Bush-Repaired 'Tumbling Tommy' Scoop

This scoop was owned by Jack Sharp, who had a farm near Toogong, now owned by the Balcomb family. Jack was a member of the Sharp family, who came to Cargo in the gold mining era as blacksmiths. The scoop has been patched and new sides riveted on. The repairs show the ingenuity of early settlers and how they made the most of farm implements. Just how many loads it would take to wear out the iron is hard to estimate. There was no such thing as built-in obsolescence.

Loan courtesy Harold Balcomb