yanco

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.

Looks like it was new at time. Would be interesting to see what it looks like now, if it is still there.

Apparently it was built by a Sir Samuel McCaughey in 1876 (see a full bio at adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050152b.htm). Now it's part of Yanco Agricultural High School, will need to check with some friends who studied there to see if they recognise it! No, wait, there is a picture of it right here on the school website: www.yancoag-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/ - Beautiful!

It wasn't called Coonong, that was the name of his older homestead built 1876. This building is North Yanco built in 1899 which is now the Yanco Agricultural High School.

The above photograph is not that of Coonong Homestead. Coonong Homestead is situated on Coonong Station Property at Urana NSW. The above photograph is that of Sir Samuel McCaughey's homestead on North Yanko Station built in the early 1900's. Today, and as bequested by Sir Samuel McCaughey, on his death, to be from then known on as Yanco Agricultural High School .

Hasn't changed, lot around it has.