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| View from the hill above
Aberdeen |
Aberdeen (and Lake Glenbawn)
Small rural service town beside the Hunter River
Situated in the midst of pastoral and agricultural
countryside, Aberdeen is a small township located on the
side of a hill beside the Hunter River between Muswellbrook
and Scone. It is 273 km north of Sydney and 186 m above
sea-level with a population of around 1 750.
The district about Aberdeen was once occupied by the
Wanaruah people. Because few written records of Aboriginal
Australia were kept it is difficult to make firm assertions
about their lifestyle in pre-colonial Australia. However, it
is known that the Wanaruah had trade and ceremonial links
with the Kamilaroi people who may also have occupied the
area.
The Wanaruah favoured goannas as a food source, covering
larger animals in hot ashes and stuffing them with grass.
They also adopted burning off practices as the new shoots
which emerged after fire attracted kangaroos which they
surrounded and killed with clubs and spears (du-rane) barbed
with sharp stones. They also used stone axes (mogo) made of
hard volcanic rock bound to a wooden handle. Another food
source was lerp, a sweet, edible waxy secretion found on
eucalyptus leaves and produced by the young of the psyllid
(an insect) for protection. Lacerations were covered with
wet clay or chewed eucalyptus leaves. As ironbark is slow to
burn it was used as a transportable fire-stick while
stringybark was used to make a twine employed in fishing and
basket-making.
Government surveyor Henry Dangar, a central figure in the
European investigation of the upper Hunter, camped here, by
the river, in August 1824 during his first exploration of
the district. He crossed the river, discovering Dart Brook
and Kingdon Ponds (two tributaries) just to the north-west
of the present townsite.
Later that year he returned and pursued Dart Brook to its
source in the Liverpool Range but was attacked by the
Geaweagal clan of the Wanaruah people west of present-day
Murrurundi and returned to Sydney. After submitting a
favourable report on the 'rich alluvial land' adjacent the
two creeks he was back in a week with prospective settlers
in tow.
In 1823, British MP, Thomas MacQueen, read a favourable
report on the colony's rural prospects. An advocate of
transporting both capital and skilled workmen to the colony
he invested in his own principles in 1825, sending to
Australia stock, machinery, supplies, artisans, their
families and overseer Peter McIntyre who chose the land
around Aberdeen, naming MacQueen's estate Segenhoe after
MacQueen's birthplace (Segenhoe Manor in Bedfordshire) and
his own property Blairmore. However his claims conflicted
with those of Dangar, whom McIntyre accused of improper and
corrupt practices, thereby securing his suspension.
Segenhoe was a large property employing about 100
convicts. Being, at the time, near the northern edge of
European settlement, it was used, in the 1820s, as a base
for explorers such as Thomas Mitchell, Edmund Kennedy and
Allan Cunningham. The latter followed Dangar's route north
from Dart Brook in 1827 and went on to 'discover' the
Darling Downs and the overland route to the penal colony at
Moreton Bay (the future site of Brisbane).
When MacQueens' financial situation in England declined
he moved to Australia, living at Segenhoe from 1834 to 1838.
The value of his property was inflated when he persuaded the
government to lay out the township of Aberdeen in 1838 by
the river crossing. The town was named after MacQueen's
friend George Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen. The name also
reflects the preponderance of Scottish landowners who took
up the early grants.
By 1840 an inn and a mill existed beside the river (both
still exist). Residents from Murrurundi transported their
grain to this site in the early days. There were 27 recorded
residents in 1851 and by 1866 there were two churches, a
post office, a lock-up, a school, three inns, some shops and
a steam-driven mill. The railway arrived from Muswellbrook
in 1870. In 1881 the population was recorded as being 36.
Meat processing became the staple of the town when the
Australian Meat Cutting and Freezing Company set up shop in
1892. The exportation of frozen mutton commenced that year
via the port of Newcastle. By 1894, 200 men were employed by
the works.
Meat processing is still the basis of the local economy
with an abattoir, chilling and freezing works and tannery
still in operation. Dairying, wheat, lucerne, horse studs,
cattle and sheep also contribute to the local economy. There
are coal reserves in the district but they are not currently
being exploited.
Things to see:
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| Segenhoe Inn
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Historic Buildings
Aberdeen has a few historic buildings. There is an
attractive old sandstone house of an unknown but antiquated
vintage called The Grange opposite the Aberdeen Motel at the
southern end of town. However, most are clustered around the
intersection of the highway and Rouchel Rd (McAdam St). On
the southern side is an old and somewhat dilapidated shop,
formerly M. Campbell and Co (which is still emblazoned on
the awning). On the northern side is a large, two-storey
sandstone building known as the Segenhoe Inn, now a boutique
hotel and bed and breakfast destination. It was built in
1837.
A short distance along Rouchel Rd (pronounced 'roo-cawl'),
just over the railway line, to the left, are the ruins of
the old mill, built c.1840. It is believed to be the oldest
mill of its kind still standing in Australia. 700 m further
along the road, also to the left, are the even more
dilapidated remnants of an old butter factory.
Opposite Rouchel Rd is a rest area with a few willow
trees. Beyond that is the steel truss bridge over the
Hunter, built in 1891 to replace a ferry service. There is a
superior rest area here called The Riverside Picnic Area.
