Crans Grave MysteryCrans Grave Bore is at the base of Mt Rebecca on Mt Sarah Station about 60km north of Oodnadatta. According to his death certificate Robert Cran died in this area but no one I have spoken to knows the location of his grave. From the stories handed down Cran must have been quite a colourful character. In his book Bush Justice, Ron Browne, a former policeman stationed at Finke [NT], credits this rather bizzarre story to Bob Smith, former owner of New Crown Station. Mr. Cran apparently liked a drink, and on one occasion in Oodnadatta found himself short of drinking money. He struck up a deal with a doctor who was visiting the outback railhead from Melbourne. In return for the loan of five pounds drinking money Mr. Cran would will the doctor his head when he died! The agreement was then drawn up and witnessed. When the contractor finally died, a dutiful mate buried him in an unmarked grave after removing his head and placing it in a sugar bag. The sugar bag and its unusual contents then travelled around swinging from the axle of the mate’s donkey-buggy until he next visited Oodnadatta. There, the mate packaged up the head and sent it to the Melbourne doctor thereby honouring the agreement. Death Certificate District of Flinders Crans Grave Bore is on the Overland Telegraph route, a favourite track for travellers in those days. Some stories also mention that it could be Cran’s dog buried inside the small railings at Charlotte Waters.
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