Kenniff country; the big cattle runs of the Upper Warrego and Upper Maranoa Rivers and the head waters of the rivers on the other side of the range was first explored during Sir Thomas Mitchell’s 1845 – 46. Traveling via the Cogoon (ie. Muckadilla Creek) and Amby Creek, Mitchell crossed the Upper Maranoa, thence to the Belyando, and thence to the head of the Warrego. After exploring the Victoria River (ie. The Barcoo) for some distance, he returned home via the lower Maranoa. In November 1846, while Mitchell’s party was returning towards the Balonne River crossing at St.George’s Bridge, and before the summer rains and growth of new grass had had time to erase the tracks formed during its northern journey, Beckett and four other squatters, accompanied by Aboriginal guides, had traveled north along the explorers’ tracks and had taken up country along their northern route.