Scenic Drive - East
If you follow the aforesaid Rouchel Rd eastwards it leads
out through some fine mountain scenery past Rouchel, Back
and Davis Creeks. It is 34 km to the end of the road. The
last 10 km are gravel.
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| Anglican Church, Aberdeen
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Segenhoe and Lake Glenbawn Recreation Area
Two kilometres north of Aberdeen Segenhoe Rd heads off to
the right. Drive eastwards with Mt Aberdeen on your left. 5
km along there is a fork. Both roads lead to Lake Glenbawn
named after the property submerged under the dam waters. It
is a popular spot for waterskiing, swimming, sailing,
canoeing and sailboarding. Anglers will find catfish, bass
and golden perch. The foreshores consist of open woodland
with an abundance of birdlife (galahs, eastern rosellas,
pelicans, king parrots etc) and both kangaroos and wallaroos
to be seen in the early morning and at dusk.
If you take the right branch it immediately crosses the
Pages River on Allan Bridge (suspension type) and passes Kia
Ora stud founded in 1912 and the birthplace of seven
Melbourne Cup winners.
The left fork passes Segenhoe estate (6.8 km from the
highway) which is inseparably tied to the establishment of
Aberdeen. Situated to the right, on the west bank of the
Pages River, it is now a horse stud. Inspections are
possible but only for groups and only by appointment, tel:
(02) 6543 7029.
The single-storey stone Georgian homestead (1830s) is a
little difficult to see from the roadside as it is set back
from the road. It has a hipped roof and bull-nosed verandah.
Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell, explorers Allan Cunningham
and Edmund Kennedy, and Governor Bourke all used the house
as a base for their investigations of the land to the north.
The old homestead of the stud's manager (built in 1894) is
available as a bed-and-breakfast, tel: (02) 6543 7230.
2.6 km beyond Segenhoe Stud take the signposted right to
Lake Glenbawn. 5.3 km along this road is a turnoff to the
left which will take you up to Brushy Hill where there are
two separate lookouts with quite spectacular views across
the beautiful lake to the far side where mountains loom
overhead in close proximity. To the east are Mt Woolooma,
the Mount Royal Ranges and Barrington Tops. To the north is
the Liverpool Range and to the south and west the valleys of
the Upper Hunter.
Return to the main road and another 1.2 km brings you to
another turnoff on the left to what is known as the Central
Area, below the wall of Glenbawn Dam which was built between
1954 and 1957 to regulate the flow of the Hunter River in
order to meet stock, domestic and irrigation requirements.
It covers 2614 hectares, draws on a catchment area of 1295
square km, has a storage capacity of 750 000 megalitres and
a maximum depth of 85 m. The main wall is 100 m high and the
length of the crest is 1125 m.
Major extensions in the 1980s facilitated the development
of the recreation area. Here there is a caravan park with
camping sites, a kiosk (closed Mondays, except on public and
school holidays), tennis courts, a recreation hall, a
cricket oval and three-hole golf course, as well as
appropriate facilities. There are fees for camping and day
use.
The Hunter Valley Museum of Rural Life is located near
the picnic area. It is only open by prior arrangement and
preferably for groups rather than individuals. It contains a
display relating to the early colonial days of Australia,
including cheese presses from the Dalswinton estate (see
entry on Denman) and a marble bath from Segenhoe.
Also near the kiosk another road heads off around to the
eastern shore area where there is a boat ramp, two amenities
blocks, picnic and barbecue facilities, playgrounds and
self-contained cabins. Direct all enquiries to the following
phone number: (02) 6543 7193.
Scenic Drive - North-West
Just north of Aberdeen along the highway two roads head off
to the left. The first, Blairmore Lane, veers south-west
past McIntyre's old Blairmore estate, with a homestead
dating back to 1836, Negoa, granted to William Cox who built
the first road over the Blue Mountains, and Kayuga, granted
to Peter McIntyre's brother Donald. A nearby cemetery is the
oldest on the upper Hunter, being established in 1828.
The second road (signposted for Dartbrook) heads west for
3.2 km through farming land to a T- intersection. It is here
that the Dartbrook estate was established, granted to George
Smith Hall who, like many early settlers, used the property
as a base while sending his progeny north to work large
cattle runs. His son Thomas essentially created the
Australian cattle dog when, in pursuit of good working dogs,
he crossed the blue merle Scotch collie with the native
dingo. The result became known as a 'blue heeler' for the
colour of its coat combined with its tendency to nip at the
heels of cattle, thus moving them forward in a controlled
manner.
Turn right at the intersection for a pleasant alternate
route to Scone along Back Muswellbrook Rd. This was the
first road north from Aberdeen. A village named Redbank was
surveyed along this route (about 10 km north) and a few
houses built but it declined when The Great North Road,
which traversed the Murrurundi Gap, was established to the
east forming the basis of the present New England Highway
and fostering the development of Scone.
There are several horse studs along this route (Yarraman
and Wakefield). 11 km brings you to a T-intersection. Turn
right into Moobi Rd which leads into Scone.
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Aberdeen
