Volunteers and a handy bricklayer who happens to be a ranger are conserving a historic homestead at Kowen Forest east of Canberra, one of 12 sites on a trail of old shearers’ huts, graves and machinery sheds.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The trail through Glenburn and Burbong districts will publicise early pastoralists’ work on the land, in a copper mine, school and charcoal kilns.
Rain and rabbits have damaged the homestead George Campbell of Duntroon built in 1880, which William and Bridget Collier and their 11 children occupied while grazing sheep and cattle.
On a slight hill on a bend in the Molonglo River, the ruins sit in poor soil. ACT senior ranger Dean Darcy says settlers didn’t stay for many years because the land provided little feed for livestock.
But volunteers who formed Friends of Glenburn in 2008 have taken a shine to the homestead, which hosted a bachelors’ ball in 1895. Fifteen couples and a violinist partied at that ball until 4am in the small homestead, which had six rooms, two fireplaces and an entrance hall.
A giant pear tree, lichen-covered quince and plum trees congregate on the eastern side of the cottage, which has been fenced off from marauding rabbits.
An estimated 250 hours was spent removing blackberries from the ruins and orchard. This was done by hand because chemical spraying was not an option, it could have damaged the old fruit trees.
Mr Darcy was a bricklayer for six years before becoming a ranger, a handy background when it came to protecting the motley collection of thick local stones which Pialligo stone masons cut and built into walls.
“The mortar was very soft, it didn’t have a lot of cement or lime in it and rain would be washing in between the rocks,’’ Mr Darcy said. It is slowly but surely degrading from the top.
“We have capping completed now, it should stop most of the erosion,’’ he said.
He used a softer mortar mix, using more sand. “If it was too harsh it would affect the older mortar that is there.’’
Territory and Municipal Services acting operations manager, Googong and Kowen, Mark Sweaney said the Friends of Glenburn and Mr Darcy worked for six months to cap the old walls.
“Mr Darcy provided his bricklaying expertise while the friends provided the grunt work by mixing the mortar and carrying it to the walls.
“The friends say they are very pleased with the work Mr Darcy has done, noting he spent hours putting the finishing touches on the mortar after everyone else had finished.’’
Friends of Glenburn convenor Col McAlister said Mr Darcy’s hard work was a great help.
The friends donated $3000 to fence out rabbits and Canberra Institute of Technology’s horticultural school helped to preserve the old orchard.
