Leeke Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leeke Homestead |
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Leeke Homestead, 2009
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| Location | Great Keppel Island, Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | c. 1922 - c. 1924 |
| Official name: Leeke Homestead | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 28 July 2000 |
| Reference no. | 601216 |
| Significant period | 1920s-1940s (historical) 1920s (fabric) |
| Significant components | farmhouse |
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Leeke Homestead is a special old house on Great Keppel Island in Queensland, Australia. It was built around 1922 to 1924. This homestead is important because it tells a story about the island's past. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000, which means it's protected for its historical value.
Contents
A Look Back at Leeke Homestead
Leeke Homestead is a simple house made of timber and corrugated iron. It is located on Great Keppel Island, not far from Yeppoon. This house was the home of Lizzie Leeke (whose first married name was O'Neill). She lived on the island from 1922 until 1945.
Early Days on Great Keppel Island
Before Lizzie arrived, Great Keppel Island had a long history. Captain James Cook sailed into Keppel Bay in 1770. He named the bay and islands after a British admiral.
Later, in 1866, a man named Robert Ross started to use Great Keppel Island for farming. He wanted to raise sheep there. Sadly, during this time, many of the island's original Aboriginal people were forced off their land. Terrible events happened as the island was prepared for farming.
In 1882, Ross gained more control over the island. He brought 4,000 sheep to graze there.
Wyndham's Time on the Island
W. T. Wyndham became the stockkeeper for Ross. He was the first European to live on the island permanently. Even though he worked for Ross, Wyndham managed to build good relationships with the Keppel Islanders. He had lived with Aboriginal people before and knew some of their languages. Wyndham recorded many important details about their culture in his diaries. Today, Mount Wyndham and Wyndham Cove on the island are named after him.
However, in 1883, Ross took many Aboriginal men, women, and children from the island against their will. Wyndham resigned and shared this story with a newspaper. This led to a big public discussion. Years later, it was said that "human lives were sacrificed for sheep."
Changes and New Owners
Robert Ross died in 1893. After him, James Lucas became the stockkeeper. He was known for treating the remaining Keppel Islanders very badly. By this time, there was a small house, a shearing shed, and sheepyards on the island. The shearing shed was later used by Lizzie Leeke. By 1902, the remaining Keppel Islanders were moved to government reserves.
The grazing lease for Great Keppel Island was given to Michael O'Neill in 1918. He had farms near Gladstone. O'Neill brought 1,500 merino sheep to the island. He and Lizzie moved there permanently in 1922. Sadly, Michael O'Neill died shortly after, in early 1923. Lizzie decided to stay on the island by herself. She became known as a very determined and interesting person.
Lizzie Leeke's Life on the Island
In October 1924, Lizzie married Ralph Leeke, a young fisherman. Lizzie continued to raise sheep, and Ralph worked as a fisherman. They were seen as a bit unusual, partly because Lizzie was about 17 years older than Ralph.
It's not completely clear who built the homestead. Some stories say Ralph took his old house from Keppel Sands, took it apart, and brought it to the island by barge. He then rebuilt it near the old shearing shed. Other stories say Michael O'Neill built the house before he died.
Bill Leeke, Ralph's nephew, often visited the island in the 1920s and 1930s. He remembered the homestead as a cool and homely place. He slept on the verandah. The house had rugs made of possum skins on the floor. The windows had curtains, and doorways had screens made from reeds. There was a small living room with lace cloths and shells. The kitchen was at the back.
In 1933, Ralph left Lizzie and the island. Lizzie was left alone to manage the sheep. In the mid-1930s, more people started visiting the island. Fisherman's Beach became a popular camping spot. Stories about Lizzie and her tough life on the island became common. People often talked about how strong she was, both physically and mentally, to live alone and successfully run the sheep farm. She only had help from her two dogs, except during shearing time when a shearer and wool classer would visit.
Lizzie sold the lease in 1945 and passed away a few years later on the mainland. The homestead was not lived in permanently after she left. Today, the homestead has been repaired and partly furnished. It is shown to visitors as Lizzie's home.
What Leeke Homestead Looks Like
Leeke Homestead is on the northern side of Great Keppel Island. It sits on a hillside with views of tidal plains and Leeke's Beach. You can reach it by a 4WD vehicle or by walking. A simple timber fence marks the homestead area. Large fig trees provide shade, and there are also Hoop Pines and Date Palms around the yard. Some newer buildings are also in the area.
The homestead is a simple, square-shaped building with a pyramid-shaped roof that doesn't have eaves. It stands on short timber stumps. The walls and roof are covered with corrugated iron. Some parts, like a small verandah on the north-west side, are made of weatherboards. This verandah has criss-cross railings, which are the only real decoration on the outside of the house.
Inside, the house has six rooms. The floors are made of wide, rough timber boards. The walls and ceilings are lined with painted plywood. The old kitchen is on the eastern side and used to have a wood stove. A newer kitchen and bathroom have been added in a small room that was once a bedroom. The largest room is the living room, which now has some old furniture and family photos. There's also a small storage room and a large bedroom. The windows are simple, unpainted timber windows.
The woolshed is located on the tidal plain. It has been rebuilt recently with a concrete floor, timber frame, and steel cladding.
Why Leeke Homestead is Important
Leeke Homestead is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria.
Showing Queensland's History
Leeke Homestead helps us understand how Queensland's history unfolded, especially on Great Keppel Island. It shows how people tried to start farming on the island. It also reminds us of the sad events where the original Aboriginal people were displaced. The homestead is a key link between the thousands of years the Woppaburra people lived there and the tourist development that now covers the island.
The homestead also highlights Lizzie Leeke's amazing strength and determination. She chose to live an independent life on the island for many years, even though it was isolated and went against what people expected at the time.
A Unique Island Home
Leeke Homestead shows the main features of a house built on a remote island. It was built by the owner when it was hard to get building materials and skilled workers. This makes Leeke Homestead a special example of the types of homes built in isolated places along the Queensland coast.
Beautiful Setting
Leeke Homestead has a special beauty because of its location. It sits among Hoop Pines and fig trees on a high part of the island. Its simple design and basic building methods make it fit in well with the natural landscape.
