Greetings fellow Foxies,
Recently my friend Don Thomson took me to ruins on a farm that he had bought some years ago at Dongolocking.
The old mud brick house belonged to Bob Lawes. Don recalled the time when it was intact and Mrs Lawes had an extensive garden. Only walls remain with a couple of huge prickly pears and fruit trees in the garden. The large mud bricks were beautifully made. It is so sad that they are melting away.
Recently my friend Don Thomson took me to ruins on a farm that he had bought some years ago at Dongolocking.
The old mud brick house belonged to Bob Lawes. Don recalled the time when it was intact and Mrs Lawes had an extensive garden. Only walls remain with a couple of huge prickly pears and fruit trees in the garden. The large mud bricks were beautifully made. It is so sad that they are melting away.
 north eastern part of house |  Old copper stand in laundry |
East of the house is a ruined 2 stand shearing shed with a bush timber frame
 Shearing shed |  Sheep yards |
The daughter and son in law moved into a newer house further up the hill. Like most farm houses of the time it has extensions built on to a fine cemented granite core. The granite house is fascinating inside
In the 1960’s the Lawes family sold out and faded from local history.
New owners were the Bain brothers (Phil, John and Ian) who had a home with their mum further south. Phil was the Dumbleyung shire clerk before farming with his brothers. According to Don, they were very good neighbours, who were very thrifty (nothing was wasted). They built a prefabricated house near the granite one that was used as a metal workshop.
The granite house is fascinating inside
In the 1960’s the Lawes family sold out and faded from local history.
New owners were the Bain brothers (Phil, John and Ian) who had a home with their mum further south. Phil was the Dumbleyung shire clerk before farming with his brothers. According to Don, they were very good neighbours, who were very thrifty (nothing was wasted). They built a prefabricated house near the granite one that was used as a metal workshop.
The granite house is fascinating inside
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Curious features of the Bain brothers is that they were all lifelong bachelors, and all died at the age of 72.
I could find few references to them in local history books. Their estate (four blocks of land – about five million dollars was left to the Dumbleyung shire and the Dumbleyung Mens Shed. I guess there are plaques around Dumbleyung installed by grateful recipients.
For a visual exploration of the houses and shearing shed see this Google Photo album
Click individual images for information
I could find few references to them in local history books. Their estate (four blocks of land – about five million dollars was left to the Dumbleyung shire and the Dumbleyung Mens Shed. I guess there are plaques around Dumbleyung installed by grateful recipients.
For a visual exploration of the houses and shearing shed see this Google Photo album
Click individual images for information