Nyang Homestead

Author

Shire of Ashburton

Place Number

15371

Location

Nyang Station via Carnarvon

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Wogoola Station

Local Government

Ashburton

Region

Pilbara

Construction Date

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 17 Aug 1999 Category B

Statement of Significance

Nyang Station (formerly Wogoola0 has aesthetic, historic and representative cultural heriatge signifcance. The station, though changed over time, is still s good representative of the early development of pastoralism in the Ashburton region. The homestead reflects Australian Colonial design and the changes made by necessity, such as new families arriving or because of damage from severe cyclonic conditions. Historically the station is of great interest having strong associations with some of the well-known families, who were quite influential in the development of the district.

Physical Description

Nyang Homestead is situated on the east bank of the Yannarie River. Emu Creek is approximately 200 metres to the north. The homestead is a series of buildings that has grown over time with successive owners. The low pitched, hipped roof is corrugated iron with some battens for cyclone protection. The house is surrounded on most sides by a wide verandah with a concrete floor and simple unadorned verandah posts. Part of the verandah has been enclosed to extend the living area of the house. Another old building on the station is the shearing shed, a timber framed corrugated iron clad structure.

History

Wogoola Station now called Nyang, was started in 1891 with a partnership between Alexander Cameron and James Clark. Cameron had been in the North West for many years and had formerly been part owner of Towera Station, which was sold in 1891. Clark was an engineer on the steamship Rob Roy that traded along the WA coast between Albany, Geraldton and Cossack. Wogoola was the Aboriginal name for the permanent waterhole located a few hundred metres downstream from the homestead pool of Milla-withy. Wogoola is reported to have been an excellent station managed by Alexander Cameron, with substantial shearing sheds, good water from windmills, trough and tanks as well as many kilometres of fences. In it's early years the stock on the station built up to include 20,000 sheep, 80 to 100 horses and a small herd of cattle. Cameron went on to become a Justice of the Peace and a prominent member of the burgeoning community in the Ashburton district. The first buildings on Wogoola were built of anthills, which were sawn into blocks and put together with mud. The first buildings had two rooms, one each for Cameron and Clark. The date of construction of the bigger homstead is not known but it was probably quite soon after the lease was taken up. The original homestead was four rooms surrounded by a wide verandah. The walls were pressed tin and the roof corrugated iron with cyclone battens. The Hooley brothers built the 12 stand shearing shed in 1912. It was very well constructed using quality timber for the stumps, rafters and main posts. Wool from Wogoola Station was transported to the coast by donkey teams run by a charcter named Maori Bill. James Clarke became the sole owner of Wogoola in 1917 or 1918 when he bought Cameron's share of the business for 12,000 pounds. Cameron retired to Perth with his wife to run a dairy at the property that became the White House Reception Centre in Cannington. When old Onslow closed own, Clarke organised part of the buildings of the Rob Roy Hotel to be relocated to Wogoola. There were placed on the western end of the Wogoola Homestead and can still be seen today. Wogoola Station and it's occupants were fairly self-sufficient. Meat and vegetables and some fruit were home grown while supplies of sugar, flour, dried fruit, potatoes and onions were brought in to store in large quantities. Wogoola was on the main track btwen Canarvon and Onslow so received a number of visitors who also acted at times as an informal mail delivery service as well. The late 1920's and the early 1930's proved hard times for the Clark family. Depression, drought and the tgedy of the loss of oneof the childre to meningitis drove Onnie Clark's family back to Onslow. After this the station was run by a series of managers, some relatives of the Clarks and other appointed, such as Bert Herbert who was manager during most of World War II. The station was sold in 1950. Subsequent owners had a number of setbacks. Lightening, fires and cyclones caused havoc. The Greenways, who bought Wogoola in 1951, lived there for seven years. In this time some changes were made o the homestead. Hot water was piped onto the house for the first time and French doors were put into the loungeroom. In 1962 the station was purchased by the D'Arcy family who renamed the station Nyang an Aboriginal name meaning 'the meeting of two waters'. The family spent a lot of time fixing the homestead, which had serious damage from white ants and cyclones. The wooden floors were lowered from their stumps and replaced with concrete and the building was reroofed. New bathrooms and two new bedrooms were also added. More improvements were carried out in the 1970's as Nyang became a tourist attraction offering station life experience to visitors. Other committments included recording the weather as Nyang is an outpost of the Bureau of Meteorology. Nyang Station was sold by the D'Arcys in 1980. Since then there has been a number of different owners. Information from the owner of Nyang in 1995 G Smith indicated that a lot of damage to the station in February 1995 during Cyclone Bobby. Many original buildings were destroyed including the blacksmith shop, stables, some living quarters and an old aircraft hangar. The above historical account was taken from a history of Wogoola Station- Now Nyang, written by Margaret Clark in 1991 for the centenary of the establishment of Wogoola Station.

Integrity/Authenticity

Fairly High Degree

Condition

Very Good

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use FARMING\PASTORAL Homestead
Present Use FARMING\PASTORAL Homestead

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall EARTH Adobe {Mud Brick}
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron

Historic Themes

General Specific
OCCUPATIONS Grazing, pastoralism & dairying

Creation Date

28 Jan 2000

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

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.