Irlam's Ant Bed Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Irlam's Ant Bed Building |
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Irlam's Ant Bed Building
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| Location | Clermont-Alpha Road, Clermont, Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1870s |
| Official name: Irlam's Ant Bed Building (former), Oakey Farm | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 14 August 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602010 |
| Significant period | 1870s onwards |
| Builders | George Irlam |
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Irlam's Ant Bed Building is a very old and special building located near Clermont in Queensland, Australia. It was built in the 1870s by George Irlam. This unique building served as both a farmhouse and a small hotel for travelers. It's also known as Oaky (Oakey) Farm. Because of its history and unique construction, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008.
History of the Ant Bed Building
The ant bed building at Oaky Creek was part of a farm and small hotel started by George Irlam around 1870. It was located on the road between Clermont and Alpha, which was a popular route for travelers. At this inn, people could stop to rest and enjoy fresh food grown on the farm.
Early Settlement and Gold Rush
The Clermont area was opened up for European settlement after Ludwig Leichhardt explored it in 1844. He reported that the land was good for farming, raising animals, and mining. In the early 1850s, the Archer brothers were among the first to settle here. Soon, more people arrived, looking for gold and other minerals.
Gold was found near Hood's Lagoon in the early 1860s, leading to a "gold rush" in the area. The town of Clermont was officially surveyed in 1863. As more farms and towns grew west of Clermont, a network of roads became very important. These roads were used by people transporting wool, gold, and other goods to ports on the coast. The road from Clermont to Aramac, which passed through Oaky Creek, was set up in 1863.
Challenges for Aboriginal People
The arrival of European settlers caused big changes for the local Aboriginal people, including the Kairis, Wangans, and Jagalingus. There were conflicts between settlers and Aboriginal groups from the 1860s into the early 1870s.
Travel and Hotels
As the conflicts lessened, Cobb & Co Coaches started running coach routes from Rockhampton to the western areas in the early 1870s. From 1878 to 1884, they had a regular weekly coach service between Copperfield (Clermont) and Aramac.
George Irlam became involved in various businesses west of Clermont in the late 1860s. He ran the Lord Nelson Hotel at Oaky Creek from 1869 to 1876. In 1872, Irlam bought 160 acres of land at Oaky Creek, about 20 kilometers west of Clermont. This land is now known as Oaky Farm.
Maps from 1873 show a house, stockyard, and garden on Irlam's land. A later map from 1879 shows an inn in the same area. It seems that the building on Irlam's property served as both a farmhouse and an inn. It was a place where travelers could stop for refreshments along the Clermont to Aramac road.
Later Owners and Uses
After Irlam met the conditions for his land in 1877, he transferred the hotel license to James Nicholls. Later, the license was transferred to J Williams in 1879. The hotel didn't have a license from 1881 to 1883, but Charles Cook briefly held one in 1884.
According to a local historian, by 1878, Irlam's hotel was famous for its fresh fruit. The orchard had many different fruit trees, including lemons, apples, peaches, and bananas. A dairy, which is likely the surviving ant bed building, was located near the road and the hotel.
In 1884, a railway line opened to Clermont. However, coaches and travelers still used the Clermont to Aramac road. No hotel license was issued for Oaky Creek after 1884.
In 1891, John Gustav Finger took over the property and used it as a grazing farm until his death in 1915. His sons continued to work the farm. In 1957, Thomas and Albert James bought the property. They moved another house to the site, and the old timber slab dwelling became a work shed. The ant bed building was used for storage.
What is an Ant Bed Building?
The ant bed building is a very old structure made from a special mix of materials. It uses "rammed earth" mixed with "ant bed."
Rammed Earth and Ant Bed
Rammed earth (also called pise de terre) is a building method where damp soil, gravel, sand, and clay are packed tightly into forms to create strong walls.
Ant bed refers to the crushed clay from anthills. In the 1800s, people in rural areas often used ant bed because other building materials were hard to find. It was valued for its ability to stick together and for its insulating properties, which means it helped keep buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. Very few buildings made with ant bed still exist in Queensland today.
Description of the Building
Irlam's Ant Bed Building is located within a fenced yard near the Clermont-Alpha Road. It's a single-story building with just one room, measuring about 7 by 7.5 meters. The walls are about 41 centimeters thick and are made of rammed earth mixed with ant bed. These walls sit on a base of bricks.
The building has a gently sloping, hipped roof made of corrugated iron. This roof extends about 2 meters beyond the walls, creating verandas on all sides. These verandas are supported by timber posts.
Next to the southern veranda, there's a wire and timber-framed area where grapevines grow.
Over time, some of the original brick base of the walls has fallen out or been removed. The rammed earth walls have also been damaged by animals, insects, and moisture. The western wall is in the best condition. Cracks have appeared in the walls due to the ground shifting and changes in temperature. All the outside walls were painted with a white lime wash at some point.
The building has timber doors on its northern (front) and southern sides. There's a small, unglazed window opening in the eastern wall, but no opening in the western wall. Inside, the upper parts of the walls are lined with timber boards. The timber roof structure probably dates from the 1930s, when the original shingles were replaced with corrugated iron. The floor inside the building is made of earth on shale.
The House Yard
Apart from the ant bed building itself, the attached timber and wire trellis, and the scattered bricks around the building, other structures in the house yard are not part of the heritage listing.
Why is it Heritage Listed?
Irlam's Ant Bed Building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 August 2008. This means it's considered very important to Queensland's history and culture. Here's why:
Shows Queensland's History
This building helps us understand how early European settlers lived in the central highlands of Queensland in the 1870s. It was both a farmhouse and a small inn, showing how people combined different activities on the frontier. It also helps us understand how inns supported early transportation and communication in remote areas of Queensland.
Rare Building Technique
The ant bed building is special because it uses building techniques and materials that are no longer common. Being made of rammed earth mixed with ant bed, it's a rare example of this type of construction. If ant bed was chosen for its insulation, it makes the building even more unique.
Helps Us Learn More
By studying the building's materials and construction, we can learn more about early building methods in Queensland, especially in isolated areas.
Shows Characteristics of Old Inns
As the main surviving part of the old farmhouse/inn at Oaky Creek, the ant bed building shows us what a small, isolated inn from the 1870s was like. Its location close to the main road, its use as a large storage or dairy building, and the use of local materials are all important features.
