News Update

Volunteers, old and new, please take special note of the "Volunteers Needed" section below.

Open Weekend - 28 & 29 March

What a weekend. Around 400 visitors came through the gates at Toganmain over the 28th and 29th of March, and the shed did what it always does - it brought the memories back.

Thirty volunteers welcomed guests across the two days, and the stories that came with them were extraordinary. Former rouseabouts, drovers, shearers, descendants and first-timers all walked the same boards, sharing the same sense of wonder. More than a few tears were shed - and that's no pun intended.

Our sincere thanks to every one of our wonderful volunteers. Your dedication made it the success it was, and we are deeply grateful.

Click images to enlarge

Building Works Update

We had a visit from Country Constructions, who have quoted on repairing the north-western wall of the shed. Dylan will be back in early May to work with our brains trust - as in the people who know what they are doing in the building trade - to work out a plan for the works. Given we lost a significant part of the roof on that side during a storm last year, we need to give ourselves a firm base before we can tackle the roof repair.

Western Quarters

Thanks to a couple of new volunteers, we were able to complete the works on the western side of the quarters, which were restumped last year. It looks amazing compared to before! We now need to restore the doors and window frames to complete the job. The floors look pretty good for the most part and will not need a lot of work in a couple of the rooms - meaning we can use them for accommodation. We are already using some rooms for our volunteers when they are staying on site.

Correction

In our last newsletter we incorrectly credited Doug Newton with donating the boom spray. In fact, Doug facilitated a generous donation from a donor in Hopetoun - our thanks go to them both, Doug for making it happen and our Hopetoun donor for their wonderful contribution.

Visitor Voices

The weekend produced a remarkable stream of responses - over 150 within hours of our post, many arriving as visitors made their way home. Here is a small taste:

A Story to Tell - Ray Eade

One of the most memorable moments of the weekend came courtesy of Ray Eade, who visited with his older brother Neville. Ray was just 15 years old when he first came to Toganmain in April 1965, working as a rouseabout through that season and into 1966. Stepping back into the shed after sixty years, the memories came flooding back.

Looking out across the catching pens, Ray recalled the shed in full swing - big wool baskets cluttering the floor, ten rouseabouts weaving between the stands, the constant bustle of a working shed at its peak. He spoke knowledgeably about the shed's place in the history of machine shearing in Australia - including the remarkable claim, passed down from shearers who were there, that Toganmain was the second shed in Australia to complete a full shearing by machine.

Ray also found time to set right a small wrong. Spotting a pin in the old Ferrier wool press inserted upside-down - for who knows how long - he quietly corrected it. Sixty years on from his days as a rouseabout, muscle memory intact. We have the photo to prove it.

It does indeed, Ray. And if the response to this weekend is anything to go by, there are plenty more memories - and stories - still waiting to be told.

May Open Day - Saturday 9 May

Our next open day will be on 9 May - just for the one day, to be part of the 2026 Australian Heritage Festival run by the National Trust. This gives us a wider platform to advertise on, with our event featured across their full programme. We will also have markets on the day.

We already have a number of people booked in for the day - spread the word, and we'd love to see you there!

Note the new opening hours: 10:00am to 3:00pm.

QR Codes for Volunteers

Cocktails in the Yard - Saturday 12 September

Mark your calendars! "Cocktails in the Yard" is our major event of the year, and this September it is set to be bigger and better than ever. The yards will be a significant focus as we build toward this special occasion. More details will be announced as our planning progresses - watch this space!