Packing out wattle bark from the upper Deua River; 1930s. The dried bark suplemented the income of many a bush battler and was sought after for the tanning of hides. In the spring or summer bark was stripped from the black wattle trees that grew thickly along the river, cut into lengths of about 3 feet (0.9 metre) and stacked against logs to dry. The bark would curl as it dried and when completely dry the bark would be cut into small pieces and filled into bags that would be placed in the pack-saddles and packed out. It took ten pack-horses to pack out about 1 tonne (two hundredweight per horse, a hundredweight each side).