litchfield’s first experience of exploration having been a disappointment, he was again unemployed at wellington, still looking for his own scrub run. on 21 october 1860, in partnership with his half-brother john munro litchfield, he took out an annual crown lands lease on a sheep run of some 42 square miles. this mallee scrubland run was located east of the river murray near wellington but was without water, which the brothers immediately began to sink for. their uncle, thomas reynolds, then premier of south australia, paid for the lease and stock. controversially, another half-brother, william litchfield, who falsely claimed in the insolvency court that he also shared an interest in this run, was appointed crown lands ranger at wellington, which resulted in very public libel litigation by thomas reynolds against the northern star newspaper.