Glengallan Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glengallan Homestead |
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Glengallan Homestead, 2015
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| Location | New England Highway, Glengallan, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1864 - 1904 |
| Website | http://www.glengallan.com.au |
| Official name: Glengallan Homestead, Glengallan Head Station | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape, archaeological) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600007 |
| Significant period | 1860s-1910s (historical) 1860s-1910s (fabric) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - main house, cellar, trees/plantings, garden/grounds, tennis court site, store/s / storeroom / storehouse |
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Glengallan Homestead is a historic house in Queensland, Australia. It is located on the New England Highway in a place called Glengallan. This grand old home was built between 1864 and 1904. It is also known as Glengallan Head Station. The homestead is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and is open for people to visit.
Contents
The Story of Glengallan Homestead
Glengallan Homestead was built between 1867 and 1868. It sits on the side of Mount Marshall. This area is about 15 kilometers north of Warwick. It is near where the Cunningham and New England Highways meet.
Early Days and First Settlers
This valley was part of the original Darling Downs. Explorer Allan Cunningham discovered it in 1827. He named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Ralph Darling. The Darling Downs became known for its rich, deep soils.
Before Europeans arrived, Aboriginal people managed the land. They used "firestick farming" to keep the land open. This helped protect certain areas and create pastures for animals.
In the 1830s, the government allowed people to settle on land outside Sydney. These settlers were called "squatters." They paid a fee to use the land. Later, they could lease the land for 14 years. They could also buy the best parts of the land. This helped them keep their properties.
Patrick Leslie was one of the first European settlers in the Darling Downs. He arrived in New South Wales in 1835. In 1840, he explored the Darling Downs. He chose the area that became Toolburra and Canning Downs for his first station. Patrick and his brothers were the first settlers on the Darling Downs.
Glengallan's First Owners
In 1841-42, the Leslie brothers sold about 42,000 acres to Colin and John Campbell. These Scottish brothers named their new property Glengallan Run. The Campbells first set up camp at Freestone Creek. But it was not good for sheep.
They then moved their camp to Glengallan Creek. This spot was near Mount Marshall. Their first home was a simple hut. It was likely close to where the homestead stands today. This spot had great views and was safe from floods.
By 1848, Colin Campbell leased about 60,000 acres at Glengallan. The property was important because it was on the main roads. These roads connected Toowoomba and other Downs properties.
In 1848, Robert Tertius Campbell took over Glengallan. Then, in 1852, he transferred it to his business partner, Charles Henry Marshall.
Marshall and Deuchar's Vision
Conrad Martens was an artist who visited Glengallan in 1851-52. He drew sketches of the homestead. His drawings show two timber buildings with verandahs. These are some of the few pictures of Queensland from that time.
Charles Henry Marshall was born in Mauritius. He came to Australia in 1842. He became a manager of a company's station in Tasmania. In 1849, he moved to Queensland. In 1855, he partnered with John Deuchar. Marshall and Deuchar started the famous Glengallan Merino sheep and Shorthorn cattle studs.
John Deuchar was from Scotland. He came to New South Wales in 1839. He gained experience with sheep and cattle. He bought a property called Canal Creek. He later managed Rosenthal for the Aberdeen Company. Deuchar brought special Merino rams to the Darling Downs. He developed a fine Merino stud with long, superfine wool. He also started breeding Shorthorn cattle and racehorses.
In 1857, Deuchar married Eliza Charlotte Lee. They traveled to Europe in 1858-60. There, Deuchar bought more special sheep. These sheep helped build Glengallan's famous flocks.
Building the Grand Homestead
By 1864, Glengallan Head Station had two houses, stables, and a kitchen. A visitor in 1866 said the house looked like a village. It had many parts connected by verandahs.
The main Glengallan Homestead was built in 1867-68. Deuchar had planned this house for a long time. An office and store building with a cellar was built in 1864. It was made from local sandstone. This building was likely a test for the main house. The cellar was probably a cold storage area.
Deuchar wanted to build a much larger house. He only managed to build one wing of his grand plan. The sandstone for the house came from the property itself. The construction was overseen by Thomas Wood. It might have been designed by architect Charles Balding.
The house cost a lot of money, between £5,000 and £12,000. A big opening party was held on September 16, 1868. The Deuchars hosted many social events. Even Governor Bowen and his family visited.
Money Troubles and New Owners
Just nine months after the opening, Glengallan was put up for sale. The cost of buying the land, building the house, a drought, and buying out Marshall caused Deuchar to have money problems.
