Blackall Visitor Information Centre 108a Shamrock Street, Blackall Queensland 4472 Phone (07) 4657 4637 Fax (07) 4657 4913 Information on Blackall and the Blackall Woolscour Email: binfo@btrc.qld.gov.au Website: www.btrc.qld.gov.au

Smell the wool from a century gone by ...

THE BLACKALL Woolscour, which notched up a century in existence last year, is an engineering achievement of its time and an example of the determination of Australia’s pioneers.

Visit the woolscour and smell the wool from a century gone by on a tour of this complex which is believed to be the last intact steam-powered wool washing plant in the country.

The historic Blackall Woolscour, with its 20-stand shed attached, offers a step back in time so you can experience the magic of working steam machines and enormous wool driers that operated from 1908 to 1978.

The main source of water for the scouring process was from the Great Artesian Basin. A bore was sunk in 1906 for the woolscour and the free-flowing bore can still be seen at the woolscour today.

The basic principle of mechanical scouring involve washing wool in a series of tanks, then drying it with hot air.

The building itself is one of the largest timber frame buildings of its type in Queensland and its timber frame is completely nail free! The entire hoop pine frame is tenon and morticed.

The Blackall Woolscour operates seven days a week with tours every hour, with the first tour starting at 9.00am and the last leaving at 4.00pm. Each tour starts with a video entitled The Golden Age of Wool and visitors are personally guided by one of Blackall’s real characters.

Experience the true atmosphere of a steam-driven woolscour from May through to August when steam operates the site, while electricity runs the operation for the rest of the year.

Take a walk around the grounds and see one of the last remaining examples of a free flowing artesian bore, which was sunk in 1906, the old shearers’ quarters, cookhouse as well as the fascinating static displays.

Afterwards have smoko and enjoy the outback scenery or have a picnic under one of the bough sheds.

For something special join one of the woolscour bush dinners on the first Saturday of every month from May to September. Listen to yarns around the campfire after a meal cooked in the antique wood stove.

For further details phone or fax (07) 4657 6042 or send an email to blackallwoolscour@bigpond.com.