Collingwood, Liverpool facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Collingwood
Location	Birkdale Crescent, Liverpool, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1811–1857
Built for	Captains Soccer Team
Architect	William Weaver (c. 1857 alterations)
Owner	Avnil Chand
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Collingwood; Bunker's Cottage; Bunker's Farm; Liverpool Golf Course; Collingwood Heritage Precinct; Discovery Park
Type	state heritage (complex / group)
Designated	8 December 2006
Reference no.	1774
Type	Homestead Complex
Category	Farming and Grazing
Builders	Earliest section convict-built.
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Collingwood is a special old building in Liverpool, Sydney, Australia. It has been many things over the years: a home, a golf clubhouse, and now a museum. The first parts of Collingwood were built between 1811 and 1857, with some of the earliest work done by convicts. Later, around 1857, an architect named William Weaver made changes to it.

Collingwood has also been known by other names like Bunker's Cottage and Liverpool Golf Course Clubhouse. Today, Liverpool City Council owns the property. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 December 2006, which means it's a very important historical site.

The Story of Collingwood

Who lived on this land first?

The land where Collingwood stands is part of the Cabrogal ngurra/country of the Dharug Nation. This area was also important to the Gundungurra and Tharawal peoples.

The top of the hill at Collingwood was a special meeting place for these Aboriginal groups. From here, they could see their own lands and watch for changes in weather or movement. It was also a lookout point across the Georges River to the east and the mountains to the west. This helped them observe the landscape and look out for things like fires.

Aboriginal people have found old tools and items near the house. There were also "scarred trees" on the estate, which are trees where bark was removed by Aboriginal people for canoes, shields, or other uses.

In 2009, the Collingwood area was officially recognised as an Aboriginal Place. This means it's a very important site for Aboriginal people. It connects them to their culture and continues to be a meeting place today.

Captain Eber Bunker: The First Owner

The house

In 1791, an American captain named Eber Bunker arrived in Australia. He was the master of a ship carrying convicts. Bunker is known as the "father of the Australian whaling industry" because he was the first to catch whales in Australian waters. He also helped Australia trade with other countries, exporting whale oil and other goods.

Captain Bunker received land grants from the governors of the colony. In 1804, he was given 100 hectares (about 250 acres) of land in Liverpool. He brought his family to Australia in 1806.

In 1810, Governor Lachlan Macquarie gave Bunker another 500 acres of land. It was around this time that Liverpool town was started.

Building Collingwood House

The exact date when Collingwood House was first built isn't fully clear, but it was likely around 1810-1812. The house was made of brick with a shingled roof. It had two rooms with windows and a hall in between. The ceilings were 12 feet high, which was taller than the rules Governor Macquarie had set for buildings!

The house had a simple, balanced design, typical of early colonial buildings. The bricks were made by convicts from local clay. The farm also had other buildings like a kitchen, stables, and huts for the convicts who worked there.

Captain Bunker and his second wife, Margaret, lived at Collingwood. Margaret often managed the farm while Bunker was at sea. The farm supplied fresh meat to the government, which was a good business deal.

Captain Bunker passed away in 1836. The property then went to his daughter, Charlotte Blackett. Her husband, George Blackett, built a flour mill near the Georges River. But they faced money problems, and the property had to be sold between 1842 and 1845.

New Owners and Changes

In 1845, Samuel Deane Gordon, a rich merchant, bought Collingwood. He was a successful businessman and later became a politician. Gordon didn't live at Collingwood; he rented it out. He sold the estate in 1853.

James Henry Atkinson bought Collingwood in 1853. He was a wool and produce agent and also a politician. Atkinson was very involved in starting the Cumberland Agricultural Society, which later became the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. The first agricultural show organised by this group was held at Collingwood in 1858!

Atkinson saw that the railway was coming to Liverpool in 1856. He bought Collingwood as an investment because it was close to the new railway line. He built a private railway siding and developed the estate into a place for transferring farm goods. He also built a large railway store, an abattoir (for processing meat), and yards for selling animals.

In 1857, Atkinson made big changes to Collingwood House. He added a second storey, verandahs, and a new kitchen area. He also planned to create an industrial area on the property, like a small factory town, and built cottages for workers.

After Atkinson, the estate was owned by James Gillespie, then Sir Saul Samuel in 1869. Sir Saul Samuel was a very important businessman and politician, the first Jewish person to be a magistrate and minister in New South Wales. He continued to develop the industrial area at Collingwood.

