The woollen industry has always been of the utmost importance in Australia. Although exports have declined over the past decades the production of fine wool still remains important in our economy. The great increase in wool production in the mid to late 19th century in Australia led to the need to replace the hand shears with some mechanized form of shearing. The first sheep shearing machine in Australia was patented in 1867 and improvements to this early model were made over the ensuing years. The early 1890s saw the introduction of flexible drive shafts. The two items here described show this innovation. These two items are of interest as examples of handpieces used early in the 20th century in the mechanized shearing of sheep. They would be typical of the pieces used in the wool industry in the early 20th century in Western Victoria. There are today many local shearers living in Warrnambool and nearby towns and working in the district. .1 This is a metal handpiece for a sheep shearing mechanism. It has a toothed blade attached with metal screws at one end and a jointed metal pipe at the other end for attachment to the shearing machine. The middle section has been covered with black leather for easier gripping. .2 This is a metal handpiece for a sheep shearing mechanism. It has a toothed blade at one end and a flexible metal attachment at the other end to connect it to the shearing machine. Both items are rusted and stained. ‘Sunbeam Flight Lister’sheep shearing in the western district, warrnambool

Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert & Rachael Bostock of Vauclause Epping Forest, Van Diemen’s Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vauclause in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool.where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. He was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District, racing, cricket, and social acitivities to name a few. This ledger shows the expenses and costs associated with the farming business of Augustus Bostock, one of the earliest pioneers of Warrnambool. It lists names of people with whom he did business as well as expenses with shearing and rations. It lists the various categories of sheep, ewes, lambs, wethers, and different breeds of sheep and distinguishing features of cattle. It also contains the names of local shearers and workers.Augustus Bostock was one of the earliest pioneers of Warrnambool and the Western District. This ledger gives an insight into many aspects of this early life. It therefore has social, historical and interpretive significance.Hard cardboard coverer with cream covering. Line border on front cover. Mottled green, blue and pink paper inside front and back covers. Alphabetical index at front. 105 pages.warrnambool, bostock, angus, diary

Andrew Chatham, the youngest of Philip and Elizabeth Chatham's 5 children, was born in 1968. In this photo, he looks about 8 - 10 years old. The photo was taken at Rokewood, Victoria on his parent's Western District property, "Kur-a-ruc South" a former part of the Kur-a ruc Station, Rokewood, Victoria purchased by Philip and Elizabeth Chatham in 1964. The family lived at Ascot, 15 miles north of Ballarat, and had regular weekend day trips and Easter holidays picnicking, droving sheep, feeding stock, checking water troughs and dams, hand-weeding Patterson curse, repairing fences, collecting paddock rocks and sugar-gum wood at "Kur-a-ruc South'. Home base for these excursions was either a car, the shearing shed, sometimes a 6-berth caravan and by the mid-1980s a shearer's quarters with an inside toilet. [Jane Dyer (nee Chatham).15 June 2024] chatham-holmes collection, andrew chatham, outdoor shed, toilet facility, rokewood, kur-a-ruc south, rokewood

Used from mid 1920s to late 1960s. Shears were used by Mr Embling and with leather scabbard. Made by Mr Embling in his first year at Dookie Agriculture College and were entered in R.A.S in Melbourne 1927 and won first prize in its class. Mr Embling used the set on properties such as "Nap Nap", "Wallah", "Narabri", "Bangool", "Skipton", "Lang Kal Kal", "Beaufort", "Nareen" in Western District (Fraser property). These artefacts were generally carried by stockmen or horsemen when crutching sheep.Metal blade shears dressed with appropriate leather and string strapping to suit user and with leather keeper. Handles have been painted blackCOMBINATION/ UTS No 1/SHEFFIELD/ MADE IN ENGLANDshearing, sheep stations management, animal health, embling, mr ken, sheep stations - management