The Humpy, Hood House & Cellar Door

The Humpy

This building is a replica of a one room timber and iron humpy used for camping by single men in the early days of settlement. The building is based on surviving photographs of several of these humpies. The iron chimney and fireplace, partly lined with stone was used for both cooking and heating. Inside are some authentic furnishings, including a ‘cupboard’ made out of a couple of kerosene tins.

The Hood House

Early in 1986 the farm house erected in 1913 by Mr David Hood on Section 55 Hundred of Wilson, was transported by low loader from the farm to Pioneer Park. Telcom and ETSA assisted by getting the load under telephone and electricity lines.

The two-roomed house had timber walls, quite unusual in the mallee. Mr Hood and his brothers had sawmills in the Upper South-East and they milled gum timber for the frame, walls and floor of the house. The floor is milled gum, not tongue and groove. The timber was railed to Borrika when it was known as the 42-mile siding. One half of the back verandah was enclosed in galvanised iron. The house was used by the Hood family and three children until the 1960’s or early 1970’s.

The Cellar Door

A replica semi underground cellar with stonewalls and gabled roof was dug next to Hood House and was used to keep to keep dairy products and stored fruit.