Baronda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Baronda
Baronda residence under construction
Location	Nelson Lake Road, Nelson Lagoon, Mimosa Rocks National Park, Tanja, Bega Valley Shire, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1968–1969
Architect	Graeme Gunn; architect
Owner	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service NPWS; Office of Environment and Heritage
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Baronda; Yencken House; Baronda Holiday House; Graeme Gunn designed house
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	29 November 2013
Reference no.	1915
Type	House
Category	Recreation and Entertainment
Builders	Kingsley Koellner - builder; Hamish Ransay - structural engineer
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Baronda is a special holiday house in New South Wales, Australia. It's located on Nelson Lake Road, near Nelson Lagoon, within the beautiful Mimosa Rocks National Park. This unique house was designed by a famous architect named Graeme Gunn and built between 1968 and 1969. It's also known as Yencken House, named after its original owner, David Yencken. Baronda is now owned by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register because of its important history and design.

History of Baronda and the Land

Who Lived Here First?

The far south coast of New South Wales was home to many Aboriginal people for thousands of years. They lived off the rich land and sea. The Bega Valley, where Baronda is located, is the traditional land of the Djiringanj people. They were known for their strong connection to this area.

The first time these Aboriginal people met Europeans was around 1797. This happened after a ship called the Sydney Cove was shipwrecked. Some sailors tried to walk to Sydney along the coast. Their journey led to many meetings with Aboriginal groups. Some meetings were friendly, while others were not.

Later, in 1798, explorer Matthew Flinders had a friendly meeting with an Aboriginal man at Snug Cove. But other meetings in the early 1800s sometimes led to conflict. By the 1840s, many Aboriginal people worked with European settlers. They helped in farming and whaling, which allowed some of their traditional culture to continue.

How the Land Changed Hands

In 1843, a former convict named Fred Moon started farming sheep near the Bega River. Soon after, in 1846, George Nelson and Jack Hayden built a hut at Nelson Lagoon to raise cattle.

As more settlers arrived, the land was divided and sold for farms and gardens. Forests were cut down for timber. Over time, holiday houses started to replace the old huts and farmhouses.

In 1861, a new law made it easier for people to settle in the area. By the 1890s, most of the coastal land was surveyed and sold. Dairy farms were set up in some areas.

In 1872, a small amount of gold was found at Nelson Creek. This started a small gold rush in the area. Miners dug up creek beds looking for gold. Later, in 1886, people started farming oysters in Nelson Lagoon. Today, Mimosa Rocks National Park helps protect the water quality for these oysters.

The Russell family, from Ireland, owned land south of Nelson Lagoon in the late 1800s. Later, in the early 1900s, the Otton family owned the land.

In 1965, David Yencken bought the property where Baronda now stands. He was looking for a "virgin bush" site, meaning a place that was untouched by development. Even though the land had been owned for a long time, there was no sign it had been cleared before David bought it.

David Yencken was part of a new trend. In the late 1960s, many important people from Melbourne bought land along the Mimosa Rocks coastline. They wanted to build holiday houses. Some of these landowners, like David Yencken, later donated their land to help create the national park.

A New Way to Build: Pole Beam Architecture

Since Europeans arrived in Australia, people have used logs and poles to build. In the 19th century, poles were common for houses and farm buildings. But Australian timbers were very hard, making log cabin building difficult.

In the 1930s, architects like Roy Grounds started using poles again in modern house designs. In 1958, David Yencken asked architect Robin Boyd to design the Black Dolphin Motel in Merimbula. This motel used poles, unpainted brick, and glass. This style was a reaction against the very smooth, machine-like buildings of the 1950s. It was about using natural, simple materials and showing the building's structure.

The Baronda House Design

In 1968, David Yencken asked Graeme Gunn to design his holiday house at Nelson Lagoon. Graeme Gunn had worked on the Black Dolphin Motel. The house, named Baronda, was finished in 1969. It was named after a nearby headland.

David Yencken wanted a house that felt like it was part of the bush. He also wanted it to be elevated for views and to avoid sandflies. Graeme Gunn's design was much bigger than David had first imagined, but it was so amazing that David decided it had to be built.

