Henry Lawson Birthplace

Grenfell was the first town to honour Henry Lawson after his passing in 1922. The Grenfell Municipal Council erected the white obelisk in 1924 on Portion 376, Parish of Brundah, the site where  Henry Lawson’s parents mined in 1866 and where Henry Lawson was born on June 17^th 1867. This monument honours one of Australia’s most prolific authors  who  excelled at both short story and verse. Titles you may have heard of include the slapstick short story The Loaded Dog and the moving poem The Drovers Wife. Lawson was a gifted man who lived a troubled life. Lawson used his life experiences and the experiences of other working class Australians to inform his works.

The birthplace is dominated by a large sugar gum planted by Lawson’s daughter, Bertha on the day the obelisk was unveiled. The birthplace is located just a short two minute drive south of the Grenfell on Lawson Drive adjacent to Lawson Oval. There are 12 interpretive plaque positioned along the curved walking path. These plaques explain  the circumstances of Lawson life and celebrate his many achievements while acknowledging the challenges he experienced. Each plaques has a different theme and tells the story of Henry Lawson’s life from its beginning in Grenfell in 1867, to his passing in 1922. Garden beds at the site feature endemic species cultivated specially by the local Weddin Community Native Nursery. A flyer offering further  interpretation of the birthplace is available from the Grenfell Visitor Information Centre on Main Street. The birthplace is a terrific rest area for travellers also featuring public toilets, BBQ and picnic area. The site has been designed with accessibility in mind. The site has a large parking area with separate entry and exits to suit visitors towing caravans.