Welcome to Toganmain Woolshed Precinct
Welcome to Toganmain Woolshed Precinct
14th–15th June 2025
Program
Location: Toganmain Woolshed Site, Sturt Highway, Carrathool
Celebrate with a special dinner under lights on the main board inside the woolshed.
Numbers are strictly limited — book early!
Dress Code: Smart "warm" casual with a touch of country charm
Enjoy a memorable night featuring:
A delicious country-style dinner
Live entertainment and historical storytelling
Guest speakers sharing insights into Toganmain’s rich past
A bonfire to close the evening
The woolshed and precinct will be open on Saturday, 14th and Sunday, 15th, with guides ready to share stories and answer your questions.
Live Entertainment Local group Stickie Fingers will be providing entertainment across both days.
Market Stalls Food, drinks, and local market stalls will be set up around the site.
Book Launch Saturday Morning We’ll be launching Toganmain: Then and Now by Lexie Keane. Books will be available for purchase or collection if pre-ordered.
Static Displays Visit the Dining Room to explore displays showcasing Toganmain’s rich history.
Day Pass (Saturday or Sunday): $20 per adult | $50 per family (2 adults + kids) Spend the day exploring the woolshed, markets, and displays!
150th Celebration Dinner (includes Saturday Day Pass): $85 per person Join us for a special dinner under the lights — this ticket gives you full access to Saturday’s events too.
Limited Space: Unfortunately, space at the site is limited. Priority will be given to our registered volunteers. Attendance will also depend on clearing enough space in front of the woolshed for caravans.
Event Running Times: Saturday: 9:00 am until late | Sunday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Dinner Dress Code: Smart “warm” casual with a touch of country charm — it gets pretty cool here at night in June, so please dress accordingly.
Transport Options: We’ll be running free buses from Darlington Point and Hay for the diners on Saturday night. Details will be sent to all ticket holders closer the date.
Accommodation: If you’re planning to join us, we strongly recommend booking accommodation early. Options include caravan parks in neighbouring towns and some free camping areas. Accommodation has been reserved for us — when making your booking, just mention that you’re off to Toganmain.
Need Help? For assistance or recommendations, feel free to reach out.
A new book celebrating 150 years of the iconic Toganmain woolshed!
We’re excited to announce that the book Toganmain Woolshed: Then and Now will be launched during the 150th anniversary weekend on 14–15 June.
The book includes a brief history of Toganmain Station’s ownership; poems, diary entries and memories from shearers, wool classers, shedhands, hut keepers and cooks; the story of the Friends of Toganmain, their restoration journey and future vision; and a rich collection of old newspaper clippings alongside many historical and recent photos.
The book will be available for purchase at the celebration weekend or via the Friends of Toganmain website for $45 + postage.
Soft cover, A4 format – 120 pages.
To help us estimate print numbers, we’d love to know if you’re interested in buying a copy.
Lexie Keane is passionate about preserving local history and the personal stories that bring it to life. With two books on Queensland’s Meandarra district already to her name, Lexie generously volunteered her time and talents to help tell the story of the Toganmain woolshed and those who worked there.
👉 Please send us an email message to register your interest.
We’re running a raffle to raise funds for the 150th. Prizes include:
🖼 A framed photo by volunteer Julie Clarke, in timber reclaimed from the sheepyards by Jarom Stokes
🔥 A portable campfire donated by BCF Griffith
🌸 Garden flower sculptures donated by Marija Maclean
Tickets are $5 each, available online:
As part of our 150th celebration, we’ll have a variety of market stalls offering delicious food and a range of other goodies. If you’re interested in running a stall, click the button below to download the form for full details, and secure your spot as soon as possible!
Please note that the email address to get in touch has changed slightly. Don't worry if you forget and use the old one, we'll still get your message.
The new address is: info@toganmain.org.au
Help Us Preserve Toganmain Woolshed
The Toganmain Woolshed is a vital part of our region’s cultural heritage, and we need your help to ensure its legacy endures. We’re exploring funding opportunities to restore this iconic site, document its stories, and host a grand 150th anniversary in 2025.
Share your thoughts and show your support by contributing to our Support Register using our online form. Your input will help us strengthen our efforts to secure grants and bring these preservation projects to life. Together, we can keep the spirit of Toganmain alive for generations to come.
Do you have a personal story about Toganmain? Did you, a family member or a friend work there? We'd love to about hear it!
Please get in touch with us via our dedicated storytelling email address and we'll get back to you and make sure your tail becomes part of our collection.
New volunteers need to complete a Volunteer Application Form. When our next working bee comes along you'll be good to go.
For over 30 years, Andrew Chapman has captured the heart of Australia’s shearing sheds and the resilient workers who keep them alive. Some of his stunning images were taken at Toganmain, preserving a way of life that, against all odds, continues to endure. Buy your copy here and help Toganmain as well!
If you haven't seen the feature about Toganmain that was broadcast on ABC's Landine program last July click the button below to check it out.
Nestled between Darlington Point and Carrathool along the Murrumbidgee River, Toganmain Station was a key player in the Riverina's wool industry. Established by Sir Alexander Macleay and expanded by the Robertson family from 1867, it boasted 167,000 acres and significant river frontage. In its prime, the station's massive 75 by 25 metre woolshed, equipped with 110 blade stands and later Wolseley machines, was renowned for its high-quality wool. Toganmain's prosperity mirrored the wool boom of the early 20th century but waned with the advent of synthetic fibres and drought. Today, it remains a symbol of Australia's rich pastoral history.
Even today the woolshed conjures up memories of the great pastoral holdings which occupied Murrumbidgee River frontage from Darlington Point to Hay. The vision for the site is an immersive curated museum that will use recorded oral shearers stories, written accounts and interpretative signage, to bring to life Australia's vital pastoral history in an environment which stimulates all the senses.