Coppabella Blacksmith Shop, Stables and Burial Plot

Item details


Name of item:	Coppabella Blacksmith Shop, Stables and Burial Plot
Other name/s:	Coppabella Station, Coppit Billy
Type of item:	Complex / Group
Group/Collection:	Manufacturing and Processing
Category:	Blacksmithy
Location:	Lat: -35.7435665965 Long: 147.7253848490
Primary address:	, Rosewood, NSW 2652
Parish:	Coppabella
County:	Goulburn
Local govt. area:	Greater Hume
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Albury And District

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
PART LOT	111		DP	748438

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
	Rosewood	Greater Hume	Coppabella	Goulburn	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	Private

Statement of significance:


	Coppabella Station is of State heritage significance as the first station in the Tumbarumba region and one that played a central role in the society of the region. The blacksmiths shop, stables and graves date to this initial period of occupation and display traditional and now rare building construction techniques - based on hand hewn timbers, bark and corrugated iron. Constructed c.1863 the blacksmith workshop, stable and graves are substanitally intact and have not been significantly altered since construction. (Heritage Branch files)
	Date significance updated: 23 Sep 11
	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:	1863-1863
Physical description:	Site: Coppabella is located on Maginnity's Gap Road and Coppabella Road, Rosewood, approximately 50km east of Holbrook near Tumbarumba in the Snowy Mountains. The site consists of a blacksmith workshop, stable and family burial plot at Coppabella Station. Blacksmith's Workshop: The blacksmith's workshop is a rectangular, timber structure. The walls are constructed of split slabs, let into the top plate and rest between battens fixed by wire drawn nails on the bottom plate. All the original plates are axe dressed. The top plates are fixed by iron spikes to a series of axe dressed perimeter posts set in the ground. The roof is corrugated galvanised iron, attached to the original stringy bark sapling farm. The gable ends are hand split weatherboards the floor is earth through-out. The brick chimney extends through the roof. The sulky horses were shod in the main room while the draft horses, weather permitting, were shod in the yard which separates the blacksmith's from the stables. Water was piped from a reservoir sited on the hill to the west of the blacksmiths. The water ran into a wooden keg which was then carried to the blacksmiths shop. Inside rough work benches are installed along the accessible walls and the forge itself stands close to the north wall. There is a large bellows labelled 'JOHN C. ONIONS, BRADFORD STREET, BIRMINGHAM, PATENTEE NO. 26855.' The bellows is complete with its water jacket around the nozzle. The forge area as a whole is very complete with layers of wheels, horseshoes and ferrriers' tools, representing perhaps a century of accumulation. The tools are outstanding in terms of their authenticity and variety some being hand made, displaying a good standard of the Smith's art. Stables: The Stables, originally a weatherboard structure has been partially reclad with galvanised iron sheeting. It is timber framed with an impressive central aisle of timber posts. The aisle is flagged with stone and lined with half height doors, swung on forged strap hinges. The stalls are separated by vertical slab partitions. The ceiling and corresponding floor of the hayloft, is bark, supported on poles. Family Burial Plot: To the north-east of the blacksmithy and stable is the Robinson family plot. There are three graves with two remaining headstones made from local granite enclosed by a railed fence and shaded by elm trees (Ulmus sp.). The graves belong to James Robinson who died in 1878 and James Dawling Robinson who died in 1868. Adjacent to the graves are a number of exotic trees which were planted along the original driveway to the property (Heritage Branch files)


Former use:	Blacksmith shop

History

Historical notes:

The land was granted to Henry Osborne in 1837. The following year Osborne sold the property to James Robinson who was Osborne's neighbour in the Illawarra region. Robinson was subsequently the first to settle in the Tumbarumba region.

Robinson and his wife raised eight daughters and one son. The son later managed the property after Robinsons death in 1868. Most of the daughters married locally and due to the large family, Coppabella was the district's social centre for many years.

In 1872 the property was subdivided and the main portion sold to Henry Whitty, a nephew of Robinson jnr.

IN 1876 Whitty sold to the Rial brothers. However later, the property was resumed by the Bank of Australasia. The history of the property ownership is not known until 1920 when Mr Baker sold Coppabella to Tupra Pastoral Company, owned by the Preswick family of Melbourne. They sold the property to Australian Newsprint Mills in 1983.

In 1985 the Heritage Branch received community representations concerned for the future of the site as it was for sale. At the time the timber industry was replacing much of the traditional agricultural practices in the region. There was a possibility that the site would be cleared and used for pine plantation.

A s.130 order was placed over the site on 2 August 1985 to provide emergency protection of the site. Following discussion with the owner of the site, Australian Newsprint Mills Pty Ltd conservation under the Heritage Act 1977as supported and Interim Heritage Order was placed on 5 December 1986.

In 1987 Australian Newsprint Mills commissioned an archaeology report to asses the structures and recommend a schedule of works. During 1988 and 1989 conservation works were completed on the site.

A Permanent Conservation Order was placed over the site on 2 December 1988. It was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. (Heritage Branch files)

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)-

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Review a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act	See File For Schedule Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1): (1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material; and (2) Garden maintenance including cultivation, pruning, weed control, the repair and maintenance of existing fences, gates and garden walls and tree surgery but not extensive lopping; (3) Changes of use; (4) maintenance and repair of existing farm fences and the provision of internal subdivision fences; (5) Maintenance and repair of existing dams, water storage facilities and reticulation systems; (6) eradication of noxious plants and animals (weed species in natural areas to be removed either by manual means or treated by spot aplication of herbicide to avoid affecst on native vegetation)- excluding those exotics associated with the original avenue and family graveyard. (7) maintenance and repairs to existing access roads; and (8) horticultural and agricultural management.	Dec 2 1988
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00620	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00620	02 Dec 88	178	6222

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Access Archaeology Pty Ltd	1992	Coppabella Blacksmith Conservation

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

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045070
File number:	S90/03355 & HC 33352

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

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