Limited tickets available - don't miss out!
Scan the QR code on the left or click here to purchase your tickets for the Woolshed Tour.
Only $75/pp for this half-day event.
Don’t miss this unprecedented event with a tour of two historic woolsheds, a sumptuous hearty country breakfast at the beautiful Cassilis Hotel, an optional quick tour of the hotel, and the hilarious Carol Heuchan and her famous bush poetry.
The tour will take in both Ballantyne woolshed at Cassilis and Brindley Park woolshed at Merriwa. These are two of the most historic woolsheds in the district. Steeped in tradition, these woolsheds will give you a glimpse into the rich history of the wool industry in this region.
This tour is via our local coach service (it is not a self drive tour) and departs from the Merriwa RSL on Sunday morning. Please be in front of the RSL at 7.45am for departure at 8am sharp, returning around 1pm.
In the rich but highly reactive black soils around Merriwa and Cassilis building is a difficult task. The soil expands exponentially in the wet and shrinks to a cracked dry earth when the moisture recedes, forcing anything in the soil upwards like a slow volcanic eruption. This is also true of building piers. In a stroke of genious, the builder of Ballantyne woolshed built the structure on rolling logs that simply move with the reactive soils. This woolshed, now nearly 200 years standing, remains strong and true because of its rolling foundations. The genius of this is an engineering feat not found in today’s highly regulated building industry!
Breakfast at the Royal Hotel Cassilis
Although today Cassilis is a small village “just off the beaten track”, it was once the centre of a roaring wool industry.
The main street is a visual feast of original (often abandoned) buildings dating back to the 1800s. Undoubtedly the prize jewel amongst these buildings is the lovely Royal Hotel, Cassilis. It is here you will enjoy a feast of bacon, eggs, sausage, tomato, baked beans and sourdough – the perfect country breakfast. After an early start in the paddocks this is just the type of breakfast that will keep a cocky going until lunch.
Tea and instant coffee included.
For over 20 years Carol’s bush poetry career has been a roadmap of success with swags of awards under her belt.
Carol has been the winner of the richest prize in poetry history – a Case JX55 Tractor valued at $34,000.00! She has five top selling books, five award winning CD’s and nine Australian Bush Laureate awards to her credit, including ‘Performer of the Year’.
Carol has appeared on TV (ABC Channel 2) in a six part series called “Bush Slam”, has lectured in creative writing and performance poetry at St. George University, Utah and is a commissioned writer.
If you haven’t seen Carol perform before, we think you’re in for a treat. If you’ve seen Carol perform before, you KNOW you’re in for a treat!
Brindley Park
“Old records show that James Brindley Bettington, accompanied by his brother, came to New South Wales in 1820, and took up the Brindley Park land in 1824 (…). Five years afterwards he arranged a merino sheep stud, and in 1829 imported between 200 and 300 high-class ewes from Saxony, and afterwards a Silesian ram.
“The flock was carefully improved as time passed, and the Brindley Park wool became, very successful at various exhibitions.” (Muswellbrook Chronicle 20 Nov 1928 P5).
Brindley Park is thought to be one of Australia’s oldest farming properties. Considered an “agricultural jewel”, the property remains a highly productive and profitable working farm but has converted from wool to beef.
The woolshed, no longer used, stands as a reminder of a time gone by.