Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Shepherd's Hut Tuesday - Inverary Station


Not all shepherds' huts have wheels. John Chapman from Inverary Station in New Zealand has very kindly sent in these lovely pictures of the hut on his property. He writes:
"These huts (known as musterers' huts) are common throughout the mountainous area of the South Island and many of them are still in use. Most of them are in remote places, some up to 20 or 30 miles from any other houses. Some, like the predecessor of ours, were built as boundary keepers' huts, up to 150 years ago, when there were few fences. These men were required to live in such lonely surroundingss and prevent their sheep from straying to the neighbouring property.

"Our hut was rebuilt about 15 years ago and is in the middle of our 10,000 acre property about eight miles from the homestead. We use it mainly in the autumn when we spend time bringing the sheep down from the high tops prior to the winter snows. It can sleep around ten people and all cooking is done over the open fire."

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