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SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD
6 WHYTES ROAD, BANDIANA VIC 3694
SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD
6 WHYTES ROAD, BANDIANA VIC 3694
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Victorian Heritage Inventory
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Statement of Significance
The Somerville Homestead of the 1800-1900s is of local historical significance as it is a farmhouse site with characteristics of the local area, reflecting local historical settlement patterns. Whilst the site has been significantly disturbed by the removal of the house and outbuildings, Somerville Homestead has a low to moderate potential for containing historical archaeological deposits, such as foundation stones, tools, and bottles, dating to earlier (circa 1890s) occupation of the site.
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SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD - History
In 1884, James Henry McGeoch purchased the site where the activity area now resides. During his residence there, the property was known as Somerville Estate (The Argus, 1 October 1938: 2). In the 1970s the site at Whytes Roas in Bandiana was surveyed for new sales yards, the new sales yards were a result of the growth of Wodonga. On June 11, 1977 tenders for the construction of the sales yards were released. The Yards allowed for 250 cattle selling pens, with the capacity for 14 or more animals, and 105 bull pens. On the 14th of July 1983, offices were built at the Sales Yards. The Sales Yards officially become know as the W.G Page Sales Yards on 30th of August 1989 (Whitla 1998).
In December 2008, operations ceased at the sales yard and the business was sold to Palisade Investments (Jones 2015). 96 Whytes Road was sold in September 2018 (Realestate.com.au 2021). Since this sale, additional subdivision has occurred into three separate lots, with the site of Somerville Homestead residing in Lot 2.
The proponent has informed that the current activity area of the site was where they used to hold stock that was being sold at the saleyards. Across the site there are mounds running directly to the settling ponds, which average 0.5m-1m in height. These were used to keep water within the site rather than pump down into Middle Creek. These areas have been heavily graded and disturbed to create these mounds. The settling ponds which come within the site, were used to hold all wash down and run off from the Wodonga sale yards hardstand. The site is now used by a metal recycler.
An archaeological assessment of the Baranduda Enterprise Park, Victoria was written by Stewart Muir and Helen Cekalovic in 2004. In the report they conducted a survey and sub-surface transect testing at the Somerville Homestead location.
The Survey was undertaken by Stewart Muir, Dave Edwards, and Arthur Bradley Edwards on 14-16/04/2004. Ground surface visibility during the survey was up to 80%, they were able to identify that there had been considerable disturbance due to the house construction and later removal. There was no evidence of building foundations or significant archaeological deposits. It was noted that the Somerville House and outbuildings had been removed, however there was a considerable amount of debris from the site that appeared to be dated from the mid-Twentieth Century. They noted associated pine and cypress trees.
Archaeological sub-surface testing was conducted by Melanie Thomson, Helen Cekalovic, Kelvin Atkinson, and Allen Murray during the week of July 26, 2004. Thirty-five hole were dug along transects on the Somerville Homestead rise. It was noted that the soils in all areas contained house debris, such as window glass, bottle glass, bricks, china, pipe fragments, aluminium foil, and rolled quartz pebbles.
SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD - Interpretation of Site
The Somerville house and outbuildings have been removed from the site. The rise in which the former Somerville Homestead was located, has been highly disturbed by levelling, house construction and demolition.
Heritage Inventory Description
SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD - Heritage Inventory Description
The location of the former Somerville Homestead is located on a rise within Lot 2 at 96 Whytes Rd, Bandiana. During a survey of the area ground visibility during the survey was <5%, no building foundation or significant archaeological deposits were found on the rise. A soil blow out related to the site was located on the low-lying plain adjacent to the rise, which contained ceramic and glass fragments. An orchard containing two citrus trees, was located on the rise.
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