Chapter 6.2

Jupiter Mosman 1861-1945

Jupiter Mosman
“Jupiter” is not biologically part of the Mosman family but history will always treat him as part of the family for what he did and what Hugh did for him.

It was not unusual in north Queensland in the 1860’s for white settlers to have an aboriginal child as a servant or “horse boy” who would take their surname.  Hugh named him Jupiter because his eyes were “large, luminous and as lipid as a planet “. He was either from the Wanamara or Kalkadoon people who lived in the Ravenswood area.

Hugh Mosman 

Jupiter was only about ten when he met Hugh Mosman. He was so small he had to be strapped onto Hugh when riding. He was never allowed out of sight. When they were out prospecting Jupiter is reported to have said:

“We went to a gap in the hills and camped. I had been out and found a nice piece of stone and went back to inform Hugh Mosman. He brought a pick and we dug the rest of it out. That was the start of the North Australia mine.”

Historical articles about Hugh and Jupiter suggest that the party at the gold find included George Clarke and James Fraser. In a personal letter to the Townsville Bulletin in February 1939 when he was about 78, Jupiter describes the party as including Adam Mosman (also a keen prospector) and James Fraser. Jupiter recalled that George Clarke was left behind on the day of the discovery with the full camping gear near where Mount Leyshon is now so they could travel light. They left piled stones as markers and Clarke caught up with them the next day.

Hugh took Jupiter with him when he went back to Sydney, almost as if he was his son.  He arranged for him to be baptised as a Roman Catholic with the names John Joseph Mosman. This may have been necessary for him to attend school in Newtown and at Lyndhurst College.

There is no information about his studies, if Hugh left him as a boarder and how long he stayed in Sydney. Jupiter was a keen athlete, excelling at cricket, football and running. Hugh taught Jupiter to ride horses and he rode and jumped them effortlessly.

Eventually Jupiter went back to Queensland working as a drover on cattle stations around the Charters Towers/Cloncurry districts. He took special pride in being part of a team, reportedly including one of Hugh’s nephews (Cecilia’s son?) that drove a herd of cattle from Cloncurry to Geelong near Melbourne. That’s a distance of over 2,500 km which even now would take at least 27 hours driving. It took them over 7 months to complete the journey over the hot summer of 1889–1890. They claimed that they didn’t lose any of the cattle during the drive (or more were born to make up the numbers).

Cattle droving
Jupiter faced discrimination that couldn’t be overcome by his education and contacts. In 1917, when he was 56, Jupiter applied to be exempt from the current law that controlled where Aboriginals lived. He was acknowledged to be “An intelligent old man who has been with white people all his life.” Nevertheless approval was denied. One day a publican was fined for serving Jupiter when he bought a round of beer for himself and two white friends.

Later on - at the spot where he found gold 
On a happier note, in his old age special approval was given for Jupiter to spend his last years at The Eventide, an old person’s home in Charters Towers. He was the only Aboriginal in the home.

Jupiter with staff of The Eventide
Jupiter wasn’t well off as surprisingly Hugh didn’t provide for him in his will. He couldn’t get the age pension because he was Aboriginal, despite letters of support appearing in the local paper. Hugh couldn’t help as he had died nearly 30 years previously. Jupiter did share a lottery prize and spent it on clothes. He was proud to be the best dressed person in the age care home.

Jupiter will probably be remembered for finding gold when Hugh’s memory has faded because it is such an amazing story. There are many articles about how Jupiter found the gold and several memorials to Jupiter around Charters Towers. 

Memorial at Charters Towers 
Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold Coast commemorated his name and displayed his striking portrait. 
Portrait of Jupiter 
The Australian Mint even produced a commemorative uncirculated one dollar coin featuring Jupiter. He is probably one of the best remembered Aboriginals after Bennelong. 

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