As part of the Partnership Programme with PWS, the MHPS is undertaking restoration and repair work at The Steppes Historic Site on the Central Highlands.

The Steppes Site has a long and fascinating history and dates from 1863. It was the home of the Wilson family for over 100 years and during much of that time was the hub of local community life, incorporating not only the Homestead, but also a police station, post office, bakery and school.  The last surviving member of the Wilson family, Miss Marjorie Wilson, better known as ‘Madge’, was a gifted artist and keen wood carver. She passed away in 1975, aged 92 years, but her small art studio still stands and is part of the restoration and preservation work being undertaken by MHPS. Paintings of flowers by Miss Madge Wilson can still be found decorating the original doors and fireplace in the Homestead.

The Wilson family had a strong connection with the bush and the environment in which they lived. So much so that they pushed for an area at the Steppes to become a bird sanctuary and, in 1930, a reserve was gazetted. During the late 1950s, the two surviving Wilson sisters offered their private land to also be included in the reserve. Today, this reserve now honours the Wilson family who were remarkable pioneers and whose name is synonymous with this part of the Central Highlands.

Working bees commenced in September 2010 and to date hundreds and hundreds of voluntary hours have been committed to the Steppes project by members of MHPS. Early work on site included the removal of the decaying shingle roofs on the outbuildings and temporary replacement with iron sheets to protect and preserve the underlying structures. Assorted work was also carried out on a number of the outbuildings and included repairs to doors, windows and window sills, and the replacement of a glass window pane and a new planter box. Sheds were stabilised and veranda repairs carried out on the main Homestead.

There have also been off-site working bees to gather suitable timber and to cut shingles for the project and MHPS has been fortunate to have wonderful assistance and advice from three gentlemen, John Graham from New Norfolk, and father and son team Daryl and Todd Blair from Mole Creek, all highly skilled and extremely proficient in the art of shingle splitting.

In December 2010, a convoy of eight utes and a trailer or two undertook a lengthy road trip to Ellendale in the south of the State where John Graham, a veteran of the bush, had found a suitable tree from which to cut shingles. It was an interesting and enjoyable exercise with approx 14 members and two PWS rangers spending the full day, high on a windswept logging coupe, cutting the tree into billets to be transported back to Liawenee. A lunch time barbecue provided an opportunity for convivial conversation amongst members and a welcome break from the day’s toil.

In February 2011, members assembled for a weekend working bee at Liawenee to cut the billets into shingles, under the guidance once again of John Graham, and also joined by Daryl ‘Darby’ Blair and his son Todd, who gave generously of their time and expert knowledge in the skilful art of shingle splitting. Most members had no knowledge or practical experience of turning billets (short thick pieces of timber) into thin pieces of wood (shingles) suitable for building and roofing material. For one member, Rodney Linger, it was a particularly gratifying experience, as he was able to use his father’s original paling knife which had not seen the light of day for quite a few decades. A lunch break of barbecued lamb roast and sausages was enjoyed by all, while Rose Grant from ABC Radio conducted interviews for the Country Hour programme. The working bee was a hugely interesting and satisfying exercise, with well in excess of 2250 shingles being split.

Several working bees throughout the course of 2011/2012 have recorded excellent progress on the historic site and have produced some pleasing results.  No less than four outbuildings have been re-roofed with traditional hand split shingles and these structures have also had associated maintenance work completed on them.  As soon as the winter months have passed, all is in readiness for work to commence on re-roofing the bake house. In the meantime, urgent structural stabilisation has been effected on the western wall of the bake house.

During July 2012, the walls of the information shelter were lined and interpretative material installed. The Bothwell Historical Society compiled and supplied the informative interpretation panels which contain wonderful photographic images of the Wilson family and factual details relating to the historic Steppes site in general. Lining for the walls, along with fixtures, etc, were supplied courtesy of the PWS, and members of MHPS provided the volunteer labour. The information shelter will add to the overall visitor experience at the Steppes and is found at the rear of the Homestead site, near to the commencement of the short walk to the Steppes Sculptures (also known as Steppes Stones), located south along a well maintained and beautiful walking track. The Stephen Walker sculptures are cast in bronze and set on columns of dolerite rock, depicting highland life from the past to the present.

MHPS wishes to acknowledge and express appreciation for the work and assistance from John Graham, Daryl Blair and Todd Blair, the Bothwell Historical Society, and PWS Rangers Mike Cousins and Rob Buck, without whose support this project would not be possible.