May 2011 Registrations
19 May 2011One of the state’s oldest and most ornate sheep shearing sheds and a Western District soldiers memorial hall were added to the Victorian Heritage Register in May 2011.
The Woodhouse-Nareeb Soldiers memorial hall near Hamilton was built in 1955 and funded by returned soldiers in the district.
Heritage Council Chair Daryl Jackson said the hall demonstrated the community spirit of returned soldiers in the face of adversity.
“It shows the sense of community and co-operative spirit that developed amongst the soldier settler families due to the difficulties faced by them in establishing their farms. It is a tangible reminder of the profound impact of war on Victorian communities,” he said.
The former Exford Shearing Shed in Eynesbury reflects the importance of the wool industry in mid-19th century Victoria. It is historically significant for its association with the important pastoral property Exford (VHR H0316), which was developed by Simon Staughton, one of the major landowners in Victoria in the mid-19th century.
Built in the 1850s, the former Exford Shearing Shed (pictured) is an unusually decorative bluestone shearing shed, featuring tapered bluestone pinnacles adorned with fleur-de-lys on each side. This attention to detail reflects the fact that shearing sheds were regarded as the next most important building after the homestead on a sheep run. It was usually the largest building on site.
The Victorian Heritage Register is the official listing of the more than 2000 places and objects which have been assessed as significant to the State of Victoria.
The listings provide the State’s highest heritage protection and mean changes to the sites may require a permit from Heritage Victoria