Monsildale Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monsildale Homestead |
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Monsildale Homestead, 2007
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| Location | 2532 Monsildale Road, Monsildale, Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name: Monsildale Homestead | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 3 April 2009 |
| Reference no. | 602704 |
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Monsildale Homestead is a special old farm property located in Monsildale, Australia. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history. The main house and other buildings show how people lived and worked on large farms in Queensland a long time ago.
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History of Monsildale
Monsildale Homestead is a large cattle farm. It has a big timber house on a hill near Monsildale Creek. The oldest part of the house was built between 1871 and 1877. A cattle farmer named James Steven chose this land. Later, the Horne family added an extension to the house around the 1910s.
The Horne and Woodrow families owned the property for many years, from about 1912 to 1978. Even though the original farm has been divided, it still raises cattle today. There are also old buildings like a barn and a shed made of timber slabs. There was once a place for single workers and another for Aboriginal workers. These buildings show what a large farm complex looked like in the past.
Early Settlers and Farms
The area around the Brisbane River, where Monsildale Creek is, was one of the first places settled in Queensland. This happened after the Moreton Bay penal settlement. In the 1840s, farmers called pastoralists brought their sheep and cattle here. David Cannon McConnel started Cressbrook Station in 1841. Other families like the Mackenzies and Archers also started large farms. Soon, most farmers switched from sheep to cattle. The local climate was better for cattle.
The Monsildale area might have been part of a large farm called Colinton Station. It was also thought that David O'Connel from Cressbrook considered farming here. The name Monsildale comes from a property in England.
James Steven and His Homestead
Not much is known about the land until 1871. That's when James Steven applied to claim land for a homestead. He was a cattle grazier. By 1878, Monsildale was listed as being run by Swanson and Steven. Alexander Swanson was likely a partner.
James Steven chose a large area of land for his farm. He wanted to make it his home. In 1875, he asked to change his land claim. He said he had spent a lot of money on his homestead. In 1877, his property was checked. It was noted that he had built a large house.
The house had seven rooms and a hall. It had a shingle roof and a verandah all around. It was made of cedar wood and had two brick chimneys. There was also a large underground water tank. Other buildings included a kitchen, a store, a meat-house, and a bathroom. There was also a fowl house, a piggery, a blacksmith's shop, and a stable. Two huts for men were also on the property. Steven also had a fenced garden with fruit trees. He had yards for horses and milking. There were also large stockyards for cattle. A cattle dip in the yards has dates carved into it: 1903 and 1905.
The Horne and Woodrow Families
In 1912, James Horne bought the Monsildale property. Before this, he owned a farm near Woodford. James Horne was also a local council member. He is first listed at Monsildale in 1911-1912. At that time, he had 33 horses and 502 cattle. The Horne family was large. The main house was likely extended around this time to fit everyone.
Local stories say that a hut south of the main house was used by Aboriginal workers. These workers were very important on farms in the 1800s. They helped with cattle work when there weren't enough European workers. Their families often camped on the stations. Aboriginal workers were usually housed separately from European workers.
Besides cattle, timber was also important in the area. Sawmills operated near the homestead between 1912 and 1961. A small town grew there with a store and a school.
By 1920, Graham and Vera Horne, and Harry and Grace Woodrow (who was a Horne) were running Monsildale Station. James Horne had retired. Harry Woodrow had worked in gold mines and for the Forestry Department. He later became a local council member.
In 1924, much of the Monsildale Estate was sold. Harry and Grace Woodrow bought a lot of the land, including the area with the homestead. They moved into the main house. The property was later divided again. In 1978, the part with the homestead was sold to new owners. The Hawkins family used it as a holiday home for children.
Changes to the Homestead
Over time, the main house has changed. The large extension was added around the 1910s. The original 1870s part of the house was raised higher off the ground. Some parts of the verandah railings have changed. A window replaced the main door on the north side. One chimney was removed. The inside of the house has also been changed to create new rooms.
A storm in 2007 caused damage to some of the old buildings. Part of the barn and shed was damaged by a falling tree. The roof and verandah of the single men's barrack were also blown off. The roof of the former Aboriginal workers' quarters was also lost in the storm.
What Monsildale Homestead Looks Like
Monsildale Homestead is about 30 kilometers north of Kilcoy. It sits on rolling land inside a bend of Monsildale Creek. When you approach, you see the main house and other buildings. They are surrounded by trees, fenced paddocks, and green river flats. The property has many old trees like jacarandas and eucalypts.
The Main House
The main house is white and stands on a grassy hill. It has two main parts: the older 1870s section and the L-shaped extension from around 1912. The house is made of timber and has roofs covered with red corrugated iron. It sits on low timber stumps.
The older part of the house has a living room, two bedrooms, a study, and a small room called a box room. A short hallway connects it to the newer extension. The extension has another bedroom, a living room, an office, and a kitchen area.
Wide verandahs run around the west, north, and east sides of the older house. They have wooden railings. The extension also has verandahs with railings. The older part of the house is made with special timber boards and has detailed wooden skirting boards inside. French doors open onto the verandahs. The extension is also made of timber. It has French doors and some large windows. The kitchen has been updated with new equipment.
A low white timber fence surrounds the house yard.
Old Farm Buildings
- Slab Barn and Shed: This building is southeast of the main house. It has a new metal roof. Its walls are made of timber slabs. Some parts are covered with corrugated iron. It has different entrances and windows. The south end is open. Inside, the floor is dirt in some parts and concrete in others. There's a small room inside.
- Single Men's Barrack: This building is east of the barn. It lost its roof in a storm and is now held up by temporary supports. It has two rooms with a doorway between them. It's made of timber with a wooden floor.
- Aboriginal Quarters: This building is about 240 meters south of the main house. It also lost its roof in a storm. The walls are made of timber slabs and corrugated iron. It has concrete floors. It was later used as a piggery, so it has metal gates and fences.
The old cattle dip and yards near the homestead have been changed a lot. They are not part of the heritage listing.
Why Monsildale Homestead is Important
Monsildale Homestead was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2009. It is important for several reasons:
- Shows Queensland's History: This homestead shows how Queensland developed. It was settled in the 1870s. This was a time when large farms were being divided into smaller ones. Monsildale shows how people tried to create successful cattle farms during this period. The land has been used for farming since the 1870s.
- Shows a Typical Homestead: Monsildale Homestead is a