Alleged Bogie shooting: Robert Kohler says Darryl Young interfered with cattle, property sale

The former owner of the Bogie property owned by three people shot dead has railed against the man charged with their murders, calling him a “bastard”.

The former owner of Sutherland Station has railed against Darryl Young, the man charged with Thursday’s horrific mass shooting, calling him a “bastard”.

Robert Kohler bought the station, now owned by the Schwarz family, in 2011 and said Mr Young moved into the neighbouring Shannonvale property in 2012.

“From the time he got there, we had problems,” Mr Kohler said.

“There was nothing but problems.”

Former Sutherland Station owner Bob Kohler with his son Zac.

On Mr Kohler’s account, Mr Young engaged in acts of sabotage that stretched on for years, including interfering with Mr Kohler’s own cattle, though he added this had never been proven in court.

“Every time I put a complaint into the stock squad, nothing got done,” he said.

He also said Mr Young interfered with his sale of the property.

“What he (Mr Young) was doing was creating havoc up there,” he said.

“They kept letting their cattle into my place, so that would give them a reason to go in there.

“And then because I would not let them go in there to get their cattle, they put a demand muster on me.

“I’ve got everything documented in my diaries.

“Everything that I did with Young … is all documented.”

Darryl Young, 59, appears via videolink at Proserpine courthouse

Mr Kohler added he believed rural issues had not received proper attention and Mr Young’s behaviour should have been “nipped in the bud” years ago.

“It should all have been nipped in the bud right from the start,” he said.

“When they treat rural (issues) as a joke, that’s what happens, people treat it like a joke.”

Mr Kohler sold Sutherland Station in 2018 to another buyer, who sold it in turn to the Schwarz family.

A cattle industry source has told the Courier Mail Sutherland Station had “a lot going for it” and was located in good “breeder country”.

“It was a sizeable commercial cattle operation, situated close to a couple of meatworks and in a reasonably good rainfall area, so it has got plenty going for it,” he said.

The station has changed hands three times in the past five years, which the source said was the result of rising values.

Mervyn and Maree Schwarz’s homestead property at Bogie. Picture: Greg Stolz

“The cattle market has taken off quite considerably over the period of ten years, the returns for cattle have escalated,” he said.

“They take their cattle gains and then they go on and reinvest it in the industry somewhere else.

“It’s just like the real estate market for a house.

“First home buyers start with a two-bed one bath.

“People always strive to improve their situation and then they go and buy a four-bed and two-bath.

“It is the same in the cattle industry.

“You buy a property that runs 200 cows, you pay it off and you get the opportunity to sell it and then you buy a property that sells 400 cows.”

Though the Schwarz family were relatively new to the area, it is understood they had already sold three Brahmans to the CQLX in November 2021.

Burdekin MP Dale Last said Mr Young had been involved in a number of disputes on a range of matters for a number of years.

Police will allege the murders were committed at the front gate of Mr Young’s Shannonvale Rd property over an ongoing border dispute. Ross Tighe (top right) survived the shooting and is recovering at Mackay Base Hospital.

“A long history of disputes with neighbours, involving road access and fences, gates etc,” he said.

“Over the years a lot of those disputes came to my attention, were referred onto Whitsunday council.

“It just never ever seemed to resolve itself.”

Mr Young appeared at Proserpine Court via videolink on Monday morning, charged with the murders of Mervyn, 71, and Maree, 59, Schwarz and Maree’s son Graham Tighe, 35, on August 4 at Bogie, west of Bowen.

Mr Young is further charged with the attempted murder of Maree’s other son Ross Tighe, who was allegedly forced to run and hide in bushes with a gunshot wound to his stomach after watching his family be gunned down.

Police will allege the murders were committed at the front gate of Mr Young’s Shannonvale Rd property over an ongoing border dispute.

The case of Mr Young, who is represented by Townsville solicitor Phil Rennick of Rennick Lawyers, has been adjourned to Bowen Magistrates Court later this year.