Liston is a small village in the mountains in northern New South Wales, Australia in Tenterfield Shire local government area. It lies just inside the eastern boundary of the New South Wales, Queensland border on the old Cobb & Co route, now the Mount Lindesay Hwy, which used to extend from Brisbane to Tenterfield, New South Wales.
The idyllic countryside along Mount Lindesay Rd, few km to Liston. Photo by Author.
An old abandoned cottage, still full of charm, along the Mount Lindesay Rd, not far from Liston coming from North
The spectacular trees dressed in autumn colours in Liston, NSW. Photo by Author.
A country village with crisp frosty mornings and a past well remembered.From Cobb and Co. echoes in the district, horse and buggies, bush tracks, Shank's pony, local dances. sports days, picnics, Tug of War Teams, Amosfield Bands, wild blackberry & mushroom picking, fresh vegetables, homemade preserves, jams & ginger beer, kerosene fridges, buckets made from kerosine tins, drinking from condensed milk cans, castor oil, outhouses, 'Joe Blakes', rabbit trapping, panning the creeks, working the dredges and the memory of our fallen soldiers…to generators for electricity and finally access to the higher education (1968) and power at the flick of a switch (1977).
Liston and the surrounding area have a rich and very personal history for many of the families who have been part of the locality for generations.
Liston, with its echoes of cracking whips and cricket games from the good old days, is situated in New South Wales, on the eastern fall of the Great Dividing Range. Surrounding places included Amosfield, Boonoo Boonoo, Maryland, Rivertree, Sugarloaf, Wilson's Downfall and Wylie Creek. The area was on the Cobb and Co route from Tenterfield to Warwick and beyond and also had other mail runs.
Nowadays, Liston is in the Tenterfield Shire local government area and relies on cattle farming and tourism… you can almost smell the lavender from here. Stanthorpe, across the New South Wales/Queensland border, is the closest town for other employment and services. - from the Museum.
Boonoo Boonoo Change Station
The Fox home at Boonoo Boonoo was one of Cobb and Co. 'change stations. James Benjamin Fox (1833-1882), also known as JB, was a groom for Cobb and Co. the Fox sisters were in charge of the change station after their gather JB died-"no station had better groomed steeds." A story goes that JB once hid the bushranger Thunderbolt in a large salt bin so the police couldn't capture him and also hid his horse up in the hills until the police left.The thunderbolt story continues, when Thomas Fox, JB' son, was only 19 years old, the regular mailman, got sick at Boonoo Boonoo, so Thomas took the mail coach through Maryland. Just before Maryland, he was held up by Thunderbolt: he asked Thomas his name and then his father's name. Thunderbolt told Thomas he wouldn't touch a thing of JB Fox's; Thomas was very relieved and continued on his way.
The Fox family of Boonoo Boonoo horse change near Tenterfield, in the 1880s. Cobb & Co employed the Fox family as grooms, and they also served meals. (From 2nd from left – Daughters Caroline and Emma, lady passenger, son James Fox Jnr, Mrs Mary Fox, daughters Martha and Margaret). Photo fromhttps://blog.qm.qld.gov.au/2020/03/03/the-women-of-cobb-co/
At about 85 years old, John Charles Burton built an amazing replica Cobb & Co stagecoach and a beautiful wooden horse pulling a wagon. He wanted the people to remember the Cobb & Co mail route from Tenterfield to Maryland, which passed through Liston, travelling along the Seven Mile Lane.
John Charles Burton when awarded Citizen of the Year in 2021. Photo fromhttps://www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/story/7098445/for-we-are-one-and-free/
At 91 years old, John Burton with his supporters designed and constructed the building that houses the coach and tools from the old days. The replica of the carriage, the wooden horse the wagon and tools are shown in the building with large glass windows in Liston, just on the side of Mount Lindesay Rd.
The Museum in Liston is visible from the road. The building has large glass windows which allow to see inside. Photo from Author.
Details of the building. Photo by Author.
When the Seven Mile Lane, which runs past John's residence at Liston Creek, was renamed Herding Yard Creek Road, it made John wanting to acknowledge the history of the village and to share with the community and visitors some heritage of the Liston area.
Inside the museum. Photo by Author.
In particular, for John, it was important for people to remember the Cobb & Co mail route from Tenterfield to Maryland which passed through Liston, travelling along the Seven Mile Lane.
Inside the museum. Photo by Author.
