Mahratta, Wahroonga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mahratta |
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Mahratta, 1526 Pacific Highway, Wahroonga
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| Location | 1526 Pacific Highway, Wahroonga, Ku-ring-gai Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1941 |
| Architect |
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| Architectural style(s) | Art Deco |
| Owner | The School of Philosophy |
| Official name: Mahratta and Site; Heatherlee | |
| Type | State heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 708 |
| Type | Garden House |
| Category | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
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Mahratta is a special historic building in Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be a grand home and later a training center for a bank. Today, it's a childcare center, a primary school, and a place where community groups meet.
The building was designed by Douglas S. Agnew, while the original house was by Arthur Palin. The beautiful garden was created by Paul Sorensen. The property is currently owned by The School of Philosophy. Mahratta is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
Mahratta's Story
The land where Mahratta stands has a long history. In 1838, Governor Darling gave a large piece of land, about 640 acres (259 hectares), to Thomas Hyndes. Thomas was a former convict who had been using the land since 1830 to grow timber for the colony.
In 1840, Thomas Hyndes sold the land. Then, in 1854, a timber merchant named John Brown bought it. He wanted to cut down as many trees as possible. John Brown also cleared land for an orchard. His family's names, like Lucinda, Ada, and Roland, are still used for avenues in Wahroonga today.
Gerald Allen's Time at Mahratta
The land was divided up in 1893. A man named Francis Gerard bought a part of it called "The Foxground Estate." After a few owners, Mr. Gerald Allen bought the property in 1912. He changed its name from Heverlee to Mahratta. He named it after a sheep station in Bombala where his grandfather used to work.
The name Mahratta comes from the powerful Hindu warriors called Marathas. Their name means "The Great Kingdom or Nation" in Sanskrit.
Under the guidance of architect Arthur Palin, Mr. Allen made the existing Federation house even grander. This mansion was famous for its amazing cedar staircase and a billiard room with a copper ceiling.
In 1925, Allen hired the famous garden designer Paul Sorensen. Sorensen designed the large garden, which was about 8 hectares (20 acres) at the time. Today, it's about 1.6 hectares (4 acres). He created two levels in the garden, separated by a beautiful wall with steps. These steps led down to a sunken rose garden, a croquet court, and large lawns. Many unique trees were planted, including cedars, maples, and oaks. Some of these trees came from Sorensen's own plant nursery.
James Joynton Smith and the Field Family
In 1930, Allen sold Mahratta to Sir James Joynton Smith. Sir James was a very important person. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, and owned the famous Carrington Hotel in Katoomba.
In 1939, Sir James sold Mahratta to a company linked to the family of Thomas Alfred (T.A.) Field. The Field family were wealthy farmers and meat sellers. They had inherited their father's meat business and bought many farms across eastern Australia.
T.A. Field decided to demolish the old house in 1940. He then built the current mansion in 1941 on the same spot. He asked architect Douglas S. Agnew to design the new building. The house was built in the Art Deco style. This style gives the house a grand and dramatic feel. The entrance and main hall are especially impressive with a curved staircase. Mahratta is known as one of Sydney's best Art Deco mansions, even though it was finished after the main Art Deco period.
After the new house was finished, Field brought Paul Sorensen back. Sorensen extended and improved his original garden design. He added a curving red gravel driveway. He also oversaw the planting of the front lawn and two special trees, called dawn redwoods, near the entrance. The garden beds around the house were filled with colorful shrubs and rainforest trees. At the back of the house, there's a walled courtyard with a unique "moon gate" leading to more lawns. There's also a tennis court surrounded by beautiful plants like Rhapis palms and rhododendrons.
Mr. Field passed away in 1944, but his wife, Jessie, continued to live at Mahratta until 1960.
Mahratta as a Bank Training College
In 1960, the Bank of NSW (now Westpac Banking Corporation) bought the two-story house. It was very large, about 1,500 square meters (15,000 square feet). The bank used it as a training college for its senior staff. Four full-time gardeners were hired to look after the grounds. Paul Sorensen was even asked to "redesign and develop the grounds to a very high standard."
During this time, more cedars were planted near the house. A large Bunya Bunya pine near Fox Valley Road became a local landmark. The bank also added a new brick fence and grand gateways that matched the main house. They made some changes and additions to the house, but they were designed to fit in with the original Art Deco style.
In 1964, the bank built a new three-story section called the Abercrombie wing. It was for people to live in. Even though the bricks matched the original building, this new part didn't try to copy the Art Deco style.
The School of Philosophy's Ownership
In 1990, The School of Philosophy bought Mahratta. They use it to teach public courses in practical philosophy. They also hold events like lectures, workshops, and retreats to help people grow.
