Toganmain Station celebrates 150 years

It’s one of the oldest wool sheds in Australia and while no longer in use, Toganmain Station celebrated its 150th birthday over the weekend. See the pictures.

A woolshed immortalised by Banjo Paterson celebrated its 150th birthday over the weekend, as the efforts of volunteers continue to restore it to its former glory.

Toganmain Woolshed, east of Carrathool in the heart of the NSW Riverina, was designed to allow 110 blade shearers to wield their craft.

In 1891, 217,104 sheep were shorn by75 shearers in the shed, after blade shearing converted to machines.

In its heyday Toganmain, which is on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, even had its own wharf where the wool shorn was shipped down river by paddle steamers.

And while some of the history has been lost, a group of volunteers lead by Coleambally’s Christine Chirgwin are determined no more will go by the wayside.

The Toganmain woolshed celebrated 150 years over the weekend as efforts of the volunteers to restore the shed were on display. Christine Chirgwin has been leading the efforts to ensure the shed is reinstated to its former glory.

Ms Chirgwin has been instrumental in the campaign to save the Toganmain woolshed to recognise its place in Australian agricultural history.

Over the weekend, hundreds of visitors got a first hand look at the work being done including the restoration of the shearing board as well as the primitive corrugated iron shearing quarters and kitchen.

Ms Chirgwin said volunteers had included plumbers, carpenters and those with a love of history to contribute their time and skills to stop the shed from falling into disrepair.

“It’s been a lot of work as with a couple of wet years, the shearing board was sinking but we’ve been able to repair that and more, even getting timber milled locally to make repairs,” she said.

And while Paterson’s Flash Jack from Gundagai – “I’ve shore at Burrabogie and I’ve shore at Toganmain” – or any others won’t be shearing sheep again at the historic shed, it’s place in history now looks safe.

The Toganmain woolshed celebrated 150 years over the weekend as efforts of the volunteers to restore the shed were on display.

The Toganmain woolshed shearing board which in its day had up to 110 blade shearers working.

The Toganmain wool room including one of the original wool presses.

The Toganmain woolshed celebrated 150 years over the weekend as efforts of the volunteers to restore the shed were on display. Christine Chirgwin has been leading the efforts to ensure the shed is reinstated to its former glory.

The Toganmain woolshed oozes history including this ready reckoner which helped the owners calculate wool weights.

The Toganmain woolshed celebrated 150 years over the weekend with hundreds coming to check on the progress of its restoration.

The Toganmain woolshed still has the shearing stand numbers on its beams.

The Toganmain woolshed board was full of visitors over the weekend.

The Toganmain woolshed celebrated 150 years over the weekend with a dinner for 180 on the old shearing board.

One of the last shearings at Toganmain woolshed, when it was owned by Twynam Pastoral Company