John Charles Burton is a legend in Liston! At ninety-one-year-old, Liston legend John Charles Burton was named Citizen of the Year, for a lifetime of serving his community and, more recently, the establishment of the Cobb & Co. exhibit at Liston.
The wooden horse pulling the wagon. Photo by Author.
Born in 1929, John attended Amosfield School and then Rural School in Stanthorpe - riding his pushbike from Amosfield to Stanthorpe to attend. Following this, John completed a carpentry apprenticeship in Inverell. In later years, he would supplement his income by building, rabbit trapping and kangaroo shooting when times were tough.
Old tools donated by John Charles Burton. Photo by Author.
John is a carpenter by trade and he has always loved tinkering in his shed, fixing and restoring and collecting antiques. In the past, he helped farmers in the district fixing broken equipment. John is clever in repairing and building, often using recycled materials.
Old tools donated by John Charles Burton. Photo by Author.
The replica of the carriage Cobb and Co. Photo by Author.
Inside the museum. Photo by Author.
John was an active member and Captain of the Liston Fire Brigade. He designed and helped build the Fire Brigade building in Liston township, building the trusses at his house and milling the timber at a sawmill he built himself. John actively canvassed the Council and NSW Fire Service for equipment and training for the crews.
Other community positions include being supervisor/foreman for the RED Scheme, renovating the Liston Hall and building new amenities in the local park. John and his wife Therese were founding members of the Stanthorpe Pottery Club.
Ned Kelly is guarding the museum. Photo by Author.
Donations are appreciated. Photo by Author.
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As a nod to a bygone era, the coach in this building was build in 2017, by local resident John Charles Burton. In fact, the Burton family had been in the local district since Charles Burton arrived in Australia from Middlesex, England in the 1850s, even before Cobb and Co. commenced in Australia. John remembers the stories about how Cobb and Co. and other coaches used to run through the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s delivering mail, freight and passengers between Tenterfield and Warwick, and beyond. John's journey continued with the restoration of the dray, culminating in the establishment of this building in 2020- with the echoes of cracking whips, school bells and cricket games, to remember the good old days.
Money was received from grants to house the coach and collectibles, and at 91 years of age, John designed this building and built it with help from family members, local community volunteers and local businesses.
This has been a remarkable achievement by John, a carpenter by trade who has always had an interest in collecting antiques and the restoration of old things. Items in this building have been kindly donated to the Liston community by John as a lasting reminder of days gone by. -from the museum.
The information on the museum's panels come from the book
Along the track of Cobb and Co, by Hazel Johnson.
When I was in Liston visiting the museum, a gentleman was in the nearby park walking his little loyal pooch. We said hello to each other and the gentleman, Rod Crome, went on explaining the story of the museum and how John Charles Burton at 85 years old constructed the replica of the carriage and the wagon pulled by the wooden horse.
Mr Crome lives in Liston with his wife Doreene and he looks after the park and the sides of the roads mowing them regularly. It is noticeable the great job of Mr Crome. Liston looks neat and tidy with the grass trimmed at the right height.
Mr Crome looks after the park and the side of the roads mowing them regularly. Photo by Author.
Mr Crome kindly invited me to his house and his yard and shed had some curious things.
The spring water in Mr Crome's yard. Photo by Author.
Mrs Crome explained to me there is a very nice waterfall nearby and hopefully, I may explore it next time. Mount Lindesay Rd offers a scenic drive through the countryside and there are interesting and beautiful places to visit nearby Liston.
Stanthorpe is home to a range of great cafes, boutiques stores and it is surrounded by farmland. Stanthorpe is famous for the fruit orchards, especially apples, and for the vineyards. There are many National Parks, like Girraween National Park, Bald Rock National Park and Basket Swamp National Park.
Hiking The Pyramid, Girraween National Park. Photo by Author.
Wallangarra has a historical railway station with an awesome cafe characterised by peculiar and unexpected things.
Detail of the historical railway station in Wallangarra. Photo by Author.
Tenterfield is a lovely country town offering history and heritage, great places where to eat and elegant shops.
A detail of the Stannum House in Tenterfield. Photo by Author.
Ballandean is a small town and locality in the Granite Belt Region of the Southern Downs with vineyards, a historical railway station and a dinosaur.
Posing with a friendly dinosaur. Photo by Author.
Ballandean historic railway station. Photo by Author.
