Loudoun House, Irvinebank facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Loudoun House |
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Loudoun House, 2006
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| Location | 16 O'Callaghan Street, Irvinebank, Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1883–1884 |
| Official name: Loudoun House, Moffat's House | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600680 |
| Significant period | 1880s–1900s (fabric, historical) |
| Significant components | furniture/fittings, basement / sub-floor, residential accommodation – main house, office/s, tank – water, kitchen/kitchen house, trees/plantings |
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Loudoun House is a very old and special house. It is located at 16 O'Callaghan Street in Irvinebank, Australia. The house was built around 1883 or 1884. Many people also know it as Moffat's House.
Today, Loudoun House is a museum. It is run by the Irvinebank School of Arts & Progress Association. The house is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it is a very important historical place in Queensland.
Contents
History of Loudoun House
Who was John Moffat?
John Moffat (1841–1918) was a very important person in mining. He was a mining entrepreneur. This means he started and ran mining businesses. He had a huge impact on the mining industry in the Cairns area. This was from the early 1880s until World War I.
John Moffat helped create many towns. These towns include Irvinebank, Watsonville, Chillagoe, and Mount Garnet. People in North Queensland still remember him fondly. He was known for being honest in business. He also cared a lot about the people who worked for him.
Moffat focused on metals like tin and copper. This was unusual because gold was more popular then. He built a special factory called the Loudoun Mill in Irvinebank. This factory processed tin.
Building Moffat's House
John Moffat moved to Irvinebank in 1883. He first lived in tents. Then, he built Loudoun House around 1883 or 1884. He chose to build his house right in the middle of town. It overlooked his factory. It was also very close to the Queensland National Bank. This showed how important the bank was to his business.
An old photo from 1886 shows the house. It was a two-story timber house. It had verandahs all around it. The house was built on tall timber stumps. The space under the house was later enclosed. This created a second floor at ground level.
Around 1907, the house was made bigger. More rooms were added on the eastern side. Some parts of the old kitchen wing used a special building method. They had single brick walls with timber frames. This was probably for storing food.
John Moffat wrote about his house. He said it was made from local cedar wood. It also used imported timber. The house had a living room and two main bedrooms. There were also four smaller bedrooms on the verandahs. The front verandah had a great view of the factory. The downstairs area was used for offices and storage.
What Happened Next?
John Moffat's mining businesses faced problems. Metal prices dropped in 1907. In 1912, he had to retire. The tin industry was slowing down. He moved to Sydney. John Moffat passed away in 1918.
After his death, the Queensland Government bought his factory in 1919. The government used the downstairs of Loudoun House as an office. The upstairs became a place for workers to live. It was also used as the manager's home for a while. By 1984, the Irvinebank Progress Association started using it as a museum.
Exploring Loudoun House
What Does it Look Like?
Loudoun House is a tall timber building. It has an enclosed area under the house. There are also extra kitchen and bedroom areas on the eastern side. It faces west from a small hill in Irvinebank. It is near the old Assay Office and above the Queensland National Bank building.
The original house had a simple gabled roof. It was made of timber. It had verandahs all around. The offices were on the lower level. The living areas were upstairs. More rooms were added later while Moffat lived there.
Inside the House
The upper part of the house stands on strong cypress pine or ironbark stumps. The lower area is covered with corrugated iron walls. The floors inside are made of red cedar wood. The verandah floors are concrete.
Upstairs, the walls, ceiling, and floor are all made of red cedar. The verandah is different. You can see the timber studs on the outside verandah walls. The house has a main living area in the middle. There are four rooms at the back. Two rooms are on each side of the main living area.
Some of John Moffat's original furniture is still there. This includes his office desk and table. However, most of the furniture was removed in the late 1960s.
Plants Around the House
Many trees grow around Loudoun House. These include mango trees, red cedar trees, boab trees, and fig trees. There is also a bunya pine tree. These trees are some of the only things left from the original gardens.
Why is Loudoun House Special?
Loudoun House was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. It is considered important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
Loudoun House was built around 1883–84 for John Moffat. He was a mining entrepreneur who was very important in the Cairns area for thirty years. The house is closely linked to the growth of the mining industry in North Queensland.
Using high blocks to create a second floor at ground level was an early and important building method.
- It has a special connection to an important person.
The house is located very close to the Loudoun Mill and the town of Irvinebank. This includes the offices of the Queensland National Bank. This shows how Moffat was very involved in his businesses. It also shows his relationship with his workers and their families. The bank's major role in Moffat's business is also highlighted by its closeness.
