Dundullimal Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dundullimal Homestead |
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Heritage boundaries
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Slab hut |
| Architectural style | Old Colonial |
| Location | 23 Obley Road, Dubbo, Dubbo Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°17′05″S 148°36′16″E / 32.28472°S 148.604465°E |
| Current tenants | National Trust of Australia |
| Completed | c. 1842 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Maughan |
| Official name | Dundullimal; Dundullimal Homestead |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 1 March 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1497 |
| Type | Homestead Complex |
| Category | Farming and Grazing |
| Builders | John Maughan |
| Official name | Dundullimal Homestead and Stone Barn |
| Type | Historic |
| Criteria | A.4, B.2, F.1 |
| Designated | 30 June 1992 |
| Reference no. | 18215 |
Dundullimal Homestead is a special heritage site near Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. It's a very old farm house, built around 1842, and is known as one of Australia's oldest surviving slab hut homes. A slab hut is a house made from rough-cut timber slabs.
Today, Dundullimal Homestead is a cultural centre, a house museum, and a place for events. It's located about 7 kilometres south of Dubbo, right by the Macquarie River. The National Trust of Australia (NSW branch) looks after it. It's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical place.
You can find the homestead about 2 kilometres past the Taronga Western Plains Zoo on Obley Road. It's a popular spot for visitors from all over Australia. The homestead is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm. You can also arrange special visits for school groups. The beautiful grounds are often used for weddings, art shows, concerts, and parties.
Contents
History of Dundullimal Homestead
In the early days of the colony, the government set "limits of location" for settlement. But many people, called "squatters," moved their animals and settled on land outside these limits. They didn't own the land but used it for farming.
To try and control this, the government started giving out licences in 1836. These licences allowed people to use land beyond the official limits. The squatters would agree among themselves which areas they would use. Dundullimal was in the Wellington Squatting District. Later, laws changed to give these squatters more secure rights to the land they were using.
What Does Dundullimal Mean?
The name Dundullimal comes from an Aboriginal word. It means "thunderstorm" or "hailstorm." This was also the name of the local Aboriginal group in the area. The name was first written down in a letter in 1838.
The Oldest Slab Hut
Built around 1840, Dundullimal Homestead was the main house for a large farm, or "squatting run," that covered about 6,500 hectares. It's believed to be the oldest surviving slab hut house in Australia. It is also the oldest building in Dubbo that is open to the public.
The inside of the house is surprisingly fancy for a slab hut. It has a grand sitting room with a unique tent-shaped plaster ceiling. The wallpaper is a copy of a design from the 1850s. The house is filled with furniture from that time period.
Around the homestead, you can see the working areas of the old farm. These include sandstone stables, a blacksmith's forge, a coach room, a cool room dug into the ground, and storage areas. These buildings show what daily life was like on a big, isolated farm in the 1800s.
Who Built Dundullimal?
We don't know exactly when the land was first settled. The first people recorded living there were brothers Charles and Dalmahoy Campbell. They applied for a licence to use the land in 1836. By 1839, they had a slab hut, a woolshed, and many animals. More than 20 people lived and worked there, including free people and convicts.
In 1842, John Maughan, a retired army officer who became a rich merchant, bought the property. He is credited with building the main house we see today. In 1844, records show that Maughan was in charge. There were 12 people living there, and the property had a cottage, store, kitchen, stable, smithy, and woolshed.
Later, in 1858, the property was sold to E. B. Cornish and Walter W. Brockelhurst, who were wealthy English gentlemen. Walter Brockelhurst returned to England in 1870.
The Baird Family's Time
In 1871, Thomas Baird took over the lease for the farm. He bought more and more land, owning over 5,000 hectares by 1884. The property stayed in the Baird family for many years.
After Thomas Baird died in 1914, his daughters inherited the property. Later, his grandson, Ralph (Pat) Palmer, became the manager in the 1920s. The last family member to live in the house left around 1954. After that, the house was used for storing hay and sheltering cattle. Sadly, it was also damaged by vandals and even flooded.
The National Trust of Australia (NSW) recognized the property as important heritage in 1973. By 1986, the house was in very poor condition.
Dundullimal Today: Saved by the National Trust
Ralph Palmer, the last owner from the Baird family, passed away in 1982. Around 1985-1986, his family generously gave the homestead and about 4 hectares of land to the National Trust.
With help from a government grant and dedicated people, the Trust was able to restore the complex. It was opened to the public in 1988. That same year, the architects who worked on the restoration won a special award for the best restoration project in Australia!
Since then, Dundullimal has been a working museum. In recent years, more improvements have been made. A windmill and water tanks were added to help save water. In 2013, an old timber church, the Timbrebongie Church, was moved to the grounds. It was built by the uncle of Saint Mary MacKillop, a very important Australian saint. The church is now used for weddings and other events.
In 2015, a new "Shed Function Centre" was finished, with a modern kitchen. The farm museum and a cafe are now very popular with visitors.
What You Can See at Dundullimal
The homestead site has several interesting buildings and features. The main house, the stables, and other outbuildings are grouped together. There are also old wells and a windmill.
The Homestead Building
The main house is a "cottage ornee," which means it's a fancy, decorative cottage. It's considered the best and most detailed slab house of its kind in Australia. It's shaped like a "T" and has a low, paved verandah around the front.
The house is built from strong yellow box timber slabs. These slabs fit into a wooden frame. The ceilings are made of cypress pine boards, and the main sitting room has a special "coffered" ceiling with sunken panels. The roof was originally made of shingles but is now covered with corrugated iron.
The windows have many small glass panes. Inside, you'll find cypress pine doors and beautiful red cedar woodwork. There's also old Victorian wallpaper. The house even had a butler's pantry and a system of bells to call servants!
Other Buildings and Features
Around the homestead, you'll find other important buildings:
- Stone Stables and Coach House: These are located southwest of the main house.
- Former Kitchen Site: East of the homestead, you can see where the old kitchen used to be.
- Former Privy Site: Further east, you'll find the spot where the old outdoor toilet was.
- Windmill and Wells: There's a windmill and well north of the homestead, and another well southeast of it.
- Silo and Sump: These are located south of the stables.
Gardens and Trees
The property has a mix of old and new plants. You can see fruit trees like quince, fig, nectarine, and apricot. There are also native trees like kurrajong and silky oak, and many other plants like peppercorns, lavender, roses, and various flowers. These plants give you a sense of what a large colonial farm would have looked like.
Why Dundullimal is Special
Dundullimal is very important to the history of New South Wales. It's the oldest known house built outside the original "limits of settlement" set by the government in 1826. It's also the oldest known home for squatters in this part of New South Wales, built around 1842.
The original homestead building has survived almost exactly as it was built in the 1840s. It has beautiful and detailed woodwork. The property also includes a strong stone stable/barn and a large timber shed that fits well with the older buildings.
Dundullimal Homestead was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 1 March 2002 because it shows:
- How history unfolded: It's a rare example of early settlement outside official areas.
- Great design and skill: It's the most sophisticated slab building in the region, with unique design and excellent craftsmanship.
