Barwonside
240 Gully Road CERES, GREATER GEELONG CITY
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
'Barwonside',240 Gully Road, has significance as physical legacy of the original development of the Barrabool Hills for farming, agriculture and viticulture by Europeans from the mid 19th century. It is one of a distinctive number of similarly constructed dwellings that are peculiar to the area for their vernacular designs and siting within the Barrabool Hills landscape. Built in 1850-53 for Robert McDonald, a farmer from Northern Ireland, it was the location of his successful crop farm and one acre vineyard until his sold it to David Lamb in 1876. Members of the Lamb family farmed 'Barwonside' for over 100 years until 1978. While substantially deteriorated, the surviving significant Victorian vernacular fabric includes: symmetrical composition, single storey height, parapeted gable roof form (clad in slate), rear skillion wing (partially clad in galvanised sheet metal), front verandah, Barrabool stone wall construction, stone chimneys, centrally-located four panelled timber door, and the timber framed 12 paned double hung windows.
How is it significant?
'Barwonside', 240 Gully Road, Ceres, is historically and scientifically significant at a LOCAL level.
Why is it significant?
'Barwonside' at 240 Gully Road has historical significance for its associations with the pioneering farming, agricultural and viticultural transformation of the Barrabool Hills by Europeans from the mid 19th century (Criterion A). Collectively, with other dwellings in the area of the period, it is a rare and endangered aspect of Victoria's pioneering history (Cirterion B). 'Barwonside' especially has associations with the Robert McDonald, Northern Irish farmer, and wife Margaret, and family, who built the dwelling between 1850-53 and established a successful crop farm and vineyard. McDonald contributed to the rural life of the Barrabool Hills during his tenure of the property, including his membership with the Barrabool Farmers' Society and as Secretary of the Moorabool Ploughing Match Committee. 'Barwonside' has a more enduring association with the Lamb family from 1876 until 1978. Successive generations of this family lived at and farmed the property throughout this period, beginning with David Lamb (between 1876 and 1883), John James Lamb (1883-1927) and Baden Lamb (1927-1978). The historical significance of 'Barwonside' is embodied in the surviving original fabric.
'Barwonside' at 240 Gully Road, Ceres, has scientific significance as a representative example of Barrabool stone construction for a rural dwelling built in the 1850s in the Barrabool Hills, reflecting a common and distinctive building material for the period that is now rare (Criterion F).
-
-
Barwonside - Physical Conditions
The stone dwelling, 'Barwonside', 240 Gully Road, Ceres, is situated on sloping rural land with a shallow setback from the Gully Road frontage. There is a gravelled driveway to the south of the dwelling which leads to a second dwelling first built in the early 1980s.1 The front boundary has an introduced timber post and wire fence with a row of senescent cypresses which appear to have once formed a hedge.
The symmetrical, single storey, Barrabool stone, Victorian vernacular styled dwelling has a parapeted gable roof form (clad in slate) and long skillion at the rear (clad in galvanised sheet metal). The main gabled roof extends at the front to form a verandah that is supported by temporary, paired slender timber posts. Early features of the design include the stone chimneys that project above the gable ends, centrally-located four panelled timber door, and the timber framed 12 paned double hung windows.
Condition
'Barwonside' is in very poor condition and is in disrepair. The roof has substantially deteriorated with slipped and broken slates. The render on the south wall has spalled and the mortar in the verandah stone wall base as disintegrated, possibly due to rising damp. In addition, the stonework and mortar in the chimneys has spalled, there are numerous cracks in the stone walls and there is damage to the front windows.
Integrity
While the original Victorian vernacular design and construction of the dwelling is clearly discernible, the very poor condition has undermined its integrity to a notable degree. While much original fabric survives (apart from the original verandah posts that have been replaced with temporary posts to support the verandah) 'Barwonside' has low-moderate integrity.Heritage Study and Grading
City of Greater Geelong - Ceres Heritage Citations Project
Author: Dr David Rowe
Year: 2018
Grading: Local
-
-
-
-
-
BarwonsideGreater Geelong City
-
ErinvaleGreater Geelong City
-
-