In October 1922, six-year-old Sydney McCarthy arrived with his mother from Sydney to holiday with his grandparents, Mr and Mrs George W.R. Green, at Kundibakh. After the long train and car journey, his mother was resting when Sydney wandered from the property into the rugged bushland of Kiwarric Mountain. He was last seen about 7.30 am on Thursday.
When the family’s search failed, neighbours and four Aboriginal trackers – Dan Hart, Billy Coffee, Bossy Marr, and another man – joined in. As night fell with no sign of the boy, police arrived and continued the search by lantern light.
By Friday morning, word had spread across the district. Around 400 people, including 100 horsemen and two carloads of Taree High School boys, were combing the hills. The number of searchers made tracking difficult, but an elderly resident noticed small footprints leading towards a mountain spur.
Following the trail, W.H. Cleaver and G. Lynch climbed to a pinnacle where they heard a faint cry of “Mumma”. At 1 pm Friday, Sydney was found – hungry but unharmed. Three rifle shots signalled the rescue, bringing his mother and grandmother galloping to the scene on horseback.
Asked if he had been frightened or heard the searchers calling, Sydney replied, “No.” He said he had called for his “Mumma” for a long time before falling asleep under a bush. “The sun was shining on me when I woke,” he added.1
Photographs of the search and rescue were later provided by Miss R. Wells of Burrell Creek.2
Author: Janine Roberts
References:
1 Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer, 20 October 1922, 6.
2 Manning River Times, A look over the shoulder article [no date given].
