Bearbong Shearers Quarters

Item details


Name of item:	Bearbong Shearers Quarters
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Farming and Grazing
Category:	Shearers’ Quarters
Location:	Lat: S31° 36.733’ Long: E148° 53.655’
Primary address:	Biddon Bearbong Road, Off, Bearbong, NSW 2827
Local govt. area:	Gilgandra

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Biddon Bearbong Road, Off	Bearbong	Gilgandra			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	The Bearbong shearers’ quarters was constructed around 1915 to accommodate shearers working at the Bearbong Woolshed. It is a rare example of shearers’ quarters including sleeping quarters, cookhouse and amenities in the one structure. The building is representative of the functional structures constructed to support the pastoral industry in the early 20th century. The shearers’ quarters has local historical significance, rarity and represesentativeness. It also has a high degree of integrity.
	Date significance updated: 25 Feb 09
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1915-1915
Physical description:	The Bearbong shearer’s quarters is a ‘T’ shaped timber framed building clad externally in painted corrugated iron. The building has a low pitched gable roof and a skillion verandah facing south. The building is lined with chamfered boards. A verandah on the northern side of the quarters appears to have been enclosed in the 1940s or 1950s to connect the main quarters to the amenities. The building is unusual as the cookhouse and sleeping quarters are contained in the one structure.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The building is in good condition. The site is considered to have moderate archaeological potential.
	Date condition updated:25 Feb 09


Current use:	Vacant
Former use:	Shearers' Quarters

History

Historical notes:

In 1836 Governor Bourke established regulations, which legalised squatting beyond the limits of the Nineteen Counties (Morrisey 1978;59). The ensuing period, which coincided with the height of the economic boom of the 1830s, saw the consolidation of many landholdings around the Castlereagh. Records indicate that John Jude and John Hall

… were the first people to hold licences to depasture stock on the Castlereagh River down stream from Mendooran. They lodged their application for a licence on 31st December 1836 with the description “Carlingangong North Western beyond Wellington Valley”. By 30th September 1839 John Jude acquired a licence for the adjoining area called Armatree. (Gulargambone Historical Society Book Committee 1992:77)

Andrew Brown extended his and James Walker’s holdings, establishing properties between the Warrumbungles and the site of Mendooran. These were Briambil and Cuigan. From 1834, with the assistance of James Walker’s nephew David Archer, and the guidance of the local Aboriginal people, Andrew Brown explored around and beyond the Warrumbungles, establishing stations on the watering points of Yarragrin, Gundy, Bidden, Mogie Melon, Wallumburawang, Tooraweenah and Nullen. (Rolls 1982:116-119)

By 1836/37 licences were issued for stations along the river in the vicinity of the present day Gilgandra, Curban, Armatree and Gulargambone. Richard Rouse at Mundooran, Thomas Perrie at Breelong, James Bennett at Bearbong and Curban, Lowes at Carlganda and Yalcogreen, John Hall at Calingoingong and John Jude at Armatree. (Dormer 1983:15)

A blade shearing shed was built on the Bearbong run some time during the 19th century. Lister machine shearing gear was installed into the shed around 1900. During World War I the shed was expanded and the shearing gear moved to a skillion-roofed annex on the eastern side of the shed. A shearers’ quarters was constructed near the woolshed around the same time.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	(none)-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The Bearbong shearers’ quarters was constructed around 1915 to accommodate shearers working at the Bearbong Woolshed. The quarters have local historical significance.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The Bearbong shearers’ quarters is a rare example of shearers’ quarters including sleeping quarters, cookhouse and amenities in the one structure.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The Bearbong shearers’ quarters is representative of the functional structures constructed to support the pastoral industry in the early 20th century.
Integrity/Intactness:	The quarters have a high degree of integrity.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Gilgandra Local Environmental Plan 2011	I9	09 Dec 11
Heritage study

Study details

Title	Year	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Gilgandra Shire Community Based Heritage Study	2008	Ray Christison	Ray Christison	Yes
Gilgandra Shire Community Based Heritage Study	2008	Ray Christison	Ray Christison	Yes
Gilgandra Shire Community Based Heritage Study	2008	Ray Christison	Ray Christison	Yes
Gilgandra Shire Community Based Heritage Study	2008	Ray Christison	Ray Christison	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Dormer, M.	1983	The Bushman's Arms
Written	Gulargambone Historical Society Book Committee	1992	Gulargambone Homes and Holdings
Written	Morrissey, S.	1978	The Pastoral Economy in Griffin, J. (ed.) Essays in the Economic Development of Australia
Written	Rolls, E.	1982	A Million Wild Acres

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	1590115

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