Shepherd's Rock

Statement of Significance

Shepherd’s Rock is a large naturally occurring granite rock formation that was carved with an
inscription in 1849 by local shepherd Richard Kirby. The rock has cultural heritage
significance for the following reasons:
 Shepherd’s rock has historic value as a rare possibly unique specimen of carving by a
shepherd in a rural setting.
 The carved rock has historic and social value as it is evidence of the pastoral industry
which was significant to the establishment of the district.
 Shepherd’s rock has historic value as it is associated with the Parkhurst boys who
were transported to the Swan River Colony prior to the introduction of convicts.

Physical Description

The large granite rock is located in the shallow valley of a watercourse. Large mature trees
are present close to a narrow stream. The surrounding land is open pasture and sheep were
grazing in the paddock in which Shepherd’s Rock is located.
The rock is approximately 3 metres high and 3 metres wide at the base. The rock is roughly
half of an oval in shape and the carving is located on the face which is oriented toward the
stream. The carving ‘A.D. 1849 R. KIRBY’ following these letters are two symbols, a
shepherd’s crook and a bottle.
The carving is obscured by lichen growing on the surface of the rock but does not appear to
be penetrating the surface and changing the form of the carving.
The property continues to be used for sheep farming and presumably has changed little
since the period in which the carving took place.

History

The owner of the property in 1849 was James B Sinclair (1815‐1898) who had arrived in 1840
from Scotland with his wife and son. He was indentured to Lionel Lukin and in 1842 was
working as a shepherd at ‘Dumbarton’. He purchased ‘Dumbarton’ in 1845 for £246 and
became a prominent member of the community as a pastoralist, farmer and innkeeper. He
contributed to the community through positions in the Toodyay Agricultural Society, the
Board of Education and the Toodyay Roads Board. He employed many ticket‐of‐leave men
on his property including Richard Kirby.
Kirby (1830‐1896) was a Parkhurst boy arrived in the colony in 1849 on the Ameer.
The Parkhurst boys were juvenile offenders from the Isle of Wight's Parkhurst Prison, who
were transported to the Australian and New Zealand colonies between 1842 and 1861.
Under the scheme, the boys were to be granted pardons under certain conditions such as
permanent exile from England and, in the case of younger boys, undertaking apprenticeship
in the colonies. 1,499 boys are recorded as being sent to the colonies where, particularly in
New Zealand, the scheme was seen by some as de facto convictism. In Western Australia,
however, the need for labour at that time appears to have made the young exiles acceptable
Kirby was employed by Sinclair at Dumbarton as a shepherd and did the carving whilst
fulfilling his duties on the property. Kirby was living in York in 1859 and in 1870 he
employed 4 ticket‐of‐leave men. In c.1880 Kirby was working as a shepherd in Esperance.
The symbols on the rock are of a crook and a bottle which represent the working life of the shepherd, the crook of the shepherd and a bottle of tobacco water for the treatment of
scabs and sores on sheep.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.