PASTORALISTS in the north-west of this state around the end of the 1800s and well into the 1900s tapped into Aboriginal tradition to maintain correspondence with neighbouring properties.
The messenger would be set off on foot, with the message attached to a stick.
The distance could be covered in one day.
The drovers could not do this job because they would need to take a horse off the property.
PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWRegistering the patent for this tradition could set Aboriginal people up in opposition to our present Australia Post system.
It took eight days for a letter to reach me from five kilometres away.
LAVINIA TARRANT, Dianella.