Isis Downs Woolshed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Isis Downs Woolshed |
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Isis Downs Woolshed
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| Location | Isisford-Blackall Road, Isisford, Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1914 - 1919 (World War I) |
| Built | 1913-1914 |
| Architect | Kay, MacNicol and Company Engineers |
| Official name: Isis Downs Woolshed Complex, Isis Downs Woolshed | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 18 September 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602544 |
| Significant period | 1910s (fabric) 1910s-2000s (historical use) |
| Builders | Dorman Long and Co. (Melbourne) |
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The Isis Downs Woolshed is a special historic building in Isisford, Australia. It is a shearing shed, which is a large building where sheep are shorn (their wool is cut off). This amazing shed was designed by engineers Kay, MacNicol and Company. It was built between 1913 and 1914. Today, it is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its importance.
Contents
History of the Woolshed
The Isis Downs Woolshed you see today was finished in 1914. It is made of steel and covered with corrugated iron. Engineers Kay, MacNicol and Company designed it. At the time, the owners were Sir Rupert Clarke and Robert Selmon Whiting. This shed is smaller than the old one that burned down. But its unique semi-circular shape makes it very special.
Wool Industry in Queensland
The wool industry in Queensland began in 1840. This was when Patrick and Walter Leslie started Canning Downs Station. Ranchers followed explorers, opening up land for sheep. By 1860, wool was Queensland's main export. It brought in the most money for the new colony.
Isis Downs Station's Beginnings
Isis Downs was one of the first big properties in the Isisford area. It started on January 1, 1867. The first owners were Charles Lumley Hill and his partners. The property was named after the Isis River in England. This river is actually the upper part of the River Thames.
Later, in 1877, a town was started nearby. It was built by William and James Whitman. The town provided services for the growing area. It was officially named Isisford in 1897. This name came from being near a "ford" (a shallow river crossing) and close to Isis Downs Station.
New Owners and a Big Fire
Isis Downs changed owners several times. In 1910, Robert Selmon Whiting and Sir Rupert Clarke bought it. Sir Rupert Clarke came from a famous family in Victoria. He owned many large sheep farms across Australia. His business partner, RS Whiting, was a rich lawyer from Melbourne.
Together, Clarke and Whiting bought huge amounts of land in Queensland. Isis Downs was their most important sheep station. By 1910, Isis Downs was over 200,000 hectares (490,000 acres) in size. It had about 200,000 sheep.
The original shearing shed was made of timber and iron. It had 100 shearing stands. This shed was bigger than the current one. But in September 1912, right after shearing season, it burned down.
Designing the New Woolshed
By December 1912, the owners hired engineers Kay, MacNicol and Company. They were from Melbourne and were asked to design a new shed. Many designs were looked at. The current semi-circular design was chosen. It was seen as the "cheapest and simplest" to build.
The designers wanted a huge open space inside. They used one large central pillar. This pillar was 30 feet tall above ground. It created a clear space of about 70 feet. This space was perfect for the shearing board, tables, and wool bins. The design allowed for 52 shearing stands. These stands were placed around the semi-circle. The sheep yards were just outside. Wool bins and presses were on the flat, far side of the building.
The shed also had its own electricity. A separate engine room provided power. Light also came from windows high up on the walls. Large, rectangular shutters on the curved wall let in more light and air.
Building the Woolshed
Steel for the shed was ordered in January 1913. It came from Dorman Long and Co. in Melbourne. This company later built the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. At that time, steel could not be made in Australia. So, it had to be shipped from Middlesbrough, England. It went to Melbourne to be cut. Then, it was shipped to Rockhampton. From there, it traveled by train to Malverton, near Blackall.
Finally, the steel was carted to Isis Downs. Construction started in 1913. The foundations were built quickly. But the steel arrived late, causing delays. The shed was not ready for the 1913 shearing season. The owners had to make other plans for that year.
Power for Shearing
Next to the woolshed, a powerhouse was built. It supplied electric and hydraulic power. This power ran the machines used for shearing. The powerhouse had a boiler room and a generating room. It contained a hydraulic pump and a steam engine. This engine was connected to an electric generator.
The system made DC power for the shearing machines. It also made hydraulic power for the wool presses. Power was sent from the powerhouse to the woolshed. Later, a diesel generator was added. In the 1970s, 240 volt electric power took over.
Finishing the Project
By April 1914, the shed was complete. The machinery was installed. But the outdoor pens were not finished. Also, the chutes for the shorn sheep had not arrived. The outdoor pens were designed to hold 30,000 sheep. They expected to shear 5,000 sheep a day during busy times. Getting enough timber for the pens was hard. The closest timber was 25 miles (40 km) away.
The shed, yards, and powerhouse were finally finished in July 1914. The total cost was about A£18,000.
Innovations and Impact
Whiting and Clarke were known for trying new things. They made a big difference to the station. Besides the shearing shed, they built the homestead. They also dug three artesian bores (deep water wells). They created a 192 kilometres (119 mi) network of bore drains. They even brought in a 110-horsepower road train from England. Their families owned the property until 1979.
Isis Downs had a huge impact on the area. Before World War II, about 150 permanent staff worked there. Many seasonal workers also came for shearing. They did all the jobs needed to run the property. But new machines meant fewer staff were needed. This had a negative effect on the local economy.
