Jack Riley by Vctoria

Jack Riley also known as the man from Snowy River migrated from Castlebar, County Mayo in Ireland in 1851 at the age of 13. He went to Omeo in the high country of Victoria to live with and support his widowed sister. He set up a tailoring business in Day Street, but when his sister remarried he was able to pursue the life of a gold digger, bushman and stockman. He worked for the Pierce family of Greg Greg, near Corryong. Jack lived in isolation in a hut high up in the hills at Tom Groggin. He loved the Snowy Mountain Country. Walter Mitchell of Towong Station, who introduced Jack Riley to Banjo Paterson when the pair was on a camping trip. They trekked the Kosciusko Ranges and the Snowys, shared many campfires and yarns too. Jack Riley was the Man from Snowy River who provided an inspirational journey and material for Banjo to write his now famous poem.