Mount Wood Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Wood Station |
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Mount Wood shearers' quarters after 10mm of rain, 2018
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| Location | Sturt National Park, Tibooburra, Unincorporated Far West region of New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1890–1969 |
| Owner | Office of Environment and Heritage |
| Official name: Mount Wood Station; Mt Wood; Whittabrinnah and Mount Wood Pastoral Company | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1001 |
| Type | Homestead Complex |
| Category | Farming and Grazing |
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Mount Wood Station, also known as Mt Wood, is an old cattle farm in Sturt National Park, New South Wales, Australia. It was built between 1890 and 1969. Today, it is part of a national park and is protected because of its history. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. Mount Wood Station is located east of the town of Tibooburra, New South Wales.
Contents
Exploring Mount Wood's Past
This area has a long history, with famous explorers passing through. Charles Sturt explored here in 1847-48. His group even got stuck for months at places like Fort Grey, New South Wales. Later, the Burke and Wills expedition also traveled through this region in 1860-61.
Discovering Sturt National Park
Mount Wood Homestead complex is found inside Sturt National Park. This park shows what the shrub rangelands of western New South Wales are like. It has many types of land, including sandy areas and flat plains.
The park is a huge home for wildlife. It has 246 native animal species. You can also see many different landforms here. These include sand dunes, Mitchell Grass Plains, and rocky areas called the Jump Ups.
The national park sits in a large, bowl-shaped dip in central Australia. Most of it is covered by flat, stony plains or sand dunes. But in the middle, you'll find the Grey Range. Here, the Jump Ups are low, flat-topped hills. Near Tibooburra, there are also cool granite rock formations.
Plants of the Park
The park has three main types of plants:
- Mulga (a type of acacia tree)
- Saltbush (a shrub that can grow in salty soil)
- Bluebush (another type of shrub)
Exploring the Mount Wood Homestead Complex
The Mount Wood Homestead complex has many interesting features. These show how the station used to work.
Key Features of the Complex
- Camping Ground: There's a camping ground called Mt. Wood. It's located north-east of the homestead.
- Visitor Car Park: A car park for visitors is north of the homestead.
- Self-Guided Walk: You can take a walk around the homestead and stables. This path helps you explore the area.
- Thomson's Creek: This creek runs south of the homestead. When it has water, you can see a suspension bridge over it.
The Homestead and Garden
The homestead is actually two houses connected together. One part is an old stone house from 1897 with a verandah all around. The homestead shows how the station changed over time. It's an important place for learning about the past.
The garden has trees planted around 1960. There are also paths connecting the two parts of the homestead. You can see a pepper tree near an old stone hut and poultry runs.
Shearers Quarters
The Shearers Quarters were built in 1955. They are located south-east of the homestead. This area includes the shearers' living quarters, a kitchen, and other buildings. These buildings also show the long history of the station.
Woolshed and Woolscours
The Woolshed is where sheep were shorn. It's located south-east of the homestead, across Thomson's Creek.
The Woolscours are a very special part of the station. This is where wool was cleaned. It's one of the only 19th-century woolscours that is still mostly complete. It shows an important old technology used on farms.
Vehicle Shed
This shed was built around the 1960s. It has a concrete floor and is supported by steel posts. The roof is made of corrugated iron. It's about 20.7 meters long, 9.7 meters deep, and 2.5 meters high.
Other Structures
Around the complex, you can find many other old structures. These include:
- Stables: Where horses were kept.
- Generator Shed: Built in 1955.
- Blacksmith's Shop: Where metal work was done, from around 1920.
- Laundry and Store: Built in 1958.
- Kitchen: Built in 1939.
- Stone Hut: From around 1890.
- Poultry Runs: Where chickens were kept.
All these different parts, even the newer ones, are built on traditional sites. They show a complete picture of how a pastoral station worked.
Why Mount Wood is Important
Mount Wood Homestead complex, including the shearers' quarters, woolshed, and woolscours, is very important. It shows how farming has continued in this dry part of New South Wales for over a hundred years.
Even though the buildings are from different times, they all stand on places that have been used for farming for a long time. This site gives us a full example of what a pastoral station was like. It helps us understand how people lived, how isolated they were, and how technology changed over time.
The woolscour is especially important. It is one of the only 19th-century wool cleaning sites that is still mostly whole. This makes it a rare example of old farming technology.
The shearers' quarters and homestead also show their long history. They are valuable for learning about how the station operated. These buildings have architectural beauty and scientific value for history and technology.
It is believed that having so many parts of a station still standing, like at Mount Wood, is rare in western New South Wales. It will become even rarer over time.
Mount Wood Station was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
