The Pilliga Yowie

[bunyiper]

Was about 1992-3 when I moved out west to Coonamble on the SW edge of the great Pilliga scrub. I did a bit of hunting in those days and knew the Pilliga was full of Brumbies, goats, pigs, wild dogs and other feral vermin. Dams are dotted all through the scrub, full of yabbies, and water the many native and feral creatures that inhabit the thick forest.


My 1st venture to the forest I followed the old dirt road from Coonamble to the small township of Pilliga. Being a hot summer day I naturally was drawn to the pub. It was the original old 1 story, weatherboard pub with a shady verandah, and an old Australian charm about it. No fly screens, just open doors and windows to combat the heat. There was only one other car outside the pub. Two blokes with some camo gear on fiddling with some gear in the boot of their car, and their xbread bully. They looked like tourists as they had bags and camping gear piled to the windows of their back seat.


Stepping round the beat up looking cattle dog sleeping in the doorway I walked into the main bar, noticing the cracked and sagging ancient floodboards needed immediate attention. The timber bar top and the brass footrail added to the pubs authentic old Aussie charm. This isn't the place to order a lemonade I thought. The barman looked over to me from talking to another customer in a different section of the bar. 'Waddya havin mate'? 'Give us schooner of new thanks mate.' The barman had no sooner delieved the beer when a booming loud gunshot seemed to shake the weatherboard pub like a gust of thermal air!

I ducked instinctively, luckily not holding the beer. The startled dog bolted outside and ran headlong into the bullyx. It was on. Both dogs got a mouthful of eachothers neck and wouldn't let go. f&$% me I thought, it the f'n wild west! The two dogs went at it, no doubt maddened by the fright of the loud gunshot. The cattle dog didn't seem to have an owner, or one that cared if he was in a blue. The 'tourists' were trying to separate the two dogs. f&$% that I thought, that's a good way to get bit.


About then, from another room, a tall moustached fella about 45yo in blue jeans, and redback boots, walked through the bar and stood on the verandah. He pushed back his sweat stained Akubra and said, 'one of you boys grab that hose there and cool them s off'. He had an air of authority about him, one of the men followed his instructions and the dogs soon quit.


I must have looked a bit shocked as I caught the amused gaze of the barman. 'This stuff happen here often mate I asked'? He said laconically 'mate, you should see pension day..

The tall cowboy fella came over to the bar and started rolling a smoke. The barman fetched the fellas beer from another room. I introduced myself to the tall 'cowboy', we shook hands. His hands were like rough leather, they were workers hands. Waddya do for a livin mate I asked? 'Im the local Policeman' he said. 'Bullshit'! I said. 'you have workers hands, cops dont work with their hands like you must'. He just laughed.


I ordered another beer, and heard a couple arguing. A bloke and his sheilah. She was goin off! He was trying to get her to keep it down a bit. She stormed into the bar from the other room, walked up to the cowboy' and handed him a tobacco tin. 'That's his dope' she said then walked out the front door. The cowboy nonchalantly slipped the tin into the front pocked of his sleeveless flannel shirt, turned to the bar, finished his beer, said bye and walked outside.


The barman came over to me when the cowboy had gone, and said. He really is the coppa mate. I said how did he get those rough hands then. Barman smiled and said, 'he cuts sleepers in the scrub and hunts pigs for the chillas at night'. I asked 'how does he manage to do that AND be a coppa'? The barman replied, 'he does half days in the scrub cutting sleepers when he can get away with it, and some nights he chases pigs as well... he hangs the pigs from the roof racks of the police 4x4'!


'Holy s#@t' I said, 'hes a bloody character'. 'Yeah', said the barman.. HE'S THE PILLIGA YOWIE! HE'S THE ONE THEY WROTE A SONG ABOUT!



The pub burned down not long after that. I never saw the Pilliga Yowie out at Pilliga again... BUT, I did see him at the Manila pub, just outside of Tamworth in about 2000. He had left the police force and was working on some pipeline. We had a chat, and I told all the patrons of the pub they had a celebrity in their midst. He seemed to like that.


I cant remember his real name, and I cant remember the title of the song or who sang it, or even if he is still alive. Someone here may know. If you do, please share. I just thought I d like to share with you all my encounter, with the Pilliga Yowie!

[TheBlackStump]

Hi bunyiper , welcome to the forum. Cool story !

I done a quick google search for yowie songs and came up with one only from Slim Dusty . Probably not the song you are talking about but I thought I would post it.

Cheers



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-UjD-m6L9g

[Shazzoir]

A cracking read, I quite enjoyed that, but then I do love stories of real people, particularly my countrymates

Welcome!

Shazz

[TheBlackStump]

Came across another Yowie song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXWSJDzlQlA