John Hiskins II

John Hiskins II was born in Collingwood in 1852, immediately following his parents emigration from the UK. He has mentioned in historical interviews he was born on the same day as his parents arrived off the boat in Melbourne. According to Births, Deaths and Marriages, John was born in 1853 however as the the family arrived in late December of 1852, it is possible the registration of John's birth was delayed causing his birth year to be listed as 1853.

Early Life in Wahgunyah

The Hiskins family made their way to Wahgunyah in the early to mid 1850’s and were amongst the original settlers in the area. John was privately schooled at the Foord family property along with the Foord children. Their teacher was Stuart McDouall, brother of the famous Australian explorer. It is known that despite this opportunity to have a formal education, John wagged school frequently.

His early life was full of exploring along the Murray and the creeks, where he spent most of his childhood hunting and fishing with his Aboriginal playmate known as Tubby. In an interview with the Border Morning Mail in 1945, he described the close bond he shared with Tubby. Tubby was sadly murdered along with his Mum, Wahgunyah Kitty (who worked on the Foord family property), by his father in 1862.

Growing Up

John saw many changes in his lifetime. In interviews, John described his witnessing of the following milestones for the Wahgunyah area:

• The emergence of the township of Corowa.
• The first regatta in 1860 at the lake where a boat from Chiltern called Nardoo won.
• The construction of the first wooden bridge across the Murray from Wahgunyah.

In his youth, he worked at Levin’s general store, the Foord Flour Mill and was a contractor with the snagging parties along the Murrumbidgee River. 

John married Emma Thompson in Melbourne in 1877. John and Emma lived at Roderick Kilborne’s property (learn more about Roderick Kilborn here), Goojung at Wahgunyah and then at Norong, the Lake where they were successful in securing 200 acres of land.

Civic Life and Later Years

John was a man who contributed to his community. He was Shire President and sat on Council until his retirement. John was a great sportsman in his day, well known as a marvellous rower and horseman. He won the Wahgunyah Cup at only 13 years of age. At his passing his friends described him as being a fine specimen of manhood, able, generous and kind.

Emma and John had 14 children, who also shared the gift of being great sports people and town contributors. John was 93 years old when he passed away and was the oldest pioneer settler alive at that time. Emma passed away in 1934 of pneumonia at their Norong property. John and Emma are buried together in the Church of England section at Carlyle Cemetery.