First-ever tour explores historic shearing sheds

WHEN is the next tour? That was the question being asked by many of those who took part in the first Shearing Shed Tour on Sunday, which saw about 70 people exploring the history of three local—and very old—properties. Organised by the Mansfield Historical Society as a fundraiser for fitting out the new museum rooms, the tour included the shearing sheds on the properties of Glenroy Station, Delatite Station, and Dueran Station. At each of the sheds, the current owners spoke about the history and gave an update on what is happening in the sheep and wool industry today. It has been said many times that ‘Australia grew on the back of sheep’, and this may have been true in the past, but the wool industry is not what it used to be—something made evident by those who spoke. However, the figures quoted at each of the shearing sheds said it all, with Delatite shearing some 16,000 sheep at its peak, Dueran shearing around 12,000, and Glenroy still shearing around 10,000 today. “The shearing shed and yards were the main hub of the station,” said Owen Shanks, former worker at Delatite Station. “The sheep were mainly in mobs of 1000 to 3000—the stockmen mustered, yarded, drafted and filled the shed for the next day’s run. Shearing took around three weeks to complete. “It was full on with shed hands—from skirting, binning, classing, pressing, to finally stencilling of the 500-plus bales." Once the old sheds had been toured at Delatite, it was then lunch followed by an inspection of the newest ‘state-of-the-art’ shed. Mark Ritchie, current owner and operator of the property, outlined the design, building and operation of the new shed, which was specially built higher off the ground for ease of access and cleaning of the sheep poo that always gathers beneath the shearing stands. The tour group was very impressed with both sheds—going from the old to the new—and the advancements made in shearing. At Glenroy Station, Andrew Crockett gave an outline of the history of this famous property, which was first founded in 1908 and was originally part of Delatite Station in 1902. Mr Crockett went on to tell the tour group about when the Crockett family first purchased the station in 1954, when it was bought by Maxwell Crockett, and its continued operation including Andrew’s father, Andrew (senior). Andrew (junior) and his wife Helen have lived at Glenroy since 1974. Mr Crockett said Glenroy had many associations with the district’s history, including connections to the Wonnangatta murders and the commissioning of the homestead in 1909, which was built after the shearing shed and workers’ cottages. He said Prince Charles was given a special tour of the homestead and the shearing shed while a student at Timbertop School. Mr Crockett had many stories to tell about the history of the property—some quite humorous—and no doubt there are still many more to be told in future. At Dueran, the third shearing shed visited, current owners James and Libby Vasey briefly outlined their ownership and involvement over the past 17–18 years and the improvements made, along with future plans to extend the shearing facilities on the property. It was said at Dueran that this shed is believed to be the oldest shearing shed in the district. At Dueran, local poet Val Kirley gave two renditions of poems she had written. Mrs Kirley spent some 12 years of her younger life at Dueran when her father became manager under the guidance of the original owner, Mr Lester. At each of the three properties, volunteers ‘fed and watered’ all guests on the tour with morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. With the success of this first-time tour, suggestions for another such tour—using different properties—have been very strong.