The brave Nelson, on being informed that the Hall Gang was in town, had earlier marched defiantly from the nearby police station towards the hotel with the aim of stopping the infamous mob of bushrangers in their tracks.

Next Sunday, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the dramatic hold-up, a Wild Colonial Day is being held in Collector in which descendants of both Nelson and the Hall Gang will converge on the town.

One of the most anticipated highlights of the day is the planned re-enactment of the tragic events of January 26, 1865. Although playing out such a momentous event in our region's history will be no doubt be entertaining for the crowd, I don't envy the performers of the Gold Trails Re-enactment Group who will need to settle on an agreed sequence of events that unfolded on that fateful day in 1865, the exact details of which appear to have been lost in the mists of time.

One person who has spent months poring over the evidence is Boyd Trevithick, Nelson's great-great-grandson. In doing research for his family history book, Believe Nothing That You Hear and Only Half of What You See: a compilation of sundry articles, facts, photographs, maps, poems and family anecdotes dating back to 1087AD, (self-published, 2011) Trevithick reports he was "constantly confronted with conflicting accounts".

"Discrepancies exist as to precisely where John Dunn stood to shoot, what course Nelson took, the distance from which the shooting occurred, the times of the day, the words uttered, whether Nelson staggered forwards, backwards or towards the road and where exactly Nelson fell," explains Trevithick.

Trevithick isn't the only one to have struggled to provide a definitive account of the details leading up to Nelson's death. Respected historian, the late Stuart Hume, whose widely lauded article published in the Goulburn Evening Post on January 26, 1965, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Nelson's death, wrote "to try and get an accurate account of what actually did occur is to find the wayside strewn with garbled, highly coloured accounts from old hands who'd 'heered telled' arguments from bush lawyers with a misguided sympathy for the bushrangers and bush balladists using poetic licence to cover a multitude of sins".

Two of the most contentious issues concern what have subsequently become Collector landmarks – first, a rotting wooden stump standing next to the Bushranger Hotel, and second, Nelson's final resting place.

Trevithick reports that his "family members have handed down two versions of the role the stump played in events of 26 January 1865," and he cites the following references to illustrate these disparate accounts.

The Queanbeyan Age (11/2/1908) reports "… The railing encloses the stump near which Nelson stood when he received his fatal wound." Meanwhile, The Sydney Morning Herald (10/2/1908) reports ". Inside the railing [of the memorial] is one of the posts of the fence behind which Dunn concealed himself on approach of the Constable …"

Regardless of the significance of the stump, cynics have questioned whether it's plausible that a 150-year-old stump could still be standing, suggesting that perhaps the stump isn't the original from 1865 and, is, in fact, a 'replacement'.

Nelson died during the height of summer and with no morgue within cooee of the Collector, Hume reports, "research indicates that he was hastily buried without the aid of a minister in the grounds of the police station [still operational] … over the grave they struck a willow stave which grew, and, in the course of time, only the willow wept there".

"Although there is currently no marked grave in the grounds of the police station, some old-timers did recall a willow growing there mid last century," reports life-long local Gary Poile. However, the precise location of the willow may be a moot point for those who wish to pay their respects to the slain police officer, for it appears that Nelson was unlawfully exhumed about 50 years later.

Hume reveals that "just after World War I someone decided to remove Nelson's remains from the Police Station without an exhumation order or permission from the family". "Not knowing exactly where Nelson lay…they sank several 'duffers' till they struck paydust in the shape of the constable's bones. These they reverently gathered and crawling through a hole in the dividing fence put them in a grave alongside the Kimberleys [in the neighbouring cemetery]."

According to Hume, with the public becoming more history conscious, some years later a cross was placed on the freshly dug unmarked grave in the cemetery and inscribed "Constable Nelson 1865".

Neither Hume (nor Trevithick) uncovered the identity of those who allegedly moved Nelson's bones, nor their motives. Trevithick hypothesises that it may have been "so that Nelson was buried in consecrated ground".

