The Early Settlement of Jindera

In the early years of European settlement in New South Wales, three essential establishments were necessary for a thriving community: a place to congregate and seek sustenance (the hotel), a place to purchase goods (the store), and a place to ensure tools and horses were ready for work (the blacksmith and wheelwright). Jindera was no exception. The Jindera Hotel opened its doors in 1870, Molkentin Blacksmith followed in 1872, and Wagner’s Store completed the trio in 1874.

The Molkentin Legacy

Reinhardt Molkentin became Jindera’s first blacksmith and wheelwright. Tragically, in his early 30s, Reinhardt was involved in a fatal workplace accident in 1885. His business partner, Harry Harberecht, kept the business running until Reinhardt’s sons, Paul and Fred, were old enough to take over the blacksmith shop for their mother.

The Arrival of Fred Wehner

Fred Wehner, a qualified blacksmith and wheelwright, arrived from Germany in 1890. He initially worked in Walla Walla before moving to Jindera in 1899 to join the Molkentin business. Here, Fred met and married Bertha Molkentin,

Paul and Fred's sister. In 1908, Fred took over the wheelwright duties at the Jindera blacksmith shop.

A Family Business

In 1915, Fred Wehner purchased the business from the Molkentin family and continued to operate it with his son Ernst. Fred passed away in 1957, and Ernie, affectionately known as Frostie due to his white legs, continued as both blacksmith and wheelwright until his death in 1994.

The Blacksmith Trade

In the early days of European settlement, blacksmith shops served as fix-it-all stations. Whatever could not be repaired on the farm was taken to the blacksmith for fixing, reconstructing, sharpening, or inventing. The blacksmith predominantly worked with iron and steel, as most farm implements and tools were made from these metals. Blacksmithing was hot, dirty, and physically demanding work.

A blacksmith shop was often dark, allowing the blacksmith to see the different colours metals would pass through as they heated. This was crucial for determining the right temperature for working the metal. Blacksmiths often created their own tools for specific jobs and learned the skill of horseshoeing, crafting shoes tailored to each horse.

The Decline of Blacksmithing

With the advent of the slow combustion engine and the motorisation of farm implements in the early 1900s, the need for blacksmithing skills dwindled, leaving only a few to carry on this traditional craft.

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