Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954) Fri 8 Jan 1926104154
MR. WILLIAM GILLIES.
A correspondent of the "Advertiser"
writes: - At the Tatiara Memorial
Hospital on the first day of 1926 Mr.
William Gillies, a very old resident of
the Tatiara district, passed to the
great beyond. Mr. Gillies was the se-
cond son of Mr. J. Gillies, an early
settler of' Teetree Gully, from which
district he migrated when but two
years of age, travelling by bullock dray
in short stages and landing in Mount
Gambler 81 years ago. Mr. Gillies
early recollections dated back to Mount
Gambler when the township was no-
thing but scrub and a few log shanties.
Mr. Gillies followed bush pursuits, and
it is doubtful if a better bush carpen-
ter, woodsman, road maker, and blade
shearer was ever known in the South -
East. It could truly be said that Mr.
Gillies helped to blaze tho trail as far
as the South-Eastern districts are
concerned, some of the first hewn
sleepers that carried the railway being
cut by his hands. There are many
wool sheds, wells, and buildings
throughout the Tatiara district that
are standing as monuments to his
bushcraft. The last work accomplish-
ed by him was a pair of cart wheels
made not more than a month ago,
which would have done credit to a
young craftsman. An old injury as-
serted itself a few days ago and Mr.
Gillies sank at the age of 83. The
family consisted of Mr. Robert Gillies,
Mundallu, Messrs. Jim and Jack Gillies
of Bordertown, Mr. William Gillies and
Frank Gillies, of Narracoorte, and Mrs.
G. Hillier, of Kieth. There are 21
grandchildren and 33 great-grandchil-
dren. Four grandsons went to the
Great War and two made the supreme
sacrifice.