# Patrick Durack

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Australian pastoralist (1834–1898)

Patrick Durack Durack in 1880 Born March 1834 Scarriff, County Clare, Ireland Died 20 January 1898(1898-01-20) (aged 63) Fremantle, Western Australia Occupation Pastoralist Spouse Mary Costello Children Michael Durack Parent(s) Michael Durack & Bridget Dillon

**Patrick Durack** (March 1834 – 20 January 1898) was a pastoral pioneer in [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia).[1]

His family were struggling [tenant farmers](/source/Tenant_farmer) from the [townland of Magherareagh](/source/List_of_townlands_of_County_Clare) near [Scarriff](/source/Scarriff) in [County Clare](/source/County_Clare), [Ireland](/source/Ireland), who moved from Ireland to [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) in 1853. Two months after arriving in New South Wales, his father, Michael was killed accidentally. He settled his mother and siblings, and moved to Victoria, returning 18 months later with £1000.[1]

On 31 July 1862 Durack married Mary Costello, only daughter of Michael Costello, a native of [County Tipperary](/source/County_Tipperary), and his wife Mary Tully, a native of [County Galway](/source/County_Galway). Patrick and Mary had eight children (two of whom died in infancy), including [Michael Durack](/source/Michael_Durack).

Goulburn provided insufficient outlets for Durack's energy, land hunger and organizing powers. Along with his brother Michael and brother-in-law [John Costello](/source/John_Costello_(pastoralist)), they set out to establish a property in [South West Queensland](/source/South_West_Queensland) in 1863. Drought conditions almost killed the men, but they continued around the country pegging claims to some 44,000 square kilometres (17,000 sq mi).[1] The men established both Kyabra and [Thylungra](/source/Thylungra) Stations in 1868[2] with 100 cattle. By 1877 the Duracks had a herd of approximately 30,000 head of cattle.[3]

Durack and his brother Michael trekked across the north of the continent from Thylungra at [Coopers Creek](/source/Cooper_Creek) in [Queensland](/source/Queensland). They left in 1879 with 7250 breeding cattle and 200 horses, heading for the [Kimberley](/source/Kimberley_(Western_Australia)) region of [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia) near [Kununurra](/source/Kununurra%2C_Western_Australia), arriving in 1882. The 4,800-kilometre (3,000 mi) journey of cattle to stock [Argyle Downs](/source/Argyle_Downs) and [Ivanhoe Station](/source/Ivanhoe_Station) is the longest of its type ever recorded.[4]

In 1885, he retired to [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane). Later that year he purchased gold-crushing machinery from [Sydney](/source/Sydney) and began mining on the [Kimberley goldfields](/source/Kimberley_Goldfields_Road_District). In 1889 he learned that financial disaster had overtaken his Queensland interests. He died in [Fremantle](/source/Fremantle%2C_Western_Australia) on 20 January 1898.[1]

*[Kings in Grass Castles](/source/Kings_in_Grass_Castles)* is a 1959 novel based on his life and times by his granddaughter Dame [Mary Durack](/source/Mary_Durack). In 1998 it was the basis of a TV mini-series of the same name.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-adb_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-adb_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-adb_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-adb_1-3) Durack, Mary (1972). ["Durack, Patrick (1834–1898)"](https://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A040117b.htm). *[Australian Dictionary of Biography](/source/Australian_Dictionary_of_Biography)*. National Centre of Biography, [Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-522-84459-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-522-84459-7). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1833-7538](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1833-7538). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [70677943](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/70677943). Retrieved 22 March 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Clyde finally shifts Thylungra for $10.5m"](http://www.stockandland.com.au/news/agriculture/property/general-news/clyde-finally-shifts-thylungra-for-105m/1329609.aspx). *Stock and Land*. [Fairfax Media](/source/Fairfax_Media). 9 August 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Rees D. Barrett (2009). *Significant People in Australia's History*. Macmillan Education. p. 26. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781420266191](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781420266191).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["SMH Travel - Lake Argyle Village"](http://www.smh.com.au/news/western-australia/lake-argyle-village/2005/02/17/1108500208248.html). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 15 May 2011.

## External links

- [Australian dictionary of Biography Online](https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/durack-patrick-3457)

Authority control databases International VIAF FAST People Australia Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Patrick Durack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Durack) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Durack?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.