Jondaryan Woolshed

Because Jodi's class is starting an integrated unit on cotton and wool, the entire family took an excursion in order that we might learn a little about the history behind, and importance of, the wool industry in this area. Our trip was to Jondaryan, a farming community about 20 minutes' drive west of Toowoomba. The trip out was beautiful, with rolling grasslands making way to hills behind. The soil turns from Toowoomba's red earth to a blackish brown and finally to a rich, fertile black as you head progressively farther west. Once at the Jondaryan Woolshed, it is like stepping back in time.

The woolshed (main building) is still largely intact, even though it was constructed almost 200 years ago. Its metal roof, made of corrugated iron, came all the way from England with all its nail holes predrilled. During its heyday, the 300-foot woolshed held 52 stands and accommodated up to 88 shearers and numerous other workers, including roustebouts, who sorted and baled fleece. It was back-breaking work, so a special sling was devised that shearers could use in order to take most of the strain off their backs. Three-meter by one-and-a-half meter wooden tables with slats were used for sorting fleece, the underbelly fleece being the least valuable. Fleece was sorted and graded according to its crimp, strength, lustre, and colour. Back then, shearers travelled by push-bike from station to station looking for work, often travelling hundreds of miles only to be turned away.



We were treated to a demonstration of shearing, and it was quite something to see how this sheep was handled and then just lay there while being sheared. It suffered a few nicks but we were told it would be all healed by the next day because of the healing properties of the lanolin in the skin. Even after shearing, the sheep's skin is ultra soft. At one point, when the shearer was finished, he laid the sheep down and put a mass of wool over its head so just its nose stuck out. The sheep went absolutely calm, hence the expression, "Pulling the wool over one's eyes." The fastest shearers in Australia today can shear a sheep in about 40 seconds. In the olden days, using a double blade, a shearer could do the entire back of a sheep in just two clips! Hand- powered instruments turned to steam-powered ones, and then eventually to electrically- powered clippers, but the industry has not really changed much in a few centuries.

The Jondaryan station was originally 312 000 acres and had 200 000 sheep. In those days, there were no fences so shepherds tended the flock, with about 1 shepherd for every 1200 sheep. Because shepherds were often in the middle of nowhere, and were somewhat transient, they slept in carriage-like tent beds like the one shown in this picture. That's no Westin, let me tell you!

The site is like a working village. Crafters are in the woolshed, making everything from scratch. One lady was felting a bag using wool and a serated needle, a time-consuming craft that resulted in spectacular artwork, not just functional handiwork. There are also original buildings on site, including an old schoolhouse, the school master's house, a blacksmith's shop where all the wagon wheels were made, etc. We had billy tea and damper, a traditional drink and food prepared over a hot fire. Damper is like a scone loaf and is eaten with butter and corn syrup. Yum!




It was an educational and most interesting day. Weather was fine and pace was slow.