With the exception of an area of about 1000 acres around Kiandra known as a town common, for use by the townspeople for their milking cows and horses, the surrounding country was divided into areas known as snow leases. These areas were fenced and the snow leases as they were commonly known allowed a lessee to run a certain number of stock on these areas from December till May.

The number of stock was determined by the New South Wales Lands Department. A fee was paid to the Lands Department for the use of the country. Some bosses employed a stockman to look after their stock. The stock for these leases came from the Monaro area; the Gundagai area; the Adelong and Tumut areas as well as the Tumbarumba area.

Bill Crain,
20 March 2004
(ph 02 694646262)