09/08/2025
Living history - Dunlop Station, near Louth NSW,
The bustling sheep property was home to the world’s first fully mechanised shearing shed in 1888 —with 184,000 sheep shorn under one roof at its 45-stand woolshed. Dunlop station once spanned a staggering ~1,000,000 acres—a vast pastoral empire.
Fast forward to now, and the property is a fraction of that size—about 880 ha— lovingly preserved by the Chandler family, who continue to transform it into a living museum of the life of Sir Samuel McCaughy and his immense pastoral empire.
The homestead, Store and Woolshed tour is a stroll through yesteryear—from the elegant sandstone homestead with high pressed-metal ceilings, timeless carpets, and open fireplaces, to the authentic store, and the atmospheric shearing shed where history still lingers.
We loved the stations unpowered campsites along the Darling River nestled among river gums and coolabahs. In the still of night you can feel the echoes of paddle steamers that once docked at the wharf, the clang of shears, and to stand where pastoral giants made history. It’s not just a tour. It’s a conversation with heritage, held over a cuppa and framed by fading remnants of Outback life.
📍 Visit Dunlop Station, Louth NSW
