Curran Wright History

Category: Burungie Station

  • Burungie Station

    Burungie Station was north of Broken Hill, New South Wales.

    Michael Cullinan and Mary Ann Haywood Cuff

    In 1921, Michael Cullinan purchased a western lands lease in the triangle formed by Menindee, Broken Hill and Wilcannia for 6 pence per acre. The name of the lease was Burungie Station, NSW, Australia.

    Information sources:

    • Private notes by Doug Curran.
    • Gordon Curran in The Family History of James Cullinan (1990). 

    Michael made Jack Plant the station manager. He then lived with Jack Plant and Jack’s daughter, Doll in Broken Hill. No mention is made of his wife, Mary Ann Cuff.

    Source: Gordon Curran, The Family History of James Cullinan, 1990

    In 1924, Michael Cullinan died at 72 years of age. His wife (Mary Ann Haywood-Cuff) and brother were left an annuity of 1 pound per week, his three daughters, 500 pounds. The surplus of the estate was left to his grandchildren.

    Michael Cullinan will details

    Source: Sunday Times, NSW, 29-03-1925

  • Stations

    Our ancestors, the Curran and Cullinan families, lived and worked on Pastoral Stations for many years of their lives.

    Curran Families

    • 1910-1945 Mullingar Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales, Australia
      • 14, 700 acre property leased by Patrick Curran in 1910
      • After the second world war, Patrick left the running of the property to his son, Dan Curran.

    Cullinan Families

    • 1874 – Beltana Station, South Australia, Australia
      • Michael Cullinan worked here upon arrival in Australia
    • 1870s – Avoca Station, Wentworth, New South Wales, Australia
      • Michael Cullinan worked here.
    • 1888 – 1921 Kelleen Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales, Australia
      • Michael Cullinan successfully applied for this then 10, 000 acre block.
      • He lived and worked on it, till he sold it to his son , Frank in 1921.
    • 1921 – 1924 Burungie Station, Broken Hill, New South Wales
      • Michael Cullinan bought this station.

    Further Information on these stations, is available on the relevant pages. See categories above.

  • Mary Ann Cuff – Cullinan

    Mary Ann Cuffe was the daughter of Patrick Cuffe (a farmer) and Mary Keller. She was born on the 16th July, 1858 in Deloraine, Tasmania. 

    Her sister, Catherine Cuffe (26 February, 1860) married John Valentine Burns. One of their children, Kathleen Burns married James ‘Tom’ Cullinan in 1920. Tom as he was known was the fourth child of Michael and Betsy Cullinan. It seems that’s how Mary Ann came to be known to Michael Cullinan, as his daughter in law’s auntie.

    Mary Ann’s first marriage was to John West in 1878, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Westbury, Tasmania. She was 20, he was 21 years old. According to the Archdiocese of Hobart Archives (1984), they had three children, Lily May (26 April, 1881), Kathleen Augusta (1882), and Emily Maude (29 February, 1884).

    It appears Mary Ann also married a Haywood. No details are known about this marriage.

    Mary Ann Haywood (nee Cuffe) later married Michael Cullinan in Wentworth, NSW, Australia in 1914. She was 55. He was 62 years old (Marriage Registration: 1914/16550).

    Mary Ann and Michael lived at the following properties:

  • Michael Cullinan

    Michael Cullinan is my Great Grandfather (father to Kelleen Lillian Cullinan, my paternal Grandmother). He was born in 1852 (2 August) and died in 1924 (20 August) at the age of 72 years. He is buried in Broken Hill cemetery in New South Wales, Australia.

    Here is where Michael Cullinan lived: