Kinchega Woolshed

Item details


Name of item:	Kinchega Woolshed
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Farming and Grazing
Category:	Woolshed/Shearing Shed
Location:	Lat: -32.475358 Long: 142.343161
Primary address:	15km south-west of, Menindee, NSW 2879
Local govt. area:	Central Darling
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Menindee

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1		DP	754518

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
15km south-west of	Menindee	Central Darling			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
National Parks and Wildlife Service	State Government	17 Sep 97

Statement of significance:


	Dating from 1875, Kinchega Woolshed is associated with the early pastoral history of the far west of New South Wales. The building illustrates the huge size of pastoral holdings in the arid areas of Australia and is a good example of a large scale shearing shed. The shed is of noteable design, the sweating pens being an important feature of the building. Owing to its site and large dimensions, it is a prominent feature in the arid surrounding landscape and is a visual symbol of the grazing history of the outback. It helps to show the major developments in shearing technology during the century since its construction. (Australian Heritage Commission).
	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:	1875-1875
Physical description:	Kinchega Woolshed is a very large linear building constructed of timber frame with corrugated iron cladding. It consists of 26 stands and is built upon a low sandy hill close to the Darling River. The main structure is constructed of trimmed river gum trunks, sawn roof frames and flooring raised well clear of the ground and a wide pitched roof, skillions and walls sheeted with corrugated iron. A noteable feature of the building is the pavilion of sweating pens at the southern end; its light stud-frame construction contrasts with the heavier timber of the original section of the shed. Nearby are a cluster of small corrugated iron clad buildings containing the shearer's quarters, cookhouse and stores buildings. Kinchega Woolshed witnessed the evolution in shearing technology that was seen throughout the wool industry during the nineteenth-twentieth centuries. Blades were replaced by mechanical handpieces and the steam traction engine that first powered the machinery stands outside the building. A boiler also is located here. Team was in turn replaced by kerosene and then deisel powered shearing gear. Finally the handpieces were powered by electrical equipment. In addition to the traction engine, the shearing machinery is also present, as is the wool press, wool cranes, a cart and buggy and other equipment. (Australian Heritage Commission)(Sheedy 1983)
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Physcial condition is good. Archaelogical potential is medium.
	Date condition updated:17 Sep 97
Modifications and dates:	1860 - property visited by Burke and Wills 1870 - station bought by H Hughes 1875 - constructed 1967 - became part of Kinchega National Park
Further information:	Restored in 1993


Current use:	Located within Kinchega National Park
Former use:	Shearing Shed

History

Historical notes:

Originally an early West Darling property names 'Menindel', first held by the explorer John McKinlay in the 1850's but by 1860 it was taken up by Peter McGregor and it had become known as 'Kinchega'. Burke and Wills visited it in 1860 and Kinchega's manager, William Wright, accompanied them as third in command and was blamed almost entirely for the tradgedy that befell the expedition after he failed to meet the party on its return to Cooper's Creek.

In 1870 the station was sold by George Urquhart in 1870 to Herbert Bristow Hughes. Hughes had two river steamers built in England to service the station named the 'Jandra' and the 'Nile'. Steam engines were installed in 1875 and by 1875 'Kinchega' was running 75,000 sheep and its boundary extended beyond the southern end of the Barrier Ranges. It is during this period that the present shed came into being. Kinchega Station remained in the Hughes family for almost a century. In 1883 when Kinchega was at its peak the property was running 160,000 sheep and employed 73 men.

In 1967 Kinchega Woolshed became part of Kinchega National Park, by that time it is estimated that six million sheep had passed through the shed. (Sheedy 1983) (Australian Heritage Commission).

In 2018 the fate of Kinchega National Park is in the hands of water managers. KNP borders the Tandou irrigation property where the federal Agriculture Department paid $78m for water rights in 2017. The park, which contains half of Lake Menindee, is one of at least four sanctuaries in the Murray-Darling Basin where OEH face being overrideen by other demands, such as by irrigation, environmentalists claim. About 28% of KNP is wetland and OEH have no control over water' says Richard Kingsford, Professor of Environmental Science, UNSW. (Hannam, 2018, 10)

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Topography: How did the environment, topography and the River influence early settlement? Is there a strong relationship-Peopling the Continent Contact
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Plains and plateaux supporting human activities-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Environments important to Aboriginal traditional and spiritual life-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Park reserve-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	Aboriginal Culture-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	All nations - sites evidencing occupation-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	All nations - Aboriginal people working on farms, vineyards, stations-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	Aboriginal post-contact-May include sites of contact with Europeans, conflict, resistance, interaction and urban life.
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	Truffle farming-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of industrial production-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Industry-Activities associated with the manufacture, production and distribution of goods	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Woolgrowing-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Wool storing-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Wool/shearing shed-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Servicing the pastoral industry-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Sheep farming for wool-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	A quiet Rural District-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Dating from 1875, Kinchega Woolshed is associated with the early pastoral history of the far west of New South Wales. The building illustrates the huge size of pastoral holdings in the arid areas of Australia and is a good example of a large scale shearing shed oftraditional timber construction. (Australian Heritage Commission)
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The shed is of noteable design, the sweating pens being an important feature of the building. Owing to its site and large dimensions, it is a prominent feature in the arid surrounding landscape and is a visual symbol of the grazing history of the outback. (Australian Heritage Commission)
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	It helps to show the major developments in shearing technology during the century since its construction. (Australian Heritage Commission)
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	It is perhaps the largest woolshed of its type remaining in the Western District and also one of the better examples. (Sheedy 1983)
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.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce 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
CMP-Endorse	Conservation Plan submitted for endorsement	Former Kinchega Pastoral Station, Kinchega NP - CM & Cultural Tourism Plan (Peter Freeman, June 2001)	CMP covers the whole National Park, and includes discussion on the wool shed.	Sep 2 2002
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 Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	00995	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register
National Trust of Australia register		24 Jan 83
Register of the National Estate		21 Mar 78

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
National Parks & Wildlife Service Section 170 Register			National Parks & Wildlife Service		No

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Tourism	National Parks	2007	Kinchega National Park	View detail
Tourism	Tourism NSW	2007	Kinchega Woolshed	View detail

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045612

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