Page 128 - Hereford Magazine 2021

The historic Highfield woolshed was restored after the 2016 earthquake.

When the earth moves another 20 musterers and droving staff were needed to ensure
a flow of sheep through the yards and shed. The logistics
The eye of travellers driving north from Waiau on the inland involved in feeding and housing perhaps 80 men for 20
road is drawn to the massive Highfield woolshed. shearing days is mind-boggling.
The foundations of the historic woolshed were severely A local town carnival in 2010 saw the shed return to its early
rocked in the November 2016 Waiau/Kaikoura earthquake, glory, with all 24 stands in operation for a charity shear and
but recent visitors have marvelled at the scale of restoration many volunteers shearing a total of 1000 sheep that day.
work. The ‘munted’ shed was raised one metre up from the The refurbished shed hosted a grand reopening in 2020. It
severely damaged original piles in one complete total lift is used for local public functions and has also been used as a
with jacks and blocks. The foundations were then re-piled wedding venue.
before the woolshed was lowered back onto its original seat. The 1950s popular hit Shake, rattle, and roll would have been
Heritage New Zealand has always maintained a watchful eye in far from the minds of Hugh and Jane Northcote as they bolted
supervising any prior and recent repairs, and the Earthquake outside their 12-year-old homestead on the night of the 2016
Commission (EQC) and local builders have ensured the shed is earthquake. Shortly after midnight, a roaring sound announced
as good as new. the impending arrival of the 7.8 Richter scale quake, resulting
It was built in 1877 for the Wharton & Co. syndicate to service in Oamaru stone buff cladding shaking off the house timber
their original large property encompassing the Mason River frame and rendering the building irreparable.
Valley, and is the largest T-shaped woolshed in New Zealand. Lying flat on the lawn, both Hugh and Jane went through
Built with North Island timber, the woolshed’s large beams are some terrifying thoughts. No doubt their positions would have
nine metres long; the weight involved in that era to hoist them amplified the ground movement, and both agree that their
into position would have been a considerable undertaking. foremost thoughts were that this was the end of the world.
Originally set up for 24 blade shearers, 12 a side, an overhead After a subsequent inspection of the wrecked house by
driving plant to drive all shearing machines was installed in the the EQC, the site was ruled out for a new homestead due to
early 20th century. This is now been superseded by standard the movement of the hillside to the east of the house. The
shearing machines. new homestead in a new location has a great view of the
Shed capacity is 900 ewes for night storage, and when all 24 surrounding farmland.
shearers were in action, the shed required a further 40 staff
to be fully operational. At the height of its business, Wharton Below:
& Co. had 48,000 sheep so when shearing was in full swing, Mustering cows and calves for calf marking.

126 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021