Swagman’s lonely death near the Warraweena Hotel, Dry Lake

Warraweena Hotel Dry Lake 1940 ANU

Warraweena Hotel, Dry Lake, NSW 1940. Photo: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National UNiversity.

A LONELY DEATH

WILCANNIA, Saturday. β€” Mr. Fred Petney, landlord of the Dry Lake Hotel, has reported to the police that he found the dead body of a swagman near his place on Tuesday. A man called at the hotel, and asked for food. This was given to him. He then left. On Wednesday the body was discovered near the hotel. The man, after walking away, had apparently dropped dead. A swag was still on his back. On Thursday Constable Edwards was dispatched to Dry Lake, and, finding no suspicious circumstances connected with the affair, the body was interred. The man’s name is not known, the only clue being an old mirror in the swag, with several names scratched on it.

– Daily Sydney Telegraph, Monday 3 July 1899.


The Warraweena Hotel, Dry Lake, near Bourke, NSW, 1959. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University

The Warraweena Hotel at Dry Lake, NSW, was located about 35km north of Bourke, on the road to the Queensland border town of Barringun. The hotel’s license was cancelled on June 23 1961.

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Categories: NSW hotels

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