In 1870, Deuchar was declared bankrupt. This meant he had lost all his money. Marshall took back Glengallan. Deuchar moved to Warwick and died in 1872.
During Deuchar's time, the servants' quarters and buggy shed were built. Gardens and an avenue of trees were also planted. The house had a water supply system. Water was pumped from the creek to a tank on the roof. This supplied cold water for a bath, shower, and even a flushing toilet. This was very rare for the time! The pump also watered the gardens.
Over the next 20 years, the two older houses were taken down. A new wing, called the "cedar wing," was added. It had guest rooms and an office. A kitchen was built next to the main house.
Marshall returned in 1870. In 1873, he partnered with William Ball Slade. Marshall then retired to England and died in 1874. His wife, Charlotte Marshall, continued the partnership until 1904.
William Ball Slade's Time
A new woolshed was finished in 1873. It was much larger than the current one. It could hold 1,000 sheep and 22 shearers.
William Ball Slade became manager and partner of Glengallan in 1873. He was born in England. Slade greatly improved the Shorthorn cattle and Merino sheep studs. He developed a heavier-fleeced sheep. He even exported sheep to South Africa.
Glengallan needed more staff. Slade changed the property from just raising animals to also growing crops. He grew lucerne and other fodder. This helped feed the stud animals and other sheep bought for fattening. He also started dairying and a piggery. People said he was the best manager on the Darling Downs.
By the 1890s, water was pumped from the creek for irrigation. Later, water came from a bore on Mount Marshall. The house then relied on rainwater. The original timber roof shingles were covered with corrugated iron.
Breaking Up the Estate
In 1885, Glengallan was 42,000 acres. But from 1896 to 1904, the property was divided into smaller parts. The government wanted smaller farms. This forced large landowners to sell parts of their estates.
In 1904, Slade kept 3,000 acres for himself. He bought back the Glengallan Homestead block from the government. Later that year, he sold the homestead and 482 acres to G.H. Gillespie.
Slade named his smaller property East Glengallan. He built a new home there. He continued with the famous Glengallan Merino and Shorthorn studs. Slade was a very important person in Warwick. He supported many local groups and clubs. He loved cricket and even donated a park for it. He died in 1938.
Slade also started a school in 1886. He paid for its building and teacher. He also gave land to the Anglican Church. St Andrew's Church was opened in 1908.
By 1904, the Glengallan Head Station had many buildings. These included the main homestead, the cedar wing, kitchen, bath house, sandstone office/store, stables, buggy shed, and servants' quarters. The gardens were beautiful. They had a tennis court, a curved drive with trees, and an orchard.
Decline and Restoration
Clara Gillespie, the new owner, had money problems in 1910. Her son, Alexander Frederick Gillespie, took over. During his time, no new buildings were put up. Some buildings started to fall apart.
In 1918, Oswald Carey Slade (WB Slade's son) bought the homestead. Managers and their families lived in the house until 1944-45. This was the last family to live there. The property continued to get worse.
The two-story stables burned down in the late 1920s. In the early 1930s, the top floor of the house was empty. The servants' quarters were torn down. The stone pillars and iron gates from the entrance were moved in 1940. They are now in Leslie Park in Warwick. They remember the Leslie brothers who first settled the area.
In 1946, the kitchen and bath house were moved. The cedar wing was taken apart and sold.
In 1949, Mr. and Mrs. O.C. Slade gave Glengallan Homestead to the Anglican Church. The church thought about taking it apart to use the materials for a school building. But this did not happen. The school leased the property for farming.
The homestead was often left open. Goats and birds used it for shelter. Many fittings were removed. In 1972, the Smith family took over the property. Glengallan was left empty. Its gardens became paddocks.
By 1983, the verandahs were collapsing. Water was getting into the building. In 1983, architecture students from the University of Queensland drew detailed plans of the house. They studied how to save it.
In 1993, Glengallan House was given to the Glengallan Homestead Trust. This is a non-profit group formed to save the building. Since then, a lot of work has been done to restore it. The roof has been repaired. The verandahs are being rebuilt.
Glengallan Homestead is now open to the public.
What Glengallan Homestead Looks Like
Glengallan Homestead is on the side of Mount Marshall. It is about 15 kilometers north of Warwick. The homestead was in bad condition, but it is being restored.
