READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER)
404 Yarra Road (former 9057), and 6 Toppings Road WONGA PARK, Manningham City
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
The former Read farm complex comprises the house constructed in stages from 1902 as well as the adjacent corrugated iron clad shed (thought to have been used for fruit handling) and associated mature trees, situated at 404 Yarra Road and 6 Toppings Road (part), Wonga Park.
How is it Significant?
The Read farm complex (former) is of historic significance to Manningham City.
Why is it Significant?
The Read farm complex has historic significance as a representative and now rare example of the small farm operations that were established in Wonga Park in the early part of the twentieth century. It has associations with Heber Newton Read, pioneer district farmer and orchardist, and the Read family maintained ownership for many years. The surviving elements of the property and its layout including the house, associated sheds and mature trees are typical of small farms of the period and illustrate how the area appeared prior to post-war suburban development. (RNE criteria A4, B2, D2, H1)
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READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Historical Australian Themes
Local Themes
5.02 - Orchards & market gardens
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Physical Description 1
The Read Farm complex comprises a house, sheds and orchard remnants located at the corner of Yarra Road and Toppings Road. The house, which faces Yarra Road, is a late Edwardian weatherboard bungalow of four main rooms, a gabled-hip corrugated-iron roof and a rear skillion.
The verandah detailing is very distinctive, with large curved Baroque brackets on square posts, and a zig-zag valence at each end.
A cypress windbreak is located close to the south side of the house, and a woven wire fence and gate encloses the property along Yarra Road.
At the rear of the house is a corrugated iron-clad shed, which is now situated on the adjacent property at 6 Toppings Road. It has a main gabled roof with a skillion extension at one side.
Internally, it is constructed of rough-hewn and sawn timber posts and beams. This may have once been the fruit handling shed.
To the south of this shed is a smaller skillion-roofed shed with metal framed cattle pens.
Adjoining this is a small cattle yard and loading race. Both of these elements appear to be of a later date than the shed and house. Further down the hill is a more recent (postwar) house and a remnant lemon orchard.
A cool store further to the east at 16 Toppings Road thought to have been associated with the orchard has been converted to a house.
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Physical Conditions
Condition Good
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Integrity
Integrity Minor modifications
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Physical Description 2
Threats None apparent
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Physical Description 3
Key elements
Buildings
Fence/gate
Tree(s)
READ FARM COMPLEX (FORMER) - Physical Description 4
Associations
Read family
Heritage Study and Grading
Manningham - Manningham Heritage Study Review
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2006
Grading: Local
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COOLIBAHManningham City
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BARAK'S BIRTHPLACEManningham City
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WONGA PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL NO. 3241 AND RESIDENCEManningham City
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Notes See all notes
21/04/20
I understood from Herb Read, that the old farm shed shown in the photos on this site, was a building he purchased and re-erected in this location in Toppings Road. It was bought from a farm which was flooded by the Eildon dam. It may have been used more fully in orcharding earlier, by the time I knew it in the 70's - 90's it was used for grading lemons for market and storage of hay etc. The cattle sheds were used for his prize Murray Grey Stud Cattle.
Public contributions
Notes See all notes
21/04/20
I understood from Herb Read, that the old farm shed shown in the photos on this site, was a building he purchased and re-erected in this location in Toppings Road. It was bought from a farm which was flooded by the Eildon dam. It may have been used more fully in orcharding earlier, by the time I knew it in the 70's - 90's it was used for grading lemons for market and storage of hay etc. The cattle sheds were used for his prize Murray Grey Stud Cattle.