These are some notes I wrote, partially in answer to some of my Dad's questions (he just sent me more back!) and also to have some kind of record that we could refer back to once we get home.  They are a bit mixed up but if anyone has questions or comments please let me know.  Here goes -  

To get to Glen Dhu is about 1km out towards the north from the village of Ouse, road number Cxx.  There, there is a left turn off the main road named Lines Tier Road.  The road turns to dirt and about 5k's up the road is the farm.  There is a driveway first to main house (although doesn't seem to be used) and the the farm buildings and some fanks, again on the left.  On the right are a couple of farm cottage and then the land heads off up the low hills and rises about 200ft being rough dry grazing.  Merino sheep being fed so presumably there's not much nutrional value outside the wet season..  On the left hand side the land runs down to what they call a Rivulet, bit bigger than a burn but not a river. The cattle are here but we didn't get too much info on them - about 50 or so that we saw.

Present Owners are Richard Pitt, and his wife, Heather.

In Ouse, we came across a library with a historical area in the back room.  There, a book called "Hamilton, the way to the west -  a history of Hamilton district" gave me most of the following stuff.  It was written with the aid of a grant, the idea originated by the Hamilton Town Clerk, or equivalent.  I'll look into getting a copy of it.

Hamilton is about 30/40nk's south of Ouse and although it is a bit bigger, there's not a lot in it.  Hobart was another hour and an a half on good roads.

Mostly it was about Hamilton and the land round there, but Ouse seemed to be covered from Hamilton, certainly for policing and administration and there is mention of Glen Dhu as one of about 10 properties mentioned in connection with improving farming.  Various bits include mention of "Big Clarke" who around 1845 tried to persuade the government that he needed more land around Hamilton (he aleady owned and managed around 300,000 acres in Tasmania!)  book by Michael Clarke no record of when or where published.

Bethune is mentioned a lot, he was a Merchant from Hobart who was there at the start, his land was called Dunrobin (after the castle) and he and several of his descendants were JP's as well as MP 's or whatever. (There are notes of Bethunes in Ouse as well, being JP's in 1890, 95 and 1916)

Sheep were saxon merino around 1825 to improve the wool.

Bush Rangers were ex convicts who had decided to stay out in the country after many of them were sent out to get food following some kind of starvation period in the early part of the Century.  Gangs were about and would raid the farmsteads for food although there were occasional nicities and mutual respect.

Convicts were often used as labour, (they built the farm buildings at Glen Dhu and possibly the original house too)  although any "good ones"were usually snapped up by the government.  These guys were rented out if needed for their technical abilities.  There were systems in place for complaints but, as usual, the owners usually got the benefit of the doubt though there are records of them loosing their staff if it was proven they had unreasonably treated them.

The Big River Tribe was only ever estimated to be about 3 - 400 and was made up of bands which were like family units, which lived seperatly but met up with the rest of the tribe for decision making.  The borders of the tribal rea were flexible depending on the time of year and they were mainly hunters, kangaroo and wallabies being the main kill.  Big River was later renamed the Ouse river. 

The line was mainly from Hamilton out east but a second line was added a week later facing west, but was too late to stop many of Big river tribe escaping into the highlands. By then though there were thought only to be some 70 of the original tribe left.  Sucess from the "line" wasn't great, a treaty a few years later moved all the remainder to another area. Deaths on both sides were high, with 60 European farmers killed too.

Of Ledbeg, no-one seems to have heard of it, perhaps it was subsumed into another farm?  Hydro has taken out a lot of land but I don't think that would apply to a farm marching with Glen Dhu.

Glen Dhu   (Black Glen)

 I have more stuff on bits of paper and will add them shortly, but better to get something up!