While snooping around Collector this week I bumped into a couple of bushranger-era enthusiasts who questioned whether Nelson's remains were moved at all. The duo suggested that a ground-penetrating radar, or perhaps something even more invasive, ought to be employed to prove the presence of remains.

I don't know about you, but I think poor old Constable Nelson suffered enough trauma in the final moments of his life and that he should be left to lie in peace, wherever that may be.

Collector Wild Colonial Day: Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the day Constable Samuel Nelson was killed on duty by John Dunn outside the Bushranger Hotel. Next Sunday, January 25, from 10am–4pm in Collector Village (about a 30-minute drive north of Canberra on the Federal Highway). Free admission.

Expect: Historical displays, re-enactments, bush poetry, author talks, food, wine, local produce, art and craft. Devonshire tea and all day barbecue.

For the kids: Horse and cart rides, face painting (small charge) and bushranger activities (if you dare!) all day.

Shoot-outs: The Gold Trails Re-enactment Group will perform a realistic re-enactment of the murder of Constable Nelson at 3pm near the Collector Police Station (Bourke St) and again outside the Bushranger Hotel (Church St) about 6pm.

Become a star: At midday, there will be a re-enactment of the trial of John Dunn, including an opportunity for "extras" to participate (scripts will be provided).

Don't miss: The rare collection of guns and equipment used by bushrangers and police during the colonial period (in the Memorial Hall).

Nelson's Grave: Located in the Anglican Cemetery in Bourke St. About 3.30pm, the NSW Police Chaplain will lead a graveside Memorial Service, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony.

The stump: Takes pride of place next to Nelson's Memorial outside the Bushranger Hotel. Unfortunately, there's precious little information on the state of the stump in 1865, so it's difficult to determine if it's the original. However, if any suitably qualified foresters would like to offer an educated opinion, I'd love to hear from you.

More: www.facebook.com/Nelson150 or ph: 0423 672 153

Fit for a Prince!

Thankfully, I hadn't unpacked from my recent exile to Tuross Head for incorrectly spelling the seaside village as Tuross Heads (Dedicated to you, dear reader, January 3) for I've been promptly dispatched back to the coast for another faux pas. In last week's "where on the south coast" photo quiz, I incorrectly referred to the main highway which snakes along our coast as the "Princess Highway".

As ever the eagle-eyed reader David Elliston points out, "it has always been the 'Princes' Highway, and still is." It is a common error and to ensure I never make this blunder again, this week I'm going to drive along the stretch of the Princes Highway from Nowra, south to the Victorian Border, repeating out loud "it's Princes, not Princess" every 5 kilometres. Measuring about 350 kilometres, it's going to be a long trip, so in order to sustain my energy levels I plan to also searchout, and (most importantly) sample, the best fish 'n' chips the coast has to offer. Or should that be "fish 'n' chips fit for a Prince"?

Any suggested takeaways will be greatly appreciated. I'll report back on my findings in next week's column.

PS: I'm wearing the Socceroos' colours today in the hope they'll outscore the Koreans in Brisbane tonight..

Cryptic clue: Bonnie Tyler (think of her voice)

Degree of difficulty: Easy - Medium

Last week: Congratulations to Monika D'Ambrosio, of McKellar, who correctly identified last week's photo (inset) as the entry gate of 1227 Princes Highway, Jeremadra, about 2 kilometres south of Mogo. Monika beat a surprisingly high number of successful entrants (I thought it was a tough one) from both Canberra and the coast to the prize, including Shirley Fitzsimmons, of Banks, and Paul Hely, of Moruya. Chris McGirr, of Griffith, is still kicking himself that he didn't get his entry in earlier. "The property actually belongs to my girlfriend's mum and dad," reveals Chris.

Can anyone explain the proliferation of roadside businesses on the coast this season advertising products related to worms – they seem to outnumber the traditional flower, honey and fruit stalls two to one. I can't imagine they are aimed at the tourist market, for a bag full of worm casts is the last thing you'd want to cram in the backseat between the kids and their bodyboards for the drive back up the Clyde.

How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to timtheyowieman@bigpond.com. The first email sent after 10am today with the correct answer wins a double pass to Dendy cinemas.