Last updated 7Oct23
Grassy Creek Sheepyards
The Grassy Creek Sheepyards are located by Grassy Creek under Pheasant Hill in the Namadgi National Park.
Location: GR 55H FA 77093-28307 (MGA94), Yaouk 8626-2N 1:25000
Stockyards near Pheasant Hill, March 2008
Visits: 7 Oct 23, 4 Jul 15, 23 Mar 13, 28 Dec 10, 20 Jul 10, 13 Apr 10, 24 Jun 08, 18 Mar 08
Documentation:
• KHA Namadgi database (private source). Site 285. Concrete dip with yards. Built by Frank Oldfield and others about 1947. Forked fence yard in good condition with remnant forked and wire fences nearby.
• Gudgenby: A register of archaeological sites in the proposed Gudgenby National Park, J H Winston-Gregson MA thesis, ANU, 1978. Site B20. Wire tied droplog; concrete-lined dip. Condition poor; sited on SW slope of Pheasant Hill 60m north of Grassy Creek, between two springs. See extracts of the relevant pages in the photos above.
• Sites of Significance in the ACT. A 9 volume set, pre-cursor to the ACT Heritage Register. Published in 1988 (Vols 1-7), 1989 (Vol 8) and 1990 (Vol 9); pp38-43. Site G39. The site is a substantially intact set of drop log sheep yards with a concrete sheep dip. It is one of the few manifestations of the former extent of sheep grazing in the southern part of the Gudgenby area. See extracts of the relevant pages in the photos above.
• Signage above site on Settlers Track: Built in about 1947 by Henry Curtis, Frank Oldfield, Charlie Westerman, Percy Chalker and possibly Wallace Bates, this stockyard was used once a year for sheep dipping. The yards may also have been used more often for drenching. Timber for the yards came from the nearby forest while Morris Luton’s spring cart was used to carry sand for the concrete. It was built using a technique known as fork fencing.
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