Bennetts Eucalyptus Distillery, 44 Eucalyptus Road, DEEP LEAD
44 Eucalyptus Road DEEP LEAD, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, has significance as a legacy of the distillery first established by the Bennett brothers in 1921 for the purpose of making eucalyptus oil. The remnant structures and buildings continue to provide an understanding of the distillery process today, although several structures are in a dilapidated and ruinous condition.
The former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with the establishment of the eucalyptus oil distillery in 1921 by the Bennett brothers - Frank, Jack and George. Although Jack and George Bennett were only involved in the distillery development during the initial years, Frank Bennett continued the operations until the 1940s. During the 1930s, the distillery closed during the depression, but with the onset of World War 2 in 1939 and the subsequent high demand for eucalyptus oil in the manufacture of ammunitions, the distillery re-opened. Most of the existing structures on the site today: rendered brick chimney, underground vat, ruinous steel windmill, ruinous condenser unit and the rudimentary timber dwelling; survive as a legacy of the distillery establishment between the 1920s and the 1940s. The rammed earth and mud brickbuildings, notably the poultry sheds, dairy and cow bale, reflect additional developments in the mid 1930s and 1940s.
The former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, is aesthetically significant at aLOCAL level. It demonstrates important visual qualities. These qualities include the picturesque rural setting beside Welshmen's Dam.
The former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, is scientifically significant at a LOCAL level. Although a number of the structures are in a dilapidated or ruinous condition, collectively the surviving fabric continues to provide an understanding of a small rural interwar distillery process. The brick base to the former steam engine also provides some understanding of the process of the neighbouring cyanide works.
Overall, the former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, are of LOCAL significance.
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Bennetts Eucalyptus Distillery, 44 Eucalyptus Road, DEEP LEAD - Physical Description 1
The former Bennett's Eucalyptus Works, 44 Eucalyptus Road, Deep Lead, has a picturesque rural setting beside Welshmans Dam.
Although in considerable disrepair, numerous structures and ruins survive as evidence of the distillery operations. A landmark feature near Welshmans Dam is the tapered, square and rendered brick chimney that vented a Cornish boiler. The boiler is no longer extant, but nearby the chimney are a ruinous steel windmill, underground vats and a ruinous rendered brick condenser unit.
At a further distance is the modestly scaled house. It may have been relocated to the site and consists of a rudimentary Victorian design. The single storey, horizontal timber weatherboard dwelling is characterised by hipped roof forms, together with a shallow hipped verandah that projects towards the front. There is a skillion addition at the side towards the rear. These roof forms are clad in galvanised corrugated steel. Two unpainted brick chimneys attached to side walls adorn the roofline and appear to be suffering the effects of rising damp. The timber framed windows and doorway at the front may be early, but appear to have been altered.
Behind the house is a small, rudimentary gabled egg house with vertical timber boarded wall cladding and a galvanised corrugated steel roof. Nearby is round water tank.
Near the rear of the property are the poultry sheds, dairy and cow bale. These buildings are constructed of rammed earth and have skillion galvanised corrugated steel roofs supported by unsawn timber beams and columns, with rudimentary timber door frames and lintels. The poultry sheds also have galvanised corrugated steel cladding and ramps of unsawn timber frames clad in galvanised corrugated steel. The rammed earth construction of these buildings may reflect the difficulties for the period, with the rationing of construction materials during and soon after the Second World War (1939-45).
To one side of the property are the brick remains of the steam engine. Solidly constructed, the brick structure (and particularly the missing engine) once serviced the nearby cyanide works that was used by Freelands to process crushings from the Welshmans Battery dumps.
Heritage Study and Grading
Northern Grampians - Shire of Northern Grampians - Stage 2 Heritage Study
Author: Wendy Jacobs, Vicki Johnson, David Rowe, Phil Taylor
Year: 2004
Grading:
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Bennetts Eucalyptus Distillery, 44 Eucalyptus Road, DEEP LEADNorthern Grampians Shire
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