Boorara 2014

 Having spoken to  family and friends, I  have decided to add some more photos and comments on Boorara.

Verandah along the old shearers quarters.

David and I went over a few months back to  see what, if any, work the National Parks have done  to improve the place.

The bore has been  repaired and the grass was freshly mown. Some of the older vehicles had been  moved to  one location opposite the fibro dwelling that  was the Boodgerie out station.

The workshop area.

I  was disappointed to  see the Boorara sign had been  removed from the properties gate, and in wandering around found that  all the roses has been  taken.

Mrs MaGrath had award winning roses and they were quite a feature of homestead life.

Steam Tractor lies in ruins beside the road to  Boorara.

Dave and I reluctantly  decided to  enter some of the buildings to  see what  condition they were in. Sadly, the main home has solid evidence of termite activity and water damage. The recent extensions, look poor as a result, but in no way as bad as the main home who's pise structure has really  suffered.

Not much to  say  here...

Some of the out buildings were worse, as you can  see by the photos. The managers cottage bathroom was in bad shape, as the shower head was running which  has rusted to  old bath tub out. Try as we might we could not turn it off.

The rusted out bath tube in the managers home.

We walked about, had a look at the workshop, and other buildings.

There is no power, as the 90 year old Lister generator was sold off at the clearing sale, and the National Parks rightly  don't want to  add power if its going  cause a fire, until its tested, and here is the concern-

Will National Parks restore Boorara to  its former glory?  Its history  as a Kidman property then purchased in  1930 by William MaGrath, and from  that  time,   uncle Jim was overseer until  his retirement. Its history  is rich.

Uncle Jim Cotter Standing on top of one of the mud springs, with his Harley Davidson, at the entrance to  Boorara

Or will Nat Parks do  what they  did to  Caiwarro? Just allow it all to  decay. Something Nat Parks are excellent at- measuring decay and decline. It remains to  be seen.

Here in Australia we have a cringe mentality towards our pastoral history. Those in politics who lean to the left, would want to wipe it from our countries story.

Emu Hall.  The late William Magraths Penrith residence.

Perhaps we can  all sit in the dirt and weave baskets?

Dave and I  left Boorara silently, wondering what  Jim Cotter and William MaGrath would be thinking.

I  bet  both are turning in  their graves.