Woakwine Cutting
A remarkable hand-dug drainage cutting between Robe and Beachport, an extraordinary one-man feat of 1950s engineering.
One man, one cutting
The Woakwine Cutting, on the range between Robe and Beachport, is one of the Limestone Coast's most surprising heritage sites. Between 1957 and 1960, grazier Murray McCourt and a single offsider cut a channel through the Woakwine Range to drain a swamp on his property, shifting a colossal volume of rock and earth largely by hand and with a single excavator.
A lookout and interpretive display now overlook the cutting, with the original machinery preserved on site. It stands as a monument to rural determination and the great drainage schemes that reshaped the South East's wetlands.
Got a photo of Woakwine Cutting?
Share your best shot. If we use it in the gallery, you'll be credited by name. Photos are reviewed before going live.
Last verified 2 hours ago
You might also like
Similar experiences across Limestone Coast
Image credits
- Drain through Woakwine Range, south-eastern drainage scheme(GN11938).jpg by State Government Photographer , CC0 via Wikimedia Commons