Hargraves House, Noraville facts for kids

Hargraves House is a special old house in Noraville, New South Wales, Australia. It's listed as a heritage site, meaning it's important to history. The house is located at 3 Elizabeth Drive and was designed by Edward Hammond Hargraves. It was built between 1856 and 1859 by Mr Fletcher. It's also known as Norahville. This historic home was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Discovering the History of Hargraves House

The story of Hargraves House begins with Edward Hammond Hargraves. He was famous for finding gold in Australia. In 1856, Hargraves bought land from Robert Henderson near Norah Head. Henderson was a former police officer and ship owner who owned a lot of land there.

Building the Homestead

The Noraville homestead was built between 1856 and 1857. It sits on a grassy area high above the sea cliffs. Hargraves used money he received from the Victorian government for his discovery of gold. This was a reward for finding "payable gold," which meant enough gold to make mining profitable.

For most of its history, the property has belonged to the Hargraves family. There was a short time from 1877 to 1892 when it was owned by someone else.

• 1877: Hargraves sold Noraville to Dr. Jarman John Tarrant. Dr. Tarrant was a surgeon and a member of the New South Wales Parliament. He owned the house for 15 years.
• 1892: Dr. Tarrant faced financial problems. The property was then bought back by the Hargraves family. Edward's second son, William Henry Hargraves, bought it.
• Even though William owned the house, his older brother, Edward John Hargraves, lived there his whole life. Edward John married Elizabeth Catherine Owens. She moved into Noraville at age 17 and lived there until she passed away in 1950.
• They had many children, who were taught at home by a governess and a tutor. Many staff members also worked at the property. These included maids, stockmen, a groom, and farmers for the gardens and orchards.
• 1950s: The Noraville property was divided into five equal parts. These parts went to the five children of Charles Hargraves, who was a son of Edward and Elizabeth.
• 1970s: Parts of the property continued to be passed down within the Hargraves family.
• 1981: An official inquiry found that Noraville was very important to the state's history.

Exploring the Hargraves House Property

Hargraves House was once part of a very large estate. It had gardens, fruit orchards, vineyards, and fields for growing crops. Today, you can still see signs of old features. For example, a dip in the grass shows where a duck pond used to be.

Over time, parts of the property were sold off. The biggest sale happened in the mid-1950s. The land was divided among the five children of Charles Hargraves. This included an area that was once a market garden, which was sold for building houses.

The house now sits on a much smaller piece of land. However, the open grassy area in front still gives it a nice setting. While new buildings have appeared around it, the views towards the ocean are still very important to the house's history.

The Homestead Building

The main house, called "Noraville," is located on a cliff top. It faces northwest, looking out over Hargraves Beach and the ocean. The house is made of weatherboard and has a verandah on three sides. It was built between 1856 and 1859.

The house and its other buildings are located at the back of the property. There's a large open grassy area in front. The other buildings include a kitchen built in 1969 and a storage building from 1920.

Other Buildings and Gardens

Most of the original outbuildings were taken down in the 1950s. The stables, for example, were destroyed by fire in 1914. The current storage building was built in 1920. It replaced older wooden sheds. This building has three small rooms and a bathroom. It's thought that workers stayed here during tough economic times. The current kitchen was built in 1969 where the first kitchen used to be.

Important Trees and Plants

The property has many interesting trees and plants:

• A line of Norfolk Island pine trees was planted around 1960 along one side of the property.
• There are also groups of Coral trees and other shrubs like Oleanders and sweet box.
• Six large Moreton Bay fig trees are to the west of the house. These trees are very old, dating back to the 1860s or 1870s.
• You can also find Cabbage-tree palms growing under the fig trees.
• In the garden near the house, there are Lord Howe Island palms and a tall leaning palm.
• Other plants like Frangipani and more oleanders are in front of the house.
• The cliff area to the east has native coastal plants like Coast banksia and paperbarks.

Condition of the Site

The areas where old buildings used to be are mostly to the east and back of the house. This was done to keep the ocean views clear. You can still see where the old tennis court and duck pond were. These areas are important because they might hold clues about the past.

Experts believe there could be archaeological evidence under the ground. This means old items or building parts that can tell us about the Hargraves family. It could also show how the farm worked when it was a remote coastal home. Any new building work on the site is carefully planned to protect these historical clues.

Changes Over Time

Hargraves House has seen some changes:

• 1914: The stables burned down.
• 1920: A new storage building was built.
• 1920s-1950s: Parts of the estate were sold off.
• 1950s: Most of the old outbuildings were taken down.
• 1956-1957: More land was sold, including the old market garden area.
• Around 1960: New trees and hedges were planted.
• 1969: The current kitchen building was put up where the original kitchen stood.

Why Hargraves House is a Heritage Site

Hargraves House is a rare and special home from its time (1856-1859). It sits beautifully on the cliffs at Norah Head, with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean.

Connection to a Famous Figure

The house is strongly linked to Edward Hammond Hargraves. He was a very important person in Australia's early history because he found gold. Hargraves built this house with the money he earned from his gold discovery.

A Glimpse into the Past

The site shows how life was lived for over 146 years. It has a long connection to the Hargraves family. It also tells us about early farming and coastal life in Australia.

Hargraves House is a great example of the Colonial Georgian style of architecture. It hasn't changed much over the years and is still in good condition. Its well-kept look and beautiful cliff-top location make it very important. Even though some views are now blocked by new houses, the ocean views are still a key part of its importance.

Archaeological Importance

Even though much of the original farm has been sold, the remaining land has the potential to reveal more about the past. Digging here could uncover old items and structures. These could teach us about farming, coastal living, and family life in the mid-1800s.

Local Community Value

Hargraves House is also important to the local community of Noraville. The suburb itself is named after the house. Several streets and the nearby beach are named after members of the Hargraves family.

Hargraves House was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.