The first idea for Baronda was very unusual. It had no outside or inside walls, no windows (just canvas blinds), and no doors except for bathrooms. This was partly to save money and partly because of concerns about vandalism in such a remote spot. However, the local council said this design didn't meet building rules. So, the house was built with walls and windows, though one area was left open.

Even today, Baronda doesn't have main electricity. It uses a solar power system. Water is collected from the roof and stored in an underground tank. It uses bottled gas and a septic tank for waste.

In 1976, Yencken and Gunn described Baronda as a "tree house." It has different levels that step up from each other, giving great views of the water and coastline. It uses simple, natural materials like local timber.

The house's design is like a puzzle of spaces. It has a central brick core, and the different levels spiral up around it. This creates a feeling of being among the treetops. The inside light has a warm, dark brown tone because of the timber.

Graeme Gunn is a very important Australian architect. He won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) Gold Medal, which is Australia's top award for architects. He is known for designing great houses and for his work at RMIT University.

David Yencken has also been recognized for his work in protecting Australia's environment and heritage. He helped start the Australian Heritage Commission, which works to identify and protect important places. He has won many awards for his efforts.

Baronda and the National Park

Creating Mimosa Rocks National Park

Even in the 1800s, some areas around Nelson Lagoon were set aside as reserves. In the late 1960s, groups like the National Parks Association started campaigning for a national park along the coast.

Their hard work paid off! On April 13, 1973, Mimosa Rocks National Park was officially created. It covered about 628 hectares between Bunga Head and Picnic Point.

After the park was created, private landowners started donating their properties to expand it. In 1973, Sir Roy Grounds and Ken Myer donated their property called Penders. In the same year, David Yencken offered his Baronda property, which was 30 hectares, for the same purpose. These donations were very important. They helped create the core areas of the national park. The official transfer of Baronda happened in December 1976. David Yencken then leased back a small area around the house to continue using it.

Over the years, more land was added to the park. This included state forests and other private properties bought by the government. The park grew to protect more of the beautiful coastline and bushland.

Why Baronda is Special

Many people have shared why Baronda is so important:

• A Unique Design: Architect Peter Tonkin said Baronda is a "kind of icon of the late 60s." It shows how buildings can be designed to fit perfectly into nature. It even used timber from the local area.
• Harmony with Nature: Max Bourke, a leader in heritage, said Baronda is one of the best examples of a building that is "completely IN the environment" and "OF the environment." It blends so well with the surrounding trees that it almost seems to have grown there naturally.
• Community Connection: Local residents Chris Brennan-Horley and Alexandra Madden, who have cared for the house, say it's well-known in the Bega Valley. It reminds people of the Yencken family's efforts to create the national park.
• Important Meetings: Robert Bruce and others from the Australian Heritage Commission said that early, very important meetings about protecting Australia's heritage took place at Baronda in 1976. Ideas for the "Register of the National Estate" were discussed there.
• Architectural Influence: Architect Keith Cottier said Baronda was very influential when it was built. It showed how to integrate a building with its landscape while using a clever design system.
• A "Tree House" Experience: Architect Anne Cunningham described the feeling of climbing the stairs inside Baronda as like climbing a tree. The house uses dark timber, making you feel connected to the surrounding forest.
• Educational Value: Kel Jamieson, a local community member, lived at Baronda for 16 years. He used the house to teach students about creative design and environmental education.
• Pioneering Environmental Design: Heritage consultant Jane Lennon said Baronda was a "pioneering example of environmental sustainability." It showed how to design buildings that work with the Australian landscape.
• A Local Landmark: Jack Miller, a local community leader, said Baronda is "Bega Valley Shire's most significant building." He remembers important meetings held there that helped protect local forests.
• A Testament to Vision: Professor Tim Shannon from the University of Melbourne said Baronda shows how architecture can connect with human emotions and contribute to understanding Australian design in its landscape.
• Masterful Design: Heritage architect Richard Silink praised Baronda's "sculptural manipulation of the living spaces" and how it uses simple materials to create a refined design.
• Incubator of Ideas: Peter Watts, former CEO of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW, said Baronda was a place where early conservation leaders developed their ideas. It was a "place for the incubation of ideas."