The School of Philosophy cares deeply about the property's history. They want to keep it in good condition for future generations. In 2010, a group called "Friends of Mahratta" was formed. They raise money to help maintain the property. Students also volunteer their time to help with the upkeep.
Mahratta's Design and Gardens
The Beautiful Garden
The Mahratta property covers about 1.6 hectares (4 acres). It is bordered by the Pacific Highway on the east and Fox Valley Road on the south. A loop driveway leads from Fox Valley Road to the house's entrance. Between the house and the highway, there's a tennis court.
Large lawns surround the house on its south and west sides. To the southwest, there's a lower area that used to be a croquet green. Below that is a formal rose garden with terraces.
On the north side of the house, there's a formal courtyard with a high brick wall and a unique moon gate. This gate leads to more relaxed garden areas. North of the house are wide lawns and a woodland area.
Paul Sorensen, the garden designer, was very skilled at mixing exotic (non-native) and native Australian trees. You can see many exotic plants he liked, such as Himalayan cedars, maples, and English oaks. He also added other conifers like dawn redwoods and Araucaria species. Along with these, he planted many native trees, mostly from moist coastal areas. These native trees have rich, glossy green leaves that blend beautifully with the exotic plants.
Some of the native trees include the Queensland firewheel tree, Queensland nut, and lily pilly. There are also some rare trees like the rose apple and New Zealand laurel. A wide variety of shrubs also decorate the southern and eastern parts of the property.
It's hard to know exactly which trees Sorensen planted, as there was already a large garden before he started. He did a lot of work on the old trees and trained climbing plants like wisteria. He also cleared out the undergrowth and replanted it with new shrubs.
The many different trees help to create separate spaces around the house. They also form a thick cover along the street boundaries, so you don't notice the busy traffic outside. Belts of trees are under-planted with colorful azaleas, rhododendrons, and magnolias. The winding red gravel driveway, with its neat brick edges, sweeps towards the house. Two dawn redwood trees mark each side of the entrance.
On sunken terraces to the southwest of the house, you'll find a rose garden and a lawn used for putting and croquet. These two areas are separated by a tall hedge, mostly made of native plants. A remarkable weeping Himalayan cedar tree hangs over the stairs that connect them.
The rose garden has a very formal design, which was a bit different from Paul Sorensen's usual style. All the roses were chosen by Sorensen and carefully placed on a drawing.
Above the rose garden, Sorensen placed an old, carved coat of arms from an unknown Victorian-style sandstone building. It's an interesting detail next to a set of steps.
The garden at Mahratta is very well-maintained. In 1990, four gardeners looked after it, and they were very proud of their work.
The Grand House
Mahratta is a beautiful two-story house built in 1941. It's made of red bricks with a hipped tiled roof. The outside of the house shows off the smooth, curved shapes of the Art Deco style. You can see circular windows, round patterns in the metal window grilles, and rounded brick corners.
Inside, many of the original features and finishes are still there. They show the amazing craftsmanship from the 1940s. There's a sweeping staircase with a curved balustrade made of a special material called scagliola. Curved glass doors slide into curved spaces.
The house also has original Art Deco bathrooms, a ballroom, stone fireplaces, and wood paneling in some rooms.
Why Mahratta is Special
As of 2013, Mahratta is a large, well-preserved two-story mansion built in 1941. It has a unique style that mixes Art Deco and Classical Georgian Revival elements. It might be the largest and finest house of its kind built in Sydney during wartime. The house replaced an older, grand home but kept many of the original garden features, like the sunken rose garden. It was built for T. A. Field, a well-known person in the meat industry.
The house is mostly unchanged, with detailed brickwork, bronze, and iron on the outside. It has a dramatic entrance on the south side and an enclosed courtyard on the north. In 1964, a west wing was added. This addition was designed carefully to match the style and materials of the original house.
Inside, the house has many beautiful public spaces and rooms with smooth designs and high-quality materials. The oval staircase, the large ballroom, and the oval dining room are all very special. The fine details and original fittings make the inside of the house very rare and impressive for its time.
The property is also important because of the famous landscape designer Paul Sorensen's work on its garden. The open lawns and mature plants create a wonderful setting for the house. The red gravel driveways winding through the lawns add to the house's color and texture.
When Westpac Banking Corporation owned the house from the 1960s, they used it as a Staff Training College. This meant that both the house and the grounds were kept in excellent condition. This care helped Mahratta keep all its important historical features.
Separate descriptions exist for other buildings on the property, like the garage, gardener's cottage, and tennis pavilion.
The open lawns and gardens around the main house are very important for its beautiful setting. To the west, the Croquet Lawn and Rose Garden, with their thick trees and shrubs, are key parts of the historic setting. They have remained almost the same since the original house was built.
Mahratta was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
See also
- Australian residential architectural styles
