Fernside, Toowoomba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fernside, Toowoomba |
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Fernside, 2015
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| Location | 4-6 Fernside Street, East Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1876 - c. 1915 |
| Official name: Fernside | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600843 |
| Significant period | 1870s-1910s (fabric) 1870s-1890s (historical) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - main house, trees/plantings, garden/grounds, carriage way/drive, lawn/s, steps/stairway, views from |
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Fernside is a beautiful old house located at 4-6 Fernside Street in East Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. It was first built around 1876, with some parts added later until about 1915. This special house is so important that it was officially listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
Contents
The Story of Fernside House
Fernside is a balanced, low brick house. It was built around 1876 for John Alexander Boyce. He moved to Toowoomba from Brisbane in August 1870.
From the mid-1870s, Mr. Boyce bought more land around what are now Fernside, Arthur, and Curzon Streets. He bought two acres in 1876 and another two acres in 1877.
The Boyce Family's Home
John Alexander Boyce worked as the Clerk of Petty Sessions in Toowoomba. This was an important legal job, like a court clerk. He held this position from 1870 until at least 1893. Later, he worked in other towns across Queensland. He retired in 1909 and passed away in 1927.
Fernside stayed in the Boyce family for more than 100 years! Six generations of the family lived there. This included John Alexander Boyce's father, William, and his great-great-grandchildren.
In 1902, John Alexander Boyce sold Fernside to his daughter-in-law, Margaret Annie Griffiths. Annie owned the house until she died in 1969, at 100 years old. Annie's father, George Washington Griffiths, started the famous Toowoomba Foundry in 1871.
Annie married Gerard Boyce, John Alexander Boyce's son, in 1896. Around 1915, Annie took out a loan on the property. It's thought that some changes were made to the house's eastern side at this time. By 1955, the street became known as Fernside Street. Before that, it was called Curzon Street.
After Annie's death, her grandson, Peter Boyce, owned Fernside until 1978. That year, the house was sold to people outside the Boyce family. The current owners have lived at Fernside since 1993.
A Summer Home for Governors
From very early on, Fernside was seen as a grand and desirable house. Sir Arthur Kennedy, who was the Governor of Queensland from 1877 to 1883, used Fernside as his summer home.
It was common for governors to use Toowoomba houses as summer retreats. For example, Harlaxton House was rented by Lord Lamington, another Queensland governor. Later, Gabbinbar was used by Lord Chelmsford, who was governor from 1905 to 1909. Other important people in Toowoomba also rented Fernside in the early 1900s.
What Fernside Looks Like
Fernside is built on a flat area that rises from Fernside Street. From the eastern side, you can see amazing views of the Great Dividing Range. The house has a beautiful, well-kept garden. It includes a driveway at the front and both native and foreign trees.
Outside the House
The house is a low, balanced building made of brick covered in a smooth finish. It has a roof that slopes on all sides, covered with modern metal sheeting. There are verandahs (covered porches) on the western and eastern sides. Two chimneys, made of shaped brick, are on the north and south sides.
The main part of Fernside was built around 1876. Later, more sections were added. This includes a closed-in verandah on the north side. A bay window (a window that sticks out from the wall) and a dormer window (a window that sticks out from a sloping roof) were added to the eastern side, probably around 1915. An extension was also added to the south side in the 1990s.
The western side of the house faces Fernside Street and the driveway. You can reach the front entrance by walking up wide concrete steps. The main entrance has a small porch with a timber archway. It is supported by wooden posts and decorative wooden brackets. This leads to the front door, which is made of timber panels. It has glass panels on the sides (sidelights) and above (fanlight). There are also bay windows with simple timber frames and a verandah rail with wrought iron (twisted metal) railings. Another timber door is at the southern end of the western side.
The eastern side of the house offers wonderful views of the Great Dividing Range. The verandah here is supported by timber posts and brackets. The brickwork is shaped to look like large, smooth stone blocks (ashlar). A central bay window with a pointed roof has a French door and three tall windows. These windows have small square glass panes and open sections above them for air (breezeways). Two other timber French doors are also on this eastern side. The dormer window is located north of the bay window.
The northern side of the house is made of timber and has glass windows and French doors. This area holds service rooms. The southern side was extended in the 1990s. It has a timber frame, large windows with breezeways, French doors, and a corrugated iron roof.
Inside the House
Inside, the main part of Fernside is still quite original. Some of the old details remain. For example, the living and dining rooms have beautiful moulded pressed metal ceilings. There are also fireplaces in these rooms. One has a decorative timber frame, and another has a marble frame with carved supports.
Many doorways still have their original cedar wood frames. A door connecting the living room to the dining room is especially nice. It has a breezeway with diamond-shaped timber panels and decorative glass.
Outside, Fernside has a concrete fence with shaped concrete pillars. The front gate is made of cast iron, but it's not the original one.
Why Fernside is a Heritage Site
Fernside was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it is considered very important for several reasons:
Showing Queensland's History
Fernside helps us understand how Queensland's history unfolded. It shows how grand houses were built in areas like the Darling Downs. These homes were even used as summer getaways by different governors. This shows how the Darling Downs grew from a quiet farming area to a rich and busy region.
A Great Example of Old Homes
Fernside is a wonderful example of a wealthy family's home from the 1870s. It shows the importance and wealth of a public servant in Toowoomba, which was a major town in early Queensland.
The way the house is placed and its gardens are very important. Its location and verandah design give amazing views of the Great Dividing Range. This shows how important the landscape was to early settlers when they chose where to build their homes.
Important to the Community
Fernside has a special connection with the people of Toowoomba. It is a well-known old house and was used as a summer retreat by Sir Arthur Kennedy, the Governor of Queensland from 1877 to 1883.
Connected to Important People
Fernside has a special link to the life and work of important people in Queensland's history. It was a well-known early home and summer residence for Sir Arthur Kennedy, the Governor of Queensland from 1877 to 1883.