Over the years, sheep numbers changed. This was due to weather and money factors. In the late 1950s, only 60,000 sheep were on the station. By the 1990s, numbers rose to 100,000. This was partly because they bought more land. Eventually, sheep numbers dropped. The current owners started raising cattle instead. The last shearing happened in May 2004. Less than 30,000 sheep were shorn then.
In recent years, the Isis Downs Shearing Shed has hosted events. These include the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra in 2003. It also held the Outback Opera in the Shearing Shed in 2005.
Description of the Woolshed Complex
The Isis Downs Woolshed complex is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Isisford. It is part of the Isis Downs Station homestead. The complex includes the shearing shed itself. It also has mechanical shearing motors and wool presses. There are holding yards, a powerhouse, and a bale hoist. All these parts are close together. They were all used to shear sheep and process the wool.
The Woolshed Building
The main part of the complex is the woolshed. It is a large, high semi-circular building. A lower section runs along the back wall. The curved front of the shed faces the property entrance. The whole building is covered in corrugated iron. It has a unique three-tiered roof. The top two levels of the roof are smaller semi-circles. They sit in the middle of the roof. These levels have windows and vents. They let light and air into the huge space inside.
In the middle of the curved front wall is a double door. A ramp from the holding yard leads to it. These sliding doors are made of corrugated iron. Ten smaller sliding vents are also on the curved front. Five are on each side of the main doors. At the back of the woolshed, there is another double sliding door.
Inside, the woolshed has two levels. The main floor is high up and made of timber. It is semi-circular. A smaller concrete floor is at ground level along the straight back wall. There are no inner walls or roof linings. This means you can clearly see the steel structure.
The woolshed has a steel frame. A central pillar sits under the highest point of the roof. Steel beams spread out from this pillar. They cover a clear space of 70 feet (21 m). These beams end at supporting steel posts. These posts frame the 52 shearing bays. The bays follow the curve of the building. Mechanical shearing motors are above each bay. Smaller holding pens are between the bays and the outer wall. The current motors are newer, but one original motor is still there. The large open space was used to sort the wool. Wool presses are at the back of the timber floor. They go down to the concrete ground level.
Holding Yards
Right next to the curved wall of the woolshed are timber pens. These pens lead into "counting-out" yards. These yards surround the curved front of the shearing shed. The larger holding yards beyond these are not part of the heritage area. A big timber ramp leads from the yards into the main opening of the woolshed.
The Powerhouse
The powerhouse is a simple rectangular building. It has a gable roof. It is located behind the woolshed. It is mostly covered in corrugated iron. There are a few windows and fixed vents. A tall metal chimney sticks out of the roof. It is held up by four cables. A smaller shed is attached to one corner.
The powerhouse has two parts inside: a boiler room and a generating room. It still has many of the machines used when the woolshed was working. The boiler room has a wood-fired boiler and a high-pressure water pump. Outside the boiler room is a hydraulic accumulator. The generator room has several old engines and generators. These include:
- A Southern Cross Mark YEB engine.
- A 240-volt generator from British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd.
- A Lister alternator from Higgs Motors.
- Another generator from Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies.
- A hydraulic pump from The Austral Otis Engineering Co. Ltd.
The powerhouse also keeps its old pipes and power board.
The Bale Hoist
The bale hoist was used to load wool bales onto trucks. It is behind the woolshed, near the powerhouse. The hoist is made of steel. It has a tall upright post with a horizontal arm at the top. The arm is supported by steel braces. It was part of the hydraulic power system. It had a single cable that worked through pulleys. The lower pulley is now missing. A heavy ball was once above the hoist hook. This helped pull the cable down for the next lift. Two angled steel braces support the hoist's upright post.
Why Isis Downs Woolshed is Important
The Isis Downs Woolshed was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008. It is important for several reasons:
- Shows Queensland's History: The complex shows how sheep shearing changed in Queensland. It is especially important for showing early machine shearing. The powerhouse also shows how electricity was made in remote areas before World War I. Only the biggest sheep stations could afford such advanced systems.
- Unique Design: This large, semi-circular shearing shed is the only one of its kind in Australia. The collection of old machines inside is also very special. They are unique in what they are and how well they have been kept.
- Example of a Shearing Complex: The Isis Downs Woolshed complex shows what a large, early 20th-century shearing operation looked like. It includes the shed, machines, yards, powerhouse, and bale hoist. It is one of the biggest and most complete early shearing complexes in Queensland. It helps us understand how machine shearing worked back then.
- Beautiful and Striking: Even though it was built for work, the shed is very impressive. Its size and semi-circular shape stand out against the flat landscape. The corrugated iron and its isolated setting create a strong feeling of being far away from everything.
- Creative and Technical Achievement: The Isis Downs Woolshed shows new ideas in building large farm structures. Using prefabricated steel and its unusual semi-circular shape was very creative. Its design for light and air was also unique. It solved problems of function, cost, and logistics for a big shearing shed.
- Connected to Important People: The complex is linked to Sir Rupert Clarke and Robert Whiting. They were important figures in Australia's farming industry. They played a big part in developing the region.