Later, Edward James Ashcroft, a butcher and former mayor of Liverpool, bought Collingwood in 1910. The Ashcrofts used the land for resting and fattening animals before they were processed. They also made some changes to the house, like adding a new roof to the verandah.

Collingwood as a Golf Course

After E. J. Ashcroft died, part of the Collingwood property was leased to create the Liverpool Golf Course. Golf was becoming very popular after World War I. The course opened in 1931, and Collingwood House was used as the clubhouse.

The Liverpool Golf Club bought the estate in 1951. In 1969, the golf course was sold to make way for new houses. A condition of the sale was that Collingwood House and the land around it would be given to Liverpool City Council for restoration. The last golf game was played there in 1971.

Liverpool City Council Takes Over

In 1973-1974, Collingwood House was carefully restored by a heritage architect named Clive Lucas. At first, people thought a different building was the original "Captain Bunker's Cottage," but Lucas discovered the real original house next door! The kitchen block, which was thought to be the original house, was actually built much later, around 1865.

The restored Collingwood House was officially opened in 1975 by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Gough Whitlam. Since then, Collingwood House has been a house museum, managed by the Liverpool Regional Museum.

In 2009, the Collingwood Precinct Aboriginal Place was officially recognised. This highlighted the special importance of the area to Aboriginal people as a meeting place and lookout.

Today, you can visit Collingwood House for tours by appointment.

What Collingwood Looks Like

Collingwood House sits on a raised piece of land. It has some old trees around it, like tall lemon-scented gums and forest red gums.

The property has two main buildings: the house and the kitchen block.

The House (built around 1820s)

This is a single-storey house with two rooms in the attic. It has a roof that slopes down on all sides and a verandah (a covered porch) around three sides. The front part of the house was built by Captain Bunker. It has a classic colonial style with special fanlights and sidelights around the main door. Around 1860, a gabled section was added, giving it a slightly different look.

The Kitchen Block (built around 1865)

This building, which was once thought to be the original house, was actually rebuilt around 1865.

How Collingwood Has Changed Over Time

• Around 1811: The oldest part of the house was built, possibly by convicts. It had two rooms, a hall, and high ceilings.
• 1840s: George Blackett added a flour mill to the estate.
• 1845: Another room might have been added to the house.
• 1856: New industries started on the estate because of the railway. James Henry Atkinson built a private railway siding, a large railway store, an abattoir, and other industrial buildings.
• 1857: William Weaver renovated Collingwood House, adding a second storey and verandahs. A new kitchen block was also built.
• 1859: The Collingwood Estate was divided into smaller parts.
• 1864–68: The Australian Paper Company built a large paper mill on the river banks.
• 1910: The Ashcroft family made changes to the house, including a new roof for the verandah and enclosing the back verandah.
• 1951: The Liverpool Golf Club made changes to the house when it was used as their clubhouse.
• 1969: The golf course was sold, and the land was divided for houses.
• 1973/74: Collingwood House was restored by architect Clive Lucas.
• 1982-84: More restoration work was done, including laying carpet.
• 1989–2001: The verandah was paved, bathrooms were updated, and the courtyard was concreted.
• Around 2002: More restoration work, including roof repairs and fixing a damp problem.

Why Collingwood is Important

Collingwood House Estate is very important to the history of New South Wales. It shows how the land was used by Indigenous people and then by European settlers. It also shows how the area changed from a farm to an industrial area in the 1800s.

The high point at Collingwood is still important to the Tharawal and Gundungurra peoples as a meeting place.

The estate, first known as Bunker's Farm, played a big part in the early growth of Liverpool. It was one of the first and largest land grants in the area, helping to develop farming and early industries. Its location near the Georges River and the railway helped new businesses grow.

Collingwood is strongly linked to its first builder, Captain Eber Bunker. He was a key figure in Australia's early whaling industry and one of the first traders. He helped set up a British settlement in Tasmania and explored parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Many other important people owned or lived at Collingwood, including Samuel Dean Gordon, James Henry Atkinson, and Sir Saul Samuel. These people were leaders in business, farming, and politics. They helped shape the colony's development.

The house itself is a rare example of an early colonial home that has been changed over time. It shows how houses were built and adapted in Australia from the early 1800s to the 1860s. It's one of the few remaining houses from Governor Macquarie's time and followed his strict building rules. The way the house changed also shows the wealth and lifestyle of its owners.

Collingwood was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 December 2006, recognising its great historical value.

Images for kids

• 1774 - Collingwood (5052418b100).jpg

  Heritage boundaries

See also

• Liverpool, New South Wales
• Museums in Sydney