Dutton Bay Woolshed Museum

The heritage listed ‘Mt Dutton Bay Woolshed’ is a ‘working’ Museum consisting of hundreds of local items depicting the history of the Shearing, farming and fishing era.

These items adorn the restored stone walls of this Heritage listed woolshed. Some items were found under debris of the Woolshed at the time of restoration (mid 1992). A popular item of interest is the fully restored ‘Robinson double-box Wool press’ which is in excellent working order. This Wool press was made in England in the early 1800’s and was brought to Australia in the 1850’s where an Australian inventor modified this press slightly, to then be sent to the Mt Dutton Bay Woolshed in 1875.

The ‘Robinson double-box Wool press’ is the only known ‘double-dumping’ wool press with this design, in working order, in Australia! Over 60,000 bales of wool were pressed by this Robinson double-box press from 1875 – 1920.Robinson double-box Wool press and various exhibits.

The Mt Dutton Bay Jetty which adjoins the Woolshed is also heritage listed, and was a major ‘land-sea link’ for the region. Over 20,000 sheep were shorn within the Woolshed a year whilst nearly 100,000 fleeces were stored awaiting ketches from the Mt Dutton Bay Jetty, for overseas markets. One of the last remaining Woolsheds and Jetties built in the 1800’s left in Australia…