| |
On 2 December, 1816
Richard Brookes received a 1300 acre grant on the western perimeter of
Lake Illawarra which he named "Exmouth". The homestead he built
consisted of split timbers such as stringy-bark, red gum and red mahogany
with some wall plates of sassafras. After the homestead was dismantled
some timbers were taken to Mt Brown where they were used for a shed to
store grain and tools. With the construction of the southern freeway in
1968 the building had to make way for progress. The Society obtained the
timbers and Ken Thomas set about constructing a typical stockman's hut at
the rear of the museum, completing it in 1979. Someone said that the
flooring traditionally consisted of cow dung. This was one technique Ken
was not familiar with. After advertising for information Forbes Historical
Society contacted the Society stating that laying a cow dung floor can
only be done in springtime whilst the manure was still warm. Ken
diligently followed the instructions and laid a perfect cow dung floor.
|
|
