Editing Canning Stock Route (section)

====First droving runs====
Commercial droving along the stock route began in 1910. The first few droves were of small groups of horses – the first started out with 42 horses of which only nine survived the journey.<ref name="Culture" />

The first mob of [[Ox|bullocks]] to attempt to use the stock route set out in January 1911; however, the party of three [[Drover (Australian)|drovers]], George Shoesmith, James Thompson and an Aboriginal stockman who was known as "Chinaman", were killed by Aboriginals at Well 37. Thomas Cole discovered their bodies later in 1911 during his successful drove along the stock route. In September 1911, Sergeant R.H. Pilmer led a police "punitive expedition" to find the culprits and ensure the stock route remained open.<ref>Pilmer, quoted in the ''East Murchison News'' on 22 September 1911: "I can assure you that it is the intention of the authorities that Canning's track shall be a main highway to the Nor-'West and that that route shall be entirely cleared of all obstacles likely to be a menace to those using that route."</ref> The police made no arrests, but the expedition was considered a success after Pilmer acknowledged killing at least 10 Aboriginals.<ref>[http://www.hesperianpress.com/index.php/booklist/2011-06-16-12-23-53/n-titles/247-northern-patrol R.H. Pilmer. ''Northern patrol: an Australian saga'', edited and annotated by Cathie Clement and Peter Bridge, Hesperian Press, WA, 1996]</ref>

On 7 September 1911 it was reported that the first mob of cattle to traverse the entire length of the stock route had successfully arrived in Wiluna. The cattle had apparently gained condition on the long drove.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33397013 ''Kalgoorlie Western Argus'', 12 September 1911], accessed 30 December 2010.</ref>

The stock route was closed at some time prior to 1925. In 1925 the [[Billiluna Station|Billiluna Pastoral Company]] requested that it be reopened. The state government refused saying that it had fallen into disrepair from disuse as a result of stockmen being attacked by Aboriginals. The government claimed it would cost £5,625 and take six months to repair and refused to consider the expenditure at that time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78441223 |title=Canning Stock Route cannot be re-opened |newspaper=[[The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia)|The Daily News]] |volume=XLIV |issue=15,720 |location=Western Australia |date=11 September 1925 |access-date=4 March 2017 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Despite police protection, drovers were afraid to use the track and it was rarely used for almost 20 years. Between 1911 and 1931, only eight mobs of cattle were driven along the Canning Stock Route.<ref name="Culture"/>