Site 5 – Pilliga Pastures Protection Board
This building was the headquarters of the Pilliga Pastures Protection Board, commonly known as the P.P. Board, an organisation that played a vital role in protecting the grazing industry throughout the district.
The Board was originally established at Pilliga in the early 1900s, at a time when rabbits were causing widespread damage across rural New South Wales. Large numbers of rabbits competed with livestock for feed and threatened the viability of many grazing properties. Controlling the rabbit population became one of the greatest challenges facing landholders.
Early Board meetings focused heavily on rabbit control, fencing and stock management. Landowners were encouraged to erect rabbit-proof netting fences, and financial incentives were offered to those who helped protect their properties from infestation. Board records from 1906 reveal discussions about the distribution of wire netting, stock levies and organised rabbit-baiting programs across the district.
In 1907 the decision was made to relocate the Board’s headquarters from Pilliga to Burren Junction. The move reflected the growing importance of Burren Junction as a regional centre. By then the town had a daily railway service, allowing mail, supplies and official business to be handled more efficiently.
The Board initially operated from rented premises before moving to Houlahan’s office building in 1920. This purpose-built office was constructed in Waterloo Street in late 1929 on land purchased from Samuel Slack-Smith. Built at a cost of £836, the new office became the administrative centre for livestock inspections, fencing programs, disease control and pasture protection throughout the district.
Over the years the Board employed a number of stock inspectors who travelled extensively throughout the region. In the early days inspectors worked on horseback, with the Board providing feed, saddlery and equipment. As technology advanced, motor vehicles replaced horses, making travel across the vast district quicker and more efficient.
Many well-known local identities served the organisation over its long history. Charlie Holcombe was Chairman for many years before being succeeded by John Hunt in 1979. The Board continued to serve local landholders until its closure in 1985.
For almost eight decades, the Pilliga Pastures Protection Board helped safeguard the pastoral industry and supported the development of the Burren Junction district. Its work protected livestock, controlled pests and contributed significantly to the success of agriculture across the region.
Historical information sourced primarily from Visions of the Plains – A History of Burren Junction and District (2nd Edition) by Judy Field, together with local records and community recollections.
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The residence it is now
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The former Pilliga Pastures Protection Board office in Waterloo Street.