David Yencken himself said that Baronda is "at least the equal of the best" buildings he has been involved with. He is happy it will be cared for by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

What Baronda Looks Like

Its Beautiful Location

Baronda is located on the southern side of Nelson Lagoon, inside Mimosa Rocks National Park. This park is about 5 kilometres north of Tathra. It's a place of amazing natural beauty, with both bushland and coastal views.

The park covers 5,804 hectares and stretches for 20 kilometres along the coast. It has a history of farming, timber cutting, gold mining, and recreation.

The Baronda house sits on a 30-hectare piece of land that David Yencken donated to the park in 1976. He then leased back a small 2-hectare area around the house.

Baronda, along with other houses like Penders, helped start a trend of modern, innovative holiday homes built along this coast since the 1960s.

The House Itself

Baronda is a three-storey house with five different levels. It's built using a "post and beam" timber style. This means it has strong vertical poles and horizontal beams that form its structure.

The timber poles are made from local spotted gum trees. The outside and inside walls are made from stringy bark, also from local forests. The poles are set out in a grid pattern, about 2.75 metres (9 feet) apart.

The house looks interesting from the outside with parts that stick out (cantilevers) and different rooflines. Inside, the levels are stepped up by 1.37 metres (4 feet 6 inches), creating a spiral of spaces. This gives a sense of privacy as you move up.

There are large outdoor decks on the north and east sides, perfect for enjoying the views. A smaller balcony is off the main bedroom. One part of the house, an upper bedroom or study, sticks out 2.7 metres from the main structure.

As mentioned, the house was originally designed without many walls or windows. This was to save money and protect against vandalism. But it was later built with doors and windows to meet building rules.

The house uses only a few main materials: local hardwood timber, unpainted brick, and fibre cement for the roof. These simple, natural finishes are part of its unique charm.

Near the house, there's a small "engine shed" made of similar materials. This shed is from the same time the house was built and is also considered important.

Baronda has been well-maintained and still looks very much like it did when it was built over 40 years ago. There have been only small repairs and no major changes. The original owner, David Yencken, says the timber has lasted so well because they got advice from CSIRO (a science organization) on how to treat it.

Why Baronda is a Heritage Site

Baronda is important enough to be listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register for many reasons:

• It shows history: Baronda is a great example of a high-quality, architect-designed holiday house from the late 1960s on the NSW south coast. It shows how architects started experimenting with designs that fit into the natural landscape.
• It's linked to important people: The house is strongly connected to David Yencken, who worked hard to protect Australia's environment and heritage. It was also where early meetings for the Australian Heritage Commission took place. It's also a key work by the famous architect Graeme Gunn. Plus, the well-known Australian artist Fred Williams painted his "Baronda" series of landscapes while staying here.
• It's beautiful and clever: Baronda is recognized for its unique and beautiful design. It uses natural materials in a simple but clever way. The way the living spaces spiral and project out is very creative, giving amazing views of the bush and lagoon.
• It's special to the community: Many people in the Bega Valley community see Baronda as a significant place. It's a beautiful house in a stunning location, and community groups have used it for educational and environmental activities.
• It helps us learn: Baronda offers a chance to experience a high-quality mid-20th-century architectural design. It also allows people to study how a building can be integrated with its natural environment.
• It's rare: Baronda is a rare and early example of an innovative timber "pole construction" building in NSW. It's one of the few major designs by Graeme Gunn in NSW. Its distinctive structure, built with ecological care, is very unusual.
• It represents a type of place: Baronda is a great example of the "holiday house" building type that became popular in NSW after World War II. It shows an ideal way of living in harmony with the Australian climate and landscape. It also represents how land in coastal NSW changed from farming to holiday retreats. David Yencken's donation of Baronda to the national park was an important act of giving back, helping to preserve the natural environment for everyone.

Images for kids

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  Baronda residence under construction