145 OAKLANDS ROAD HOUSE AND CISTERN 2
145 OAKLANDS ROAD, BULLA 3090
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Statement of Significance
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145 OAKLANDS ROAD HOUSE AND CISTERN 2 - History
The site was first part of the ‘Bulla Common’, the government reserve of land to the east of the Bulla Bulla township (Allotment 1 shown on Figure 11). The ‘Bulla Common’ was not subdivided until 1873, when the allotments were made available for sale (see the 1873 plan of subdivision, Figure 12). A Bulla Bulla County of Bourke map drawn in 1901 shows that a J. Ralston owned the two allotments (Allotment 17 and 18) near the south-western corner of the intersection of Oaklands and Somerton Roads (Figure 15); a 1973 version of the map dates Ralston’s ownership of Allotment 17 from 30 April 1877 and Allotment 18 from 19 August 1880 (Figure 16). J. Ralston is described as a farmer and is listed as the owner in the Bulla Shire Rate Books from 1877 until 1885. From 1877 to 1891 the property is described in the Rate Books as “Land, Bulla…” or “Land, 30 acres, Bulla”. J. Ralston passes away between 1887 and 1888, as in the 1888-1889 Bulla Shire Rate Book, the owner changes to “Property of the late J. Ralston”. The occupier is listed as David Ralston at that time, but two years later, in the 1892-1893 Bulla Shire Rate Book, the occupier is listed as “Margaret Ralston” and the property is described as a “House and Land, 30 acres, Bulla.” In summary, this information from the rate books informs us that the site was first owned and farmed by J. Ralston from c.1877 for Allotment 17, then 1880 for the northern Allotment 18. It is not clear if J. Ralston lived on the property, but he appears to have farmed it from that time. Upon J. Ralston’s death, c. 1887/1888, the occupier is a relative, David Ralston. The first clear evidence of a house on the site is in 1892-1893 when Margaret Ralston is the occupier and the house is first mentioned in the rate books. The house therefore dates from at least 1892/1893 and is shown on the 1916 the circular cistern/well, but is not present on the 1938 Sunbury map, indicating that it was likely demolished by that time.145 OAKLANDS ROAD HOUSE AND CISTERN 2 - Interpretation of Site
The site was part of the “Bulla Common”, reserved for public use initially after European settlement in the Bulla area, and subdivided and made available for public sale in 1873. Allotment 17 of the site was purchased by J. Ralston in 1877 and Allotment 18 was purchased in 1880. The allotments were likely cleared and fenced around that time. The type of farming practiced by Ralston is unknown, but it seems likely to have involved animals rather than crops. The circular cistern or well is fairly large in size and was probably installed to water cattle or sheep given its distance from the house site in the next allotment to the south (c. 85m). Its construction date is unknown, and it is shown on the 1938 Sunbury map (Figure 14). The circular well or cistern is still present and although it may not have been primarily for household use, it may have been close to working sheds or barns and may contain remains of farming activities from the late 19th and early 20th century period. According to the Bulla shire Rate books, the earliest documented date of a house on the site was in 1892-1893 and the building is shown on the 1916 Sunbury map (Figure 13). The house would have been used for the usual core domestic activities of a small rural farmhouse. Since the demolition of the house between 1916 and 1938, the site appears to have been used as paddocks for animals and has not been redeveloped. The circular cistern/well may have remained in use for longer than the house.
Heritage Inventory Description
145 OAKLANDS ROAD HOUSE AND CISTERN 2 - Heritage Inventory Description
The site includes the ruins of a residential structure and a cirulcar cistern/ well within a large open grassed paddock. 145 Oaklands Road is located to the north of the property. The ground is gently sloping in places. There is a tributary of the Moonee Ponds Creek to the west of the site. A second historical homestead/house site with a circular, domed brick cistern has already been listed on the VHI as H7822-2310, Oaklands Road Cistern (Figure 3). The H7822-2310 site relates to a second allotment and was a different owner and occupier (William Ryan). Upon inspection, the location of the former building had several mature exotic species present and a large mature gum tree, and the ground there is slightly higher than the surrounding land and overgrown and has several small mounds (Figure 6). This appears to have been a homestead site.
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