Historical information

Bullock teams and bullockies were common sights in Australia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Bullock teams were used for the transport of heavy goods such as wool, wheat, timber, sugar cane, farm equipment, building supplies etc. and their presence and that of their colourful bullock drivers in the countryside have become part of Australia bush folklore. Bullocks were often favoured over horses as they could pull heavy loads over rough surfaces and were less expensive to maintain. As the bullock teams frequently varied in size (up to 40 bullocks have been recorded in the one team) the whip was always a very long one.

Significance

This item is of considerable significance as a memento of the days (19th century and early 20th century) when bullock teams were the common form of transport for heavy goods. As in other parts of Australia, bullock teams were a feature of the area around Warrnambool and created much interest when they arrived in the smaller towns.

Physical description

This is a wooden stick, slightly tapered to the top, with a leather binding at the top with a small knob. Attached to the top of the stick is a whip made of plaited leather. The leather is brown and stained and slightly worn. At the end of the whip is a strip of plain leather with a knot at the end.