Original stone/pug and pine homestead restoration
Such a pleasure and a privilege to meet some lovely people today. Ron and Pauline Battersby and their granddaughter Kimberly welcomed us for afternoon smokeo in their home. We spend two and a half hours talking about Three Creeks, looking through old photos and listening to stories about their Battersby family and the time they owned and worked Three Creeks Station. Ron and his three brothers spent much of their young years growing up in the homestead. Kevin Battersby can lay claim to being born in the Three Creeks homestead ... I hear he was in a bit of a hurry! Pictured here are Simon's parents Colin and Judith Hilder, Ron Battersby (Pauline is taking the picture), John Battersby, Kevin Battersby, Unice Battersby and Annette Battersby. Picture taken in Arkaroona. Many thanks to Kimberly for helping to make this happen and we look forward to learning more about your family and their time on Three Creeks Station.
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Homestead kitchen is finally cleared out and there's not much more to clear inside. Plaster will have to come off soon. Next step is to clear access for our stone mason to move around the outside of the building. So far we have 4 families staying at our campsites and 6 4WD enthusiasts driving our track over Easter. They will be the first guests to see the very beginning of the restoration.
Simon and Tom have strengthened beams and secured the roof iron. Not only will this stop storms and wind ripping it apart further it will protect the inside walls and floor until we can fully restore the pug and pine section. Homestead front view before and after. ![]() Next photos are of the middle section of the homestead. ![]() Thanks for your work today boys. The house looks happier already! This weekend my family and I are very excited to be meeting with the descendants of the original owners of Three Creeks. The original family sold the property in the 1940s but they have generously agreed to share the house history with us.
Sunday is family day! Two hours clearing the breeze way then off to the Cradock pub for lunch.3/19/2017 Today saw us head out to Three Creeks and get stuck in to the 'breeze way clearing phase'. Our stone mason has a new start time of the second week in April so not long now. I hope the old walls can hang on! Rocking our new boot/leg covers. Thank you 'Boot guard Australia'. Unfortunately this anti snake device was used again today as a king brown decided to visit. This is Simon. He is a farmer so we can't show his face ... (remember those tellie ads?) Love watching people work!! Clean up done for the day. Next weekend will be further clean up with 'kitchen clearing phase'. Celebrating knock off time with a little tune. Well ... kind of a tune. Lessons have only just begun. :)
Our shearer's quarters is approximately 100 metres from the original stone/pug and pine homestead. You can just see the old car body out of the bedroom window not far from the gum lined creek. Our stone mason will be living here while he restores the stone rooms.
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Author Amanda Hilder
I'm a mother of two, station owner and operator with my husband Simon and a fulltime teacher, Archives
July 2018
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