1867 Born Limerick, Ireland
May 4, 1905 Married Michael Cullinan, Wentworth, New South Wales
1905-1907 Lived and died at Kelleen, Pooncarie, New South Wales
Category: Kelleen Station
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Ellen Dhann
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Betsy Wakefield
Betsy Wakefield is my Great Grandmother. She was mother to Kelleen Lillian Cullinan, my paternal Grandmother and 6 other children.
Betsy was born on 12 April, 1861, in Hackham, South Australia and died on 2 June, 1904.
Betsy’s death was a little over a year after her 2 year old daughter, Catherine drowned in the Darling River at Kelleen Station, near Pooncarie in NSW.
Betsy’s parents, Thomas Wakefield (from Haslingford, England) and Tamar Speed (from Balsham, England) immigrated to Australia (Port Jackson, Sydney), on the ship Una in 1849. They arrived in South Australia in 1854.
Betsy met Michael Cullinan, her future husband, through her brother, Tom (who worked alongside Michael). They married on 2 June, 1886 in Kapunda, South Australia. She was 25 years old.
Here are the places where Betsy lived:
- 1861 Hackham, Noarlunga, South Australia
- 1886 Kapunda, South Australia
- 1888-1904 Kelleen Station, New South Wales
Further Information on Betsy’s family (the Wakefields) can be found in High on the Hill, (p.231) a history of Onkaparinga City in South Australia.
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Kelleen Cullinan – Curran
Kelleen Lillian Mary Cullinan (also known as Queen or Queenie) is my paternal Grandmother. She was born on 10 February 1899.
Here’s some of the key places and events in her life:
1899 Lived at Kelleen Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales, Australia
Attended Connorgie State School (no longer exists, building moved to Pomona). Kelleen had to cross the Murray River and walk a mile to attend this school near Lethno. She went to school till the age of 12.
Kelleen’s chores at home included bringing in the goats, having to search miles in the scrub for them. Also milking the cow.
She learnt to row the flat bottom boat across the Murray River (to collect mail) – by herself.
With no elder sisters at home, Kelleen began running the home at 12 years of age.
Annual Events
St Patrick’s Day Races at Wentworth
- 2 day trip in a double seater buggy pulled by two horses. At night a communal camp bed was prepared.
Pooncarie Boxing Day Races and Pooncarie Hall Dance
- Kelleen met her future husband, Herbert Curran, at the dance.
New Year’s Day Picnic – Lethero
- Events: Athletics, Dances at night
1919 – She married Herbert Curran at 20 years of age on 4 June 1919 at Mullingar, Pooncarie. See Herbert Curran page for photos of places below.
Herbert Curran and Kelleen Cullinan’s Wedding Day 1919 Lived at Curlwaa (fruit block), New South Wales
End of 1920 – Mullingar Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales
1921 – Telegraph Hotel, Pooncarie, New South Wales- Kelleen and her husband were licensees of the hotel. Kelleen didn’t like the life here (and was a teetotaler her whole life) so they moved not long after.
1922 – Benetook Avenue (fruit block), Mildura, Victoria, Australia
- Kelleen took on Blockie Wife duties including assisting in picking, spreading, shaking pulling out, rolling on, and pitting apricots for drying.
- Times were tough due the depression so they sold the block in 1925.
1925 Cowra Avenue (rented house), Mildura
1926 – 1939 66 Eighth Street, Mildura
1939 – 1993. Thirteenth Street (fruit block alongside the railway line), MilduraKelleen was an avid Mildura football club supporter, often attending games, right up until 6 weeks before she died.
(L-R) Doug Curran, Kelleen Curran, Kevin Curran,
Valda Curran (Kerr), Herb Curran
Kevin Curran and Kelleen (son and mother) at 13th Street house. Kelleen died in 1993. She was 94 years old.
Information sourced from Doug Curran’s, The Family History of James Cullinan 1816-1990.
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Kelleen Station
Kelleen Station is located on the banks of the Darling River in west New South Wales.
Kelleen Station was home to my paternal grandmother, Kelleen Lilian Cullinan and her family.
Kelleen was named by Michael Cullinan (my paternal great grandfather) who successfully applied for the 10 000 acre block in February 1888. Killeen was his birthplace in Ireland but the station was registered as Kelleen.
Kelleen Homestead 1921-1924 
Photo: Greg Curran, 2009 
Darling River at Kelleen. Photo: Greg Curran, 2009
Kelleen Property maps
Kelleen Maps 
Kevin Curran and Doug Curran, Kelleen Station 2009 Burials at Kelleen Station
Family Gravesite, Kelleen Station, 2009 
Family gravesite location, Kelleen Station, 2009