Gleniffer Brae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gleniffer Brae |
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| Location | Murphys Avenue, Keiraville, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1937–1939 |
| Architect | Geoffrey D. Loveridge (of G.D.Loveridge & Associates) |
| Owner | Wollongong City Council |
| Official name: Gleniffer Brae; Glenifer Brae; Wollongong Conservatorium of Music | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 557 |
| Type | Historic Landscape |
| Category | Landscape - Cultural |
| Builders | Mr L Benbow; Joinery: W.W.Todd & Son; Bricks/tiles: W.Wilson & Co.; Stone: Hawkesbury Sandstone Co. |
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Gleniffer Brae is a special historic place in Keiraville, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be a grand family home and later a school. Today, it is home to the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music and is also used for events.
The building was designed by Geoffrey D. Loveridge and built between 1937 and 1939. It is owned by the Wollongong City Council. Gleniffer Brae is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999.
Contents
A Look Back: Gleniffer Brae's Story
Early Days of the Land
The land where Gleniffer Brae stands was originally home to the Dharawal Aboriginal people. In 1825, a man named James Spearing bought a large area of land, including this site. Over the years, the land changed hands many times.
In 1928, a very important person named Arthur Sidney Hoskins bought 75 acres of this land. Sidney Hoskins was a founder of the Australian Iron and Steel works in Port Kembla. He moved to Wollongong to start the steel works and planned to build a family home here.
Building a Grand Home
Sidney Hoskins married Helen Madoline Loveridge in 1934. He asked his wife's brother, Geoffrey Loveridge, to design their new house. The beautiful gardens were designed by a famous landscape artist, Paul Sorensen.
The name "Gleniffer Brae" comes from a small village in Scotland. This was where Mrs. Hoskins' grandfather was born. Building the house began in 1937 and was finished in 1939. Geoffrey Loveridge was a very skilled architect. He made sure the house was built with the best materials and by excellent craftsmen.
The gardens were also very important. Paul Sorensen created a stunning landscape around the house. The Hoskins family often hosted important guests at Gleniffer Brae, like the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
From Home to School and Music
After Sidney Hoskins passed away, part of the property was given to the community. This land became the start of the Wollongong Botanic Garden. The house and its remaining grounds were sold in 1954. It became a girls' school called SCEGGS (Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School). This was a big step for education in the area.
The school operated until 1975. After it closed, the Wollongong City Council bought the property in 1978. This purchase helped to make the Wollongong Botanic Garden even bigger. The Botanic Gardens officially opened to the public in 1970.
Since 1980, Gleniffer Brae has been used as the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. It also serves as a popular venue for events. Sidney Hoskins had always hoped that his home would be used for education and that the land would become a botanic garden. His wishes came true!
What Gleniffer Brae Looks Like
The Main House
Gleniffer Brae is a beautiful single-story building. It is built in the Tudor Revival style, which looks like old English houses. It has red bricks and stone around the doors and windows. The roof is steep with many gables and tall, twisting chimneys.
Inside, the house has amazing carved wooden doors. The main room has a special wooden border and a ribbed ceiling. The wood used for the inside walls and doors is called "Swedish Oak." You can also find clever details like hidden flyscreens and original bathroom tiles.
Gardens and Other Buildings
The house is surrounded by large gardens, courtyards, and stone walls. There's a fountain in a sunken area behind the house. The long driveway is made of sandstone.
The gardens were designed by Paul Sorensen. He started planting trees as soon as the house was built in 1938. He even moved large native Illawarra flame trees from the nearby bush. This was very difficult to do back then! Other trees like brush box, plane trees, and jacarandas were also planted.
There's a special area called the "spinney" with many azaleas growing under turpentine trees. Sorensen also used native plants like the coastal cypress pine, which is still healthy today.
Behind the house, there's a circular lawn with a pond. This area frames the amazing view of Mount Keira. There's also a charming "doll's house" in the garden, which was a playhouse for the children.
Other buildings on the property include:
- Garden Shed: A timber shed with a tiled roof, part of the original estate.
- Old Soils Testing Laboratory: A brick building first used by the girls' school.
- School Buildings: Two brick buildings built when the property was a school.
- Auditorium: A brick building from the 1970s, used for performances.
- Old Caretaker's Residence: This house was moved to the site around 1960.
Changes Over Time
- 1937: Building of Gleniffer Brae began.
- 1939: Construction was completed.
- 1954: The house and grounds became a branch of the Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School (SCEGGS).
- 1978: The school closed, and Wollongong City Council bought the property.
- 1980s onwards: The grounds were divided. Over half of the area became Hoskins Park, which is now part of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens. The house became the Conservatorium of Music and a function centre.
Why Gleniffer Brae is Special
Gleniffer Brae is a very important part of Wollongong's history. It shows how the Illawarra region started to grow economically. It is strongly connected to the Hoskins family, especially Arthur Sidney Hoskins, who helped create the steel industry in Port Kembla. This house was not just a fancy home; it was the manager's house for a huge industrial company.
The design of Gleniffer Brae is outstanding. It was created by architect Geoffrey Loveridge and landscape designer Paul Sorensen. The buildings show amazing craftsmanship from before World War II. The original parts of the house are still mostly intact, which is rare. The open spaces around the house let you fully appreciate its size and design.
The house is a great example of the English Tudor or Elizabethan Revival style from the time between the World Wars. This style was popular with wealthy families who felt a strong connection to Britain.
The gardens are a key part of the design. Paul Sorensen was able to use the natural landscape and plants to create a dramatic effect. He even successfully moved large native trees, which was considered almost impossible back then.
Today, Gleniffer Brae continues to serve the community. Its use as the Wollongong Botanic Gardens and the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music keeps its connection to education and community life alive. Gleniffer Brae is unique in Wollongong as the only example of such a grand house and estate from the 1930s.
