Gooloowan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gooloowan |
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View from Outridge Street, 2015
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| Location | 43 Quarry Street, Ipswich, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | c. 1864 - |
| Architect | Charles Balding |
| Official name: Gooloowan | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600593 |
| Significant period | 1860s-? (fabric) - date of render unknown 1860s-1870s (historical) |
| Significant components | lead light/s, lift (English USA: elevator), billiards room, garden/grounds, library - collection, terracing, trees/plantings, service wing, gate - entrance, carriage way/drive, other - residential: component, steps/stairway, bathroom/bathhouse, residential accommodation - main house |
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Gooloowan is a grand old house located at 43 Quarry Street in Ipswich, Australia. It's a special building because it's "heritage-listed," which means it's important to history and needs to be protected. This large house was designed by an architect named Charles Balding and was built starting around 1864. It was originally the home of Benjamin Cribb, a very important person in Ipswich's early days.
Contents
History of Gooloowan
Gooloowan is a two-storey house made of brick. It was built for Benjamin Cribb and his second wife, Clarissa. The architect, Charles Balding, started calling for builders in 1864, and the house was quickly underway.
Benjamin Cribb's Life
Benjamin Cribb was born in England in 1807. He came to Australia in 1849 with his first wife, Elizabeth. He started a business in Ipswich called "London Stores." After Elizabeth passed away in 1852, he moved to Brisbane.
The next year, he married Clarissa Foote. Her brother, John Clarke Foote, became his business partner in 1855. Benjamin Cribb then moved back to Ipswich.
The Cribb and Foote Business
The company, known as Cribb and Foote, became very famous in Ipswich. It had many different departments and even a large mail-order section. The company was well-known for helping farming families in the countryside. They would offer loans without needing security, just based on the farmer's word. In the 1860s and 1870s, they also got involved in the cotton industry.
Benjamin Cribb's Public Service
Benjamin Cribb was also a politician. He represented the Moreton Bay district in the Parliament of New South Wales before Queensland became its own separate state in 1859. In 1861, he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly. He also helped create the Ipswich Grammar School and supported many community groups.
Gooloowan Through the Years
After Benjamin Cribb passed away in 1874, Gooloowan stayed in the Cribb family and the related Walker family. One important person who lived there was Thomas Bridson Cribb, who became the Treasurer of Queensland in 1901. The last family member to live in the house was Miss Harriet Marian Bridson Walker. She became a barrister (a type of lawyer) in 1935, being one of the first women to do so in Queensland.
The Isbell family bought the house in 1988. Over the years, Gooloowan has not changed much. The brick walls were covered with a special coating, and the original slate roof was replaced with corrugated iron. Some changes were made around 1990, like turning a back verandah into a sunroom. A new garage was built, and the front fence was put back up. The large circular driveway with its old camphor laurel trees and stone steps still remains.
What Gooloowan Looks Like
Gooloowan is a large, two-storey house that looks like a fancy mansion from the Victorian era. It stands in beautiful gardens.
House Structure
The house is built with strong brick walls. The outside walls were originally bare brick but are now covered with a coating that makes them look like stone. The floors are made of timber, and the roof, which was once slate, is now covered with corrugated iron.
Verandahs (covered porches) go all around the main part of the house on both the top and bottom floors. The top verandah has fancy cast-iron railings and a curved roof. These verandahs are held up by pairs of timber posts that go all the way up through both storeys. Many rooms have windows and French doors that open onto these verandahs.
At the back of the house, there's a two-storey section for servants and the kitchen. This part doesn't have verandahs, except for a simple enclosed area that was turned into a sunroom. On one end of this section, there are two large rainwater tanks.
Inside the House
Inside, Gooloowan has beautiful cedar wood details, including the main staircase. It also has rare, old bathrooms that are still in the main part of the house. On the ground floor, you can find a drawing room, dining room, a library (which still has many old books!), a sitting room, kitchen, pantry, sunroom, and breakfast room.
Upstairs, there are nine bedrooms in the main part of the house and two bedrooms that used to be for servants in the back section. There's even an unusual hand-operated lift on the back verandah that can carry people! Many rooms have fireplaces, some with fancy marble decorations. The ceilings in the main rooms are made of plaster.
Gardens and Outbuildings
Outside, there are two other buildings. One used to be a billiard room (for playing pool), and the other is a modern double garage. Both are covered with weatherboard and have timber floors. The front garden has large camphor laurel and hoop pine trees. A tall picket fence surrounds the property. Restored original gates open onto a circular driveway and stone steps that lead to the entrance.
Why Gooloowan is Important (Heritage Listing)
Gooloowan was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical place.
Historical Significance
The house helps us understand how mansions operated in the 1800s. It still has many of its original features, like the bathrooms, library, lift, and servants' quarters.
Rarity
Built in 1864, Gooloowan is a rare example of a large two-storey mansion from the 1860s in Queensland.
Architectural Importance
It shows the main features of this type of historical building. It's also a good example of the work of the early architect Charles Balding.
Beauty and Design
The community values Gooloowan for its beauty. It's a well-proportioned Victorian mansion located in a noticeable spot with an attractive garden.
Connection to Important People
The house is strongly connected to Benjamin Cribb, who started the important Cribb and Foote retail business in 1849. It's also linked to other members of the Cribb and Walker families who were important in Queensland for their work in business, law, politics, and helping the community.
Images for kids
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Gooloowan at Denmark Hill, Ipswich, circa 1888
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Benjamin Cribb, circa 1860
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Thomas Bridson Cribb, 1901
