Windy Station Woolshed facts for kids

Windy Station Woolshed is a very old and important building in Pine Ridge, New South Wales, Australia. It's a special kind of shed where sheep are shorn, called a shearing shed. This huge shed was designed by Fred B Menkens and built in 1901 by Thomas and William Cowan. It is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on January 19, 2018. This means it's protected because of its history and special design.

A Look Back: The History of Windy Station Woolshed

Who Lived Here First? Aboriginal Custodians

Long ago, the land where Windy Station stands was part of the traditional home of the Kamilaroi people. They were the original caretakers of this land. They hunted birds, insects, and animals, and gathered plants for food. The Kamilaroi people had strong connections with the Wonnarua Aboriginal people, who lived in the nearby Hunter Valley.

The Kamilaroi were a large group of Aboriginal people. They lived across a wide area, from the Upper Hunter to the Warrumbungle Mountains. Many smaller family groups made up this nation, all speaking the Gamilaraay language.

How Did Europeans Settle the Land?

Explorers like Benjamin Singleton and John Howe first explored this area in the early 1800s. They found the land good for sheep farming. Soon, many European settlers arrived, looking for new grazing land.

This led to conflicts with the Kamilaroi people. Despite their strong resistance, the settlers took over the land. Many Aboriginal people eventually moved to government reserves like Caroona or St Clair. Here, they tried to keep their traditions alive through farming and hunting.

The Australian Agricultural Company (AACo)

The Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) was formed in 1824 in Britain. Its main goal was to grow fine wool in the new colony of New South Wales. They were given a huge amount of land, about one million acres, to start their sheep farms.

At first, the AACo struggled. The land they chose at Port Stephens wasn't great for sheep. But in 1831, they found better land at Warrah Creek and Goonoo Goonoo. These areas were perfect for raising fine-wool sheep.

The Rise of Windy Station

Developing the Warrah lands was slow at first. But by 1862, the AACo decided to focus more on wool. They invested a lot of money to improve sheep breeding and shearing facilities at Warrah.

Warrah Station was the main shearing hub for many years. Then, in 1901, work began on a brand new, huge woolshed at Windy Station. This shed was designed in the popular Federation Carpenter style. It needed so much timber that it had to be brought in from other towns. By October 1901, the massive shed was ready. It used new shearing machines and presses to process the wool.

Over time, parts of Warrah Station were sold off. By 1969, the AACo's main interest in the area was Windy Station. Today, Windy Station still runs cattle and sheep. The woolshed is still used for shearing, and sometimes even for community events like weddings!

What Does Windy Station Woolshed Look Like?

Windy Station Woolshed is a giant building from 1901. It's made mostly of timber with a corrugated iron roof. The main parts of the shed, like the shearing area and wool room, have huge timber posts. These posts go all the way from the ground to the roof!

How the Shearing Shed Works

The shed is designed in an efficient T-shape, which was a modern idea in the 1870s. The shearing area originally had 44 "stands" where shearers worked. It has a high clerestory roof, which is like a row of windows high up. This design let in lots of light and fresh air for the shearers.

Behind the shearing area are the sheep pens. The outer walls of the shed aren't solid; they are made of timber lattice or vertical slats. This helps with air flow.

The Wool Room and Its Machines

Next to the shearing area is a large, solid wool room. This room still has its original wool press and dump press. These machines were used to pack the shorn wool tightly into bales. You can also see old wicker wool baskets and wool tables here.

The wool room has big double doors on its western side. These were used to load the heavy wool bales onto wagons. Above the doors, there are windows, and even two round, unglazed windows. People say these round windows were left open to let owls in, so they could catch rodents!

Powering the Shearing

The shearing shed was built with machines powered by a steam engine. This engine was outside the wool room. It drove a long shaft under the shed floor, which then powered the shearing tools above. The steam engine also powered the hydraulic press that packed the wool.

Later, an oil engine replaced the steam engine. Today, an electric motor powers the shearing gear. This shows how technology changed over the years!

Sheep Movement

To the east of the shearing shed, there's a timber sheep bridge. This bridge connects the main shed to large "sweating pens." These pens held sheep before they were shorn. Gates on the bridge helped control the sheep's movement.

How Well Is It Preserved?

For its age, the woolshed is in good condition. Some parts of the timber posts at the bottom show wear. But overall, it's very well preserved. It still has most of its original equipment, which is amazing!

Why Is Windy Station Woolshed Important?

Windy Station Woolshed is very important for several reasons:

• A Piece of History: It shows how the fine wool industry grew in New South Wales. It's linked to the Australian Agricultural Company, which was a huge part of Australia's early economy. The shed's design and technology show how advanced the wool industry was in 1901.
• Special People: The shed is connected to important people like Jesse Gregson. He was a superintendent for the AACo and also a famous botanist. He helped build and equip the woolshed.
• Beautiful Design: The woolshed is a stunning example of Federation Carpenter architecture. It's so big and grand that it looks a bit like the large wharves built in Sydney around the same time. It's a landmark that stands out in the landscape.
• Learning Opportunity: Because so much of the original equipment is still there, the woolshed is a great place to learn. It shows exactly how a large, efficient woolshed from the early 1900s worked. It's a rare and intact example of this kind of building in New South Wales.
• A Unique Building: Its design, with its efficient layout and special airflow system, makes it almost one-of-a-kind in New South Wales. It's also rare to find such a large woolshed with its original wool-dumping press still in place.

Windy Station Woolshed is a fantastic example of the progress in woolshed design and technology in New South Wales during the 19th and early 20th centuries.