank’s life and for many years Frank enjoyed helping his friends the late Don Kneebone and Max Blair move their mobs to and from the Black Range and Bogong High Plains respectively."

Mr Wright, who described Don as "one of our great bush poets", said a tribute plaque to Don, located at Wabonga which is on the market, would be moved to Bennies.

There it will rest on a rock along with a new plaque unveiled in Frank’s memory.

For more details call Mr Wright on 0428 500 398.