Yokes like this one were key components used to control bullock teams. These teams were very important in Australia during the 19th century, hauling heavy loaded wagons of goods to remote settlements and rural produce to cities and ports over rough unmade roads. The bullocks were yoked together in pairs. Chains joined the yoked pairs. A heavy wooden bullock yoke with only one metal collar. One is missing. The fittings are iron. There is a small leather patch tacked on to one end. The yoke is made from a length of wood of roughly rectangular cross-section. It has been shaped to form curved depressions that allow it to rest across the necks of two bullocks and yoke them together. bullock-yokes transport

Bullock drays were commonly used to transport heavy loads, such as the wool clip from a large property, across long distances.In the 19th century. The yoke is worn on the neck of the bullocks and is secured by a belt around the neck. The bullocks push the yoke with their shoulders, hump and neck; therefore, the work is performed.This yoke seems to be handmade on a farm. It was used in the Kiewa ValleyA wooden bar behind a harnessed horse. It is used to balance the pull of a draught horse or other draft animal (bullock) when pulling a vehicle like a plough. A yoke is an interface between bullock power and actual work to be performed.This yoke is timber with a shape to form curved depressions that allow it to rest across the necks of two bullocks to keep them together.The bullocks were chained to the steel oblong ring - one at each end of the yoke. The middle ring was attached to the bullock or vehicle in front of them.bullock yoke, swingletree, farm equipment, plough

This photo was taken in Penshurst in 1903 which shows the late David Brown, late of Colerain Balmoral and his son, Albert, now residing at Gritjurk, transporting a load of sixty bales of wool from “Yat Nat Estate” near Balmoral to Port Fairy —a distance of 108 miles.Black and white photograph from a newspaper article with a large wool laden wagon with 14 bullocks yoked up The above photo was taken in Penshurst in 1903 which shows the late David Brown, late of Colerain Balmoral and his son, Albert, now residing at Gritjurk, transporting a load of sixty bales of wool from “Yat Nat Estate” near Balmoral to Port Fairy —a distance of 108 miles.transport, rail, road, bullocks, wagon, carrier, penshurst, balmoral, albert brown, david brown, wool bales, yat nat estate, gritjurk

These two booklets were personal copies of a piece of writing by Stan Baulch. They tell of the use of bullocks as transport carriers in the early years of the 20th century and of those colourful characters, the bullock drivers or bullockies. Stanley Samuel Baulch (1897-1979) was the grandson of pioneer settlers in the Kirkstall area, Francis and Ann Baulch. In the early 1840s the property of Dunmore, situated between Macarthur and Port Fairy was acquired by Charles Macknight and partners and in the late 19th century a portion of this run was acquired by the Baulch family. The information regarding bullock teams mainly comes from the years spent at the properties of Rose Park near Orford and Dunmore by Stan Baulch and was originally given as a talk to members of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society at a meeting in 1976. In a Society newsletter at the time Stan Baulch was described as ‘a good and faithful member’, being a foundation member from the time of the Society’s establishment in 1966.These booklets are of great interest, firstly as a personal account of the use of bullocks as carriers in the Western District of Victoria in the early 20th century and secondly as personal copies of a piece of writing from a prominent member of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society in the mid 1970s. .1 This is a soft cover booklet of 16 pages. It has a red cover with an image of a bullock yoke and black printing on the front cover. There is a handwritten dedication on the inside front cover. .2 As above except that the inside front cover has a signature and address but no dedication Both booklets have been stapled but the staples have been removed. .1 To Russell & Margaret from Grandpa .2 S.S. Baulch 18 Dooley St Warrnambool stan baulch, warrnambool, bullock team transport, dunmore station, western district, history of warrnambool