Cairnsfoot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cairnsfoot |
|
|---|---|
Cairnsfoot School, 2006
|
|
| General information | |
| Type |
|
| Architectural style | Victorian Italianate |
| Location | 18 Loftus Street, Turrella, Bayside Council, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°55′55″S 151°08′39″E / 33.9320°S 151.1441°E |
| Construction started | 1880 |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Renovated | 1963 |
| Owner | NSW Department of Education |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Olga Kosterin |
| Official name: Cairnsfoot Special School; Loftus Street Special School; Loftus Street Public School | |
| Type: | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 551 |
| Type: | School - State (public) |
| Category: | Education |
| Builders: | Edward M. Farleigh |
Cairnsfoot is a special old building in Turrella, Australia. It used to be a large house and later became a school for children with special needs. Edward M. Farleigh built it between 1880 and 1884. It has also been known as Cairnsfoot Special School and Loftus Street Public School. This historic building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
History of Cairnsfoot
The name "Turrella" comes from an Aboriginal word. It means "a reedy place" or "water weeds." This likely refers to Wolli Creek, which flows through the area. The land where Cairnsfoot stands was first given to Ruben Hannam in 1833.
The Farleigh Family's Home
Edward Manicome Farleigh was born in Ireland in 1838. He moved to Australia in 1865 with his wife and two sons. In 1873, they moved to Sydney. There, Farleigh started a leather business called E.M. Farleigh Pty. Ltd.
In 1884, Farleigh bought a large piece of land in Loftus Street. He built a beautiful two-storey house there. It was called Cairnsfoot. The house was built in the Victorian Italianate style. By 1885, the Farleigh family had ten children. One of his sons, John Gibson Farleigh, became a famous businessman and politician.
Cairnsfoot had many smaller buildings and a lovely garden. Four trees from 1884 are still there today. These include two Norfolk Island pines and two evergreen magnolias. The house showed how large homes were built on the edge of cities like Rockdale back then.
A photo from around 1905 shows the garden stayed the same for 70 years. It had many flower beds, which Victorians loved. After Edward Manicom Farleigh died in 1909, part of the land was sold. A new street, Edward Street, was created there.
The Gardens of Cairnsfoot
Photographs from the 1940s show Cairnsfoot's large and fancy garden. It had camphor laurels along the street and a high picket fence. There were double gates for carriages and a single gate for people. A big white camellia grew near the pedestrian gate.
Inside the main gates, the house was the main view. The carriage driveway led to the stables. This drive had a teardrop-shaped garden bed in the middle. It was planted with aloes and other plants.
To the south of the drive was an orchard and a vegetable garden. Fruit trees like pears and peaches grew there. A cow named Biddy grazed in the orchard. Two large Norfolk Island pines and two magnolias also stood along the southern edge.
To the north of the carriage loop was a border of wormwood, oleanders, and roses. This area also had a lawn with flower beds. A climbing rose covered a freestanding archway. A large frangipani grew along the northern wall of the house. The garden also had a fernery, which was popular in Victorian times. It held ferns, palms, and orchids.
Cairnsfoot as a School
The NSW Department of Education bought Cairnsfoot in 1959. Before it opened as the Loftus Street Special School, some changes were made. The original cast iron on the verandahs was removed. The upstairs verandahs were also enclosed.
Later, the building was carefully updated. The cast iron was put back, and the building got its original name, Cairnsfoot, again. The house became the school's office area. New buildings were added to teach 99 children with special needs, aged 4 to 18.
When the new part of Cairnsfoot School was designed, it had a main assembly hall. This hall was also used for art, music, and physical education. The library had books chosen for the children's needs. There was also a home economics area. Here, children learned skills to help them be independent. They learned to wash and iron their own clothes. The school also had a solar-heated pool for swimming and water therapy.
In January 2017, Cairnsfoot School moved to a new location. The old building was getting old. It was also hard to change it because it was a heritage site. The school site was not flat, which was another reason for the move. In 2018, there was a plan to build apartments on the site. But this plan was stopped after people in the community disagreed. The Minister for Education said the site would be "needed for future educational purposes."
What Cairnsfoot Looks Like
Cairnsfoot is a two-storey house made of brick. It is covered in a smooth finish. It has a gabled roof with slate tiles. There is a verandah and a balcony at the front. These have decorative cast iron railings and posts. A shallow bay window stands out at the front. There are also two brick chimneys. At the back, there is an original timber verandah. Other old brick buildings are also on the property.
The house was usually painted in light grey colours. Darker grey was used for window details. The roof is sloped, and the front has a gable. The two-storey verandah on the upper level has been enclosed. The house has French windows that open onto the ground floor verandah. It also has four chimney pots.
In 2009, the building was in excellent condition. It still had its original outbuildings, slate roof, and cast-iron details. The timber back verandah, doors, and windows were also original. The garden setting is still there. The inside of the house was changed a lot to make it suitable for a school.
The four old trees from 1884 are struggling. This is because there is too much paving near their roots. This reduces the air and water they get. The Norfolk Island pines have started to lose branches. The land where Cairnsfoot is located is set aside for "Special Uses - School."
Changes Over Time
- 1909: The western part of the property was sold. A new street called Edward Street was created.
- 1942: A strong air raid shelter was built on a nearby property. It might now be buried under the Cairnsfoot Special School site.
- 1955-1959: Before the building became Loftus Street Special School, the original cast iron was removed. The upstairs verandahs were enclosed. Later, the building was updated. The cast iron was replaced, and the building's original name, Cairnsfoot, was brought back. The house became the school's office. New buildings were added for 99 children with special needs.
- Around 1963: The new part of Cairnsfoot School was designed by architect Olga Kosterin. It included:
- An assembly hall for art, music, and physical education.
- A library.
- A home economics area.
- A laundry.
- A bathroom.
- A fully furnished bedroom.
- A solar-heated swimming pool.
Heritage Importance
This old house is important because it is a rare example of a large Victorian Italianate villa. It still has its original smaller buildings and old trees in the garden. It shows how big houses were built on the edge of cities like Rockdale. The property has large grounds with many big trees.
Cairnsfoot Special School was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