The Main House
The homestead is a long, narrow two-story building. It is made of ashlar sandstone. It has a hipped roof made of corrugated iron. The front of the house faces east. It looks out over the valley towards Mount Dumaresq. The back of the house has parts that stick out. These show where more rooms were planned but never built. The building originally had a timber shingle roof. Some of these shingles are still under the iron roof.
The house had double-height verandahs on the north, east, and south sides. The north verandah is the most complete. The ground floor verandahs had special cast iron columns. These columns were made in Sydney. They supported the first-floor verandah. The first-floor verandah had cast iron balustrades.
The ground floor verandahs had timber floors. They also had a central set of sandstone steps. These steps led to the main entrance on the east side.
The east and south walls are made of smooth sandstone blocks. The north and west walls have rougher sandstone. Both floors have French doors. These doors have arched fanlights above them. The fanlights on the main entrance have colored glass. The central entrance has double doors with side windows. Above these doors is a special carved stone. It has the initials "JD 1867" (for John Deuchar) and a garland of leaves.
The French doors open inwards. They originally had a second set of doors that opened outwards. These had copper mesh to keep insects out.
The west wall has timber doors with arched fanlights. A stone drain runs along this wall. The house has two chimney stacks.
Inside the Homestead
Inside, the house has a central hall and staircase. On either side are the former dining room (north) and drawing room (south). The first floor has bedrooms at each end. The plaster walls and ceilings are thought to be original.
All the walls are plastered. The ceilings are also plastered. All rooms have plaster cornices. The main rooms have fancy central plaster ceiling roses. The dining room has two roses. These would have been above a central table. The skirtings, architraves, doors, and floorboards are all made of cedar wood. The doors have etched, arched glass fanlights.
The drawing room used to have a white marble fireplace. The dining room had a black marble fireplace. These have been removed. The main bedroom has a cedar fireplace. The bathroom used to have a slate bath and flushing toilet.
The staircase is made of curving cedar wood. It has been partly restored. It is lit by a tall window.
The Office and Store
West of the homestead is the office and store building. This single-story sandstone building has a hipped corrugated iron roof. It also has a cellar. The stonework is rough. The north side has a central entrance with windows. Another entrance is on the east side, facing the homestead. The cellar is entered from the west. This building originally had two rooms inside.
What's Left of the Gardens
Years of farming have covered the area around the homestead with soil. But some parts of the old gardens remain. Two Norfolk Island Pines might show where the original entrance gates were. You can still see the shape of the raised tennis court and curved drive. Many old trees are still there. Some old, twisted fruit trees remain from the orchard.
A Mummified Cat!
During the restoration work, a surprising discovery was made. The remains of a mummified cat were found under the floorboards! It's not known if the cat got stuck there by accident. Or if it was put there on purpose. Some people believe that finding a mummified cat in a building was a way to ward off bad luck.
Why Glengallan Homestead is Important
Glengallan Homestead was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. This means it is a very important historical site.
- It shows how Queensland's history developed. The area was explored in 1827. Glengallan was one of the first large farms (runs) in the Darling Downs. It was built by John Deuchar and Charles Henry Marshall. They created famous sheep and cattle studs. William Ball Slade continued this work. He also changed the farm to grow more crops and start dairying. He was known as one of the best managers in the Darling Downs.
- It is a rare type of building. Glengallan Homestead is a two-story sandstone building. Most homesteads from that time were single-story timber homes. It is a grand building that stands out in the landscape.
- It can teach us more about history. The site has old remains buried in the ground. These can tell us about how people lived on the property. They can also show how the buildings changed over time since the 1840s.
- It shows what a large Darling Downs Station was like. The homestead and its land show how a big farm worked, from its beginning to its later years. The building represents the power and importance of the large landowners in the 1800s.
- It is beautiful and culturally significant. Even as an old ruin, the homestead has a unique beauty. It is strongly connected to the history of the Darling Downs. Many people care about it, and efforts are being made to save it.
- It shows great design and skill. The building's design is very clever. The way it was built shows high-quality craftsmanship. Some parts of the building were very advanced for their time. For example, the verandah system and doors with insect screens were designed for the Queensland climate.
- It has a special connection to the community. Because of its history and beauty, the homestead is important to the local community. It has been the focus of much effort to preserve it.
- It is linked to important people in Queensland's history. The area was explored by Allan Cunningham. Patrick Leslie was one of the first settlers. John Deuchar and Charles Henry Marshall started the famous animal studs. William Ball Slade continued this work and was a very important person in the Warwick area.
