Boomanoomana

The area to be later known as Boomanoomana Station was originally squatted in the early 1800’s by Colonel Henry Gwynne, namesake of our local Mt Gwynne. Colonel Gwynne had followed Charles Sturt to the area and chose to settle along the Murray River.

In 1863 William Hay acquired an area of 80,000 acres by then identified as Boomanoomana Station. This land spanned from Corowa in the east to Tuppal Station in the west, and included the land that is now occupied by the township of Barooga. This land was heavily wooded and therefore only good for cattle, but Hay, being a sheep man, planned to establish a merino stud. He sold off the cattle at a loss and then gradually purchased merinos from established studs. When it was found that Hay couldn't rely on shepherds to keep the sheep on the station and that the sheep were unable to handle the heavily wooded terrain, Hay then had to clear the land and fence extensively in order to achieve this dream, both momentous tasks in that period.

In 1872 William Hay won the seat of Murray in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and one of his greatest achievements whilst in parliament was the introduction of the railway line between Moama and Deniliquin. His parliamentary duties took him away from the property more and more over the ten years he held his seat and during these times he left the property in the hands of his eldest son Alfred, who in time made it his own. The sheep market was not profitable at first and the merino stud appeared to have been a poor decision but they persisted and the gamble eventually paid off.

The magnificent Boomanoomana homestead, that still stands today, was built in stages dependent on funds. The homestead is a single storey “U” shaped building with a magnificent dining room built in brick and the surrounding rooms all built with weatherboards. A decadent outlay of Hay’s was the purchase and transport of a large piece of granite from Scotland which was made in to a fountain and erected out the front of the residence surrounded by a sweeping drive.

The property was handed down through the Hay family and downsized over time including Kilnyana to the east and Barooga to the west. The property left the Hay family for a short time and was owned by a further four or so owners before Sir David Hay, a descendent of William Hay, who spent his early years at the property, purchased the Homestead and restored all the buildings and gardens to their original condition. A small holding, including the homestead, is still owned today by the Hay family.

Information and photos acquired from "Barooga and Districts yesterday and today", 1984, compiled by the Barooga Lioness Club and "The Life and Times of William Hay of Boomanoomana, 1816-1908", 1990, by David Hay.