The Shearing Shed

This was the first building constructed by GC Hawker, who, with his 2000 sheep, knew that on his arrival he would have to shear them before the end of the first year. At first, shearing was done in summer and only the shearing board was roofed to provide the shearers with shade. The native pine rafters and shingled roof can still be seen. The rest of the building was opened to the sky until the mid 1860's when the iron was imported. If you examine the roof carefully, once you are inside the shed, you will see the name "Wolverhampton" stencilled on the iron. By the turn of the century some 100,000 sheep were shorn annually in this shed; the work being done by about 50 shearers.

Today the flock is still shorn in the shed but with electric shears rather than old hand shears, by a team of 5 shearers. The shearing industry is one of the last remaining in Australia where the men set to work when the bell rings. They don't stop work until the bell is rung again for morning smoko, to mark the lunch break, afternoon smoko, or to signal the end of the day. Today the shearing shed is only used in the traditional way for two weeks annually and for the remainder of the year it is used as a unique function venue.

Bungaree Station
Email: Bungaree Station
Telephone: 08 8842 2677
Outside Australia Telephone: 618 8842 2677
Fax 08 8842 3004
PO Box 231
Clare South Australia 5453
Australia