riverina

To me, it looks like they are gathering hay, not clearing land. Perhaps gathering hay was an integral part of clearing land. however I would have thought that the paddock could not be cut for hay unless the land had already been cleared. You can read an 1872 description of North Yanco station at this link: users.tpg.com.au/hayhist/south.html#fromNarr and later history here: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/centres/yanco/history

I also think they are making hay - while the sun shines.

Hi your image is displayed here www.australiaunwrapped.com/2016/05/28/yanco-weir-new-sout... thanks for the good work and keeping our history in safe hands. :)

That's a great photo. Seems like there has been a bit of retouching to the swag, billy and trouser legs to make them more defined, but I'd be interested in an expert opinion. Good to compare with "On the wallaby track" from the Tyrrell Collection here: www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2363534490/ ADDED: Oh, I see now through at the persistent URL, that these were glass slides for display at an exhibition, so it is understandable that some features were retouched to give more definition on the big screen. Maybe some of the trees in the background have been blurred in processing too.

Very impressive portrait.

Compare him to this photgraph of Ninely and Nine: www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum/3084038737/

BobMeade - the whole photo has been touched up extensively, but the eyes most strikingly of all. In the original only the whites of his eyes are visible and it gives the image a powerful aspect. The State Library have the original, but only digitised in low definition. A sharper version can be seen reproduced on p. 78 of Gaslight Sydney by Louise Johnson (Sydney: George Allen & Unwin, 1984). The State Library further define the location as Walbundry Station.

Thank you pellethepoet.