HO111 - Mount Cottrell Homestead
167-177 Faulkners Road MOUNT COTTRELL, Melton Shire
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Statement of Significance
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road, Rockbank, is of architectural and historical significance as a moderately intact early twentieth century farm complex comprising a Victorian vernacular styled main house (with additions), machinery shed, stables, underground tank with rivetted ships tank above, and remnants of a shearing shed through the surviving concrete and brick sheep dip. These buildings and structures are a legacy of the establishment and development of the property from 1907 after the break-up of the Clarkes' Rockbank estate, and date to c.1913. The homestead represents one of very few surviving early twentieth century homestead complexes in the Shire, and is of added interest in being adapted from a shearers' quarters.
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level (AHC D2). It demonstrates important design qualities of both Victorian and early twentieth century vernacular styles which in turn provide an understanding of the function of the homestead in the early twentieth century. For the main house, these Victorian vernacular design qualities include the elongated gable roof form, together with the skillion verandah that projects at the front. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the single storey height, galvanised corrugated steel and cement sheet wall cladding, galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding, timber verandah posts, brick chimney with a multi-corbelled top, gambrel roof form of the early addition and the timber framed window and door construction.
For the machinery shed and stables, these early twentieth century vernacular design qualities include the elongated gambrel roof forms clad in galvanised corrugated steel, wide eaves with exposed timber rafters, timber louvred infill in the gambrel ends, timber posts with rudimentary timber brackets (machinery shed), galvanised corrugated iron wall cladding (machinery shed), horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding (stables), and the timber window openings (stables).
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road is historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC A4) for its evidence of the break-up of the immense Clarke Rockbank pastoral estate into smaller grazing (and farming) properties in the early twentieth century. This was a watershed in the history of the Shire of Melton. The long part of the house, constructed of corrugated iron, is of interest for originally being the property's shearers' quarters, the only known surviving early twentieth structure of this type in the Shire. The domed cement rendered underground water tank, together with the rivetted steel ship's tank above, represent nineteenth and very early twentieth century water storage technology and construction, common for the period, but no longer practised. This tank has recently been demolished by excation. The dry stone walls on the property, almost certainly dating from the Clarke era, are also significant.
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road is scientifically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC C2). The sheep dip and site of the former large shearing shed has the potential to contribute to a wider understanding of the early twentieth century farm processes on the property and in the Shire of Melton.
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road is socially significant at a LOCAL level (AHC G1). The property has the potential to help interpret early twentieth century mixed farming, in particular the incorporation of sheep (for wool and meat) into small farms in this period, and the associated initial use of large pastoral shearing sheds by nearby smaller farmers.
Overall, Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road is of LOCAL significance.
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HO111 - Mount Cottrell Homestead - Physical Description 1
Physical Description -
Mount Cotterell Homestead at 167-177 Faulkners Road, Rockbank, consists of a complex of farm buildings. These buildings include the main house, galvanised corrugated steel machinery shed and long narrow stables building. They are set within open rural grassed land, with eucalypts and some exotic trees situated nearby. The main house has a rudimentary garden at the front comprising an open grassed area, a number of exotic trees, and concrete pedestrian path, and it is bound by a timber post and rail fence with introduced woven wire. The fence is approximately 1200 mm high and at the end of the pedestrian path is an open steel gate.
Towards the rear of the house and between the machinery shed is an early cement rendered, domical underground water tank. Unfortunately this tank has recently been demolished. Above the tank on an elevated timber stand is a riveted ship's tank. Nearby are other circular galvanised corrugated steel water tanks. The underground tank was almost certainly constructed at the same time as the dwelling, in the early twentieth century. Its design may be a simplified version of a Waistell's tank, published in J.C. Loudon's Encyclopedia of Farm, Cottage and Villa Architecture in 1831.[1] A Waistell's tank was circular in plan form, with sides built like a well. The bottom was constructed like a flat dome, and the top was domical, with an opening in the centre.
The single storey, galvanised corrugated steel and cement sheeting wall clad Victorian vernacular styled main house is characterised by an elongated gable roof form, together with a skillion verandah that projects at the front. One end of the house is a lower narrow early twentieth century vernacular styled galvanised corrugated steel clad addition. Another later gabled cement sheet extension, possibly dating from the interwar period, adjoins the end of the this addition. These roof forms are clad in galvanised corrugated steel which appears to be in poor condition. The dwelling has undergone extensive, sympathic restoration works.
The earliest wing of the main house has an elevated timber verandah floor. This may indicate that the building has been relocated to this site and may originally have served as a shearers' quarters. The verandah is supported by irregularly arranged and rudimentary square timber posts. There is an early painted brick chimney with a multi-corbelled top that adorns the roofline of the early building. This chimney has been overpainted and its design and size suggests that it dates from the early twentieth century.
Under the verandah are timber framed window and door openings. The age and integrity of these openings could not be determined.
Behind the main house is the machinery shed. This single storey, galvanised corrugated steel, early twentieth century vernacular styled building has an elongated gambrel roof form clad in galvanised corrugated steel. Wide overhangs with exposed timber rafters are features of the eaves. The gambrel ends have early timber louvred infill. The shed is open along the longitudinal elevation facing the main house. It is supported by early timber posts and has rudimentary timber brackets.
The single storey, horizontal timber weatherboard, early twentieth century vernacular styled stables building also features an early elongated gambrel roof form clad in galvanised corrugated steel. Of narrow proportions, the building has wide overhangs featuring exposed timber rafters. Like the machinery shed, the gambrel ends also have early timber louvred infill. There are two timber framed window openings at one of the building.
Also on the property are remnants of a former 14-stand shearing shed. All that remains immediately visible is the partly collapsed concrete and pressed red brick sheep dip.
There are a number of dry stone walls on the property, notably on the Mt Cottrell Road frontage. These almost certainly date from the Clarke era, which also produced the other walls on this road.
Sympathetic restorations are being undertaken by the current owners.
[1] J.C. Loudon, Encyclopedia of Cottage, Farm and Villa Architecture, Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman, London, 1831, p.72, 404.
HO111 - Mount Cottrell Homestead - Historical Australian Themes
Shire of Melton Historical Themes: 'Pastoral', 'Farming'
HO111 - Mount Cottrell Homestead - Integrity
Integrity - Moderate-Low
HO111 - Mount Cottrell Homestead - Physical Conditions
Physical Condition - Good/Fair
Heritage Study and Grading
Melton - Shire of Melton Heritage Study phase 2
Author: David Maloney, David Rowe, Pamela Jellie, Sera Jane Peters
Year: 2007
Grading:
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