Barunga Homestead Traditional Cache
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Now Hummocks Station Homestead
The Barunga Homestead ( built in 1860 ) became the main homestead for the Hummocks Station run when it was purchased from the Crown in 1869 as well as other lands in the area when it was surveyed and put up for sale.
The owners of this run as well as Bundaleer Station and Warrakimbo Station were Mr John Maslin and Mr Robert Barr Smith.The Hummocks Station consisted of 13,911 hectares and the land started 2km south of Lochiel to 10km north of Snowtown and ran almost the whole length on the eastern side of the Barunga Range( except for Maro Creek Station situated at the northwestern end of Bumbunga Lake ).
In 1886 the partnership was dissolved with Mr Robert Barr Smith becomming the sole owner of Hummocks Station, while Mr John Maslin taking ownership of Bundaleer and Warrakimbo.
At the time of the seperation of the Maslin/Barr partnership there was a shearing shed located 12 km south nearer Lochiel that was used for all shearing and crutching, this was very time consuming as it was seperated from the main part of the station, so in 1890 the shearing shed was dismantled and relocated at the Hummocks Homestead block.In its final form(1900) the shearing shed was able to hold 1800 sheep under shelter ,was a 18 stand shearing shed,with another 40 men working as shed hands.There were 4 paddocks used for the growing of hay near the shed(approx 40 hectares each) so that the sheep could be kept in good condition all year round.In 1914 when a disasterous drought approach the Station Manager had 1000 tons of hay on hand but he realised that that would not be enough so he culled 11000 sheep from the flock(3 train loads in 3 weeks),6000 breeders were loaded onto boats and taken to a site on the west coast(now Whyalla) to feed on saltbush that had 3 dams full of water.With 8000 sheep remaining on the station 20 men were employed throughout 1914/15 to cut limbs from the sheoaks in the Barunga Ranges.This practice plus rabbits and the mismanagement of fire is the reason that there are very few outcrops of sheoaks left in the ranges today.
Mr Robert Barr Smith was married to Joanna Elder.In 1899 Mr Barr Smith gave the Hummocks property to his son Mr Tom Elder Barr Smith who sold it to the Government of South Australia in 1918 for 151,000 Pounds, for soldier settlement blocks.The station remained opperational until 1921 when the final surveying was completed and returned soldiers started taking up the land.
Of course from this a legacy still stands, Mr Robert Barr Smith, who migrated to Adelaide in 1854, joined the firm of Elder and Co, which, after several changes of partners, became Elder, Smith and Co. in 1883.That company still trades today and is known as Elders Ltd.
In the 1860's and early 1870's Sir Thomas Elder, Mr Barr Smith and Mr Peter Waite were pioneers in the use of fencing on pastoral properties in place of using the more expensive practice of using shepherds.
Be aware this is a busy area during Harvest(October-January)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Abg n furbnx va fvgr
Treasures
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