Bearbong Woolshed

Item details


Name of item:	Bearbong Woolshed
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Farming and Grazing
Category:	Woolshed/Shearing Shed
Location:	Lat: S31° 36.761’ Long: E148° 53.664’
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 Woolshed was constructed during the mid 19th century as a blade shearing shed and was later converted for machine shearing. The shed has direct associations with the development of the pastoral industries of the Gilgandra district over a period of more than 100 years. The woolshed demonstrates construction techniques used in 19th century rural buildings. It also demonstrates the primitive form of early woolsheds. It is a rare local example of a 19th century blade shearing shed and is representative of the functional structures constructed to support the pastoral industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The shed has local historical and technical/research significance, rarity and representativeness. 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


Physical description:	The Bearbong Woolshed was constructed during the mid 19th century as a blade shed. As constructed it had a bush timber frame and was open-sided. The building was topped with a hipped roof clad in timber slats covered with tar paper. Lister shearing gear was installed in the centre of the shed towards its southern end. This possibly occurred in the 1890s or early 20th century. Around World War I the shed was expanded with the construction of skillion-roofed annex. At this time the walls of the shed were enclosed with un-galvanised corrugated iron. An adzed floor from another building was installed in the wool room at the northern end of the woolshed.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The woolshed is in good condition. The site is considered to have high archaeological potential.
	Date condition updated:25 Feb 09


Current use:	Woolshed
Former use:	Woolshed

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.

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 Woolshed was constructed during the mid 19th century as a blade shearing shed and was later converted for machine shearing. It has direct associations with the development of the pastoral industries of the Gilgandra district over a period of more than 100 years. The shed has local historical significance.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	The Bearbong Woolshed demonstrates construction techniques used in 19th century rural buildings. It also demonstrates the primitive form of early woolsheds. The building has local technical/research significance.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The Bearbong Woolshed is a rare local example of a 19th century blade shearing shed.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The Bearbong Woolshed is representative of the functional structures constructed to support the pastoral industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Integrity/Intactness:	The woolshed has 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	I10	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:	1590120

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