MORANGHURK
3320 MIDLAND HIGHWAY LETHBRIDGE, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Moranghurk is the remains of a large pastoral property originally called Morangourke, located on the Moorabool River near Lethbridge. The first squatters to occupy the run were the partners Dugald McPherson and William Taylor, from 1840 to 1846. McPherson and Taylor subsequently moved to Longerenong on the Wimmerra. Taylor went on to acquire several pastoral runs, and built his main home at Overnewton near Keilor in 1849. In 1847 the lease to Moranghurk comprised more than 18,000 acres, and in the 1850s it was 26,000 acres. The Soldier Settlement Commission acquired most of the land in the 1950s.
The exact date of construction of the present homestead is uncertain but is likely to be from the mid1840s. It is axially planned, and built of an adzed frame covered with hand sawn timber slabs fixed vertically with cover battens. The corrugated iron roof covering conceals an earlier shingle roof fixed over rough bush pole rafters. A substantial and unfortunate 1960s cement brick addition to the house meant the removal of part of the verandah.
The garden is laid out to the east of the house in a squared form, including terraces, stone walls and steps, and is enclosed within a dry stone wall built in the 1920s. The gravel paths are edged by terracotta glazed spoon drains with the manufacturer’s name ‘Cornwell’. There is a small remnant orchard, south of which is an old garden shed that has partially collapsed.
The landscape is dominated by conifers, mainly cypress and pines, and features an impressive driveway planting of a row of Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Horizontalis’ and alternating Cupressus sempervirens, on the inside, now overgrow by the Monterey Cypress. West of the small driveway bridge built in 1926 is a double row of Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Horizontalis’, which form an impressive avenue with enclosed canopy along the drive. Beyond the gate lodge to the garden entrance is an avenue of mature Monterey Pines. A post and single rail fence, and a modern picket fence partly surround the homestead garden.
A substantial collection of historic 19th and early 20th century farm structures survive, including a picturesque hexagonal meat house. The ruined c1870 bluestone stable building contrasts to the imposing 1920s bluestone-faced motor garage sited nearby. Other notable structures are the 1920s circular pump house by the river, a greyhound kennel and pens, 1920s bluestone and brick shearers’ quarters, and the small 1926 bridge along the driveway, with concrete balusters and rails but earlier bluestone abutments.
How is it significant?
Moranghurk is of architectural, historical and aesthetic (landscape) significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Moranghurk homestead is architecturally significant as a rare example of the early Australian Colonial style house. The construction of vertical timber slabs with cover battens is not known elsewhere in Victoria. The homestead is evocative of the earlier colonial architectural traditions of New South Wales and Tasmania.
Moranghurk homestead is historically significant as one of the oldest pastoral era homesteads in Victoria. The homestead site is historically significant as a representative example of an early Victorian squatting run. The land tenure history demonstrates the familiar sequence of licensed squatting, granting of leasehold, acquisition of a pre-emptive right and later disposal of much of the run under the auspices of the Soldier Settlement Scheme.
Moranghurk is of aesthetic (landscape) significance. The key features of the garden are the squared layout, extensive use of glazed tile drains, driveway cypress trees, the orchard enclosed by a picket fence and cypress hedge, and the pines and cypress plantings that enclose the garden. Glazed terracotta spoon drains are now rare in Victorian gardens.
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MORANGHURK - History
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDRAFT ONLYXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SOURCE: REGISTER OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE CITATION
THE PASTORAL RUN MORANGOURKE (NOW
MORANHURK) ON THE MOORABOOL RIVER NEAR LETHBRIDGE WAS TAKEN UP BY PETER SHARP
IN MARCH 1846. THE EXACT DATE OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESENT HOMESTEAD IS
UNCERTAIN BUT APPARENTLY IN THE 1840S. THIS AXIALLY PLANNED HOUSE IS BUILT
OF SAWN TIMBER SLABS FIXED VERTICALLY IN AN ADZED FRAME WITH COVER BATTENS,
SAPLING RAFTERS AND IRON ROOF REPLACING THE ORIGINAL THATCH. MORANGHURK
HOMESTEAD IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE AS A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY
AUSTRALIAN COLONIAL STYLE, AND CONSTRUCTED IN A VERTICAL TIMBER SLAB
TECHNIQUE WITH COVER BATTENS NOT KNOWN ELSEWHERE IN VICTORIA. THE HOMESTEAD
HAS SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS WITH JOHN MATHESON, A PROMINENT PASTORALIST AND
FINANCIER, AND HIS DESCENDANTS FOR OVER 100 YEARS AND IS EVOCATIVE OF THE
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURAL TRADITIONS OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND TASMANIA. THE
VERANDAH AND VALENCE
AND UNUSUAL FENESTRATION ARE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES. MORANGHURK HOMESTEAD WAS
EXTENDED BY CONSTRUCTION OF A MID VICTORIAN STYLE WEATHERBOARD COTTAGE AT AN
UNKNOWN DATE. THE ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD IS MAINTAINED IN GOOD CONDITION AND IS
EXTERNALLY INTACT. OF STATE SIGNIFICANCEMORANGHURK - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner that prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior of homestead
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, signage, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
Interior of homestead
* Painting or wallpapering of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of earlier paint or other decorative scheme. Evidence of earlier schemes should be reported to Heritage Victoria.
* Replacement of carpets and floor coverings.
* Removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Removal and replacement of existing kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
Registered outbuildings
* Repainting of corrugated iron roofs in existing hues.
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like. E.g corrugated iron should be replaced with corrugated iron , not Colorbond or Zincalume.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, signage, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
Landscape & garden
* The process of gardening and maintenance to care for existing plants and planting themes
e.g, mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead plants, disease and weed control
* Removal of vegetation that is not significant in order to maintain fire safety and to conserve significant buildings and structures
* The replanting of pines and cypresses to conserve the landscape character and plant collections and themes
* Repairs, conservation and maintenance to hard landscape elements, buildings, structures, ornaments, roads and paths, drainage and irrigation system
* Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of amenity trees AS4373
* Removal of elements not identified as being significant, and not within the registered area
* Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994
* Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering and drainage systems that are 5 metres beyond the canopy edge of listed trees
* Non-structural works that occur at a distance greater than 5 metres from the canopy edge of a significant tree, plant or hedge,(structural works may require a permit if still on the registered land)
* Pruning or removal of trees in accordance with the Code of Practice for Powerline Clearance[Vegetation] 1996, unless they are identified as significant in the report
* Signage, lighting, security fire safety and other safety requirements, provided no structural building occurs
* Plant labelling
MORANGHURK - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Repairs and maintenance which replace like materials with like are permit exempt.
Moranghurk comprises an important collection of Victorian and early twentieth century farm buildings in addition to the unusual and important 1840s homestead and the terraced gardens.
The landscape has a clear boundary between European style plantings around the homestead and driveway in contrast to the native vegetation beyond. This gives Moranghurk a distinctive landscape of which the key components (terraced form, dry stone wall buttresses, terra cotta spoon drains, pine plantings and Cypress hedge) should be maintained in the future.
Permits policy for the homestead should take account of the need to provide modern and updated facilities. The 1960s addition is of no heritage significance. Permits are not required for internal alterations to the 1960s building providing there is no structural or decorative impact on the fabric of the 1840s building.
A conservation policy for the bluestone stables building is now urgently needed. Permits should take account of adaptive reuses that could help secure its future preservation and prevent further deterioration.
It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan be prepared for the whole site.
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MORANGHURKVictorian Heritage Register H0266
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Moranghurk Homestead and OutbuildingsGolden Plains Shire H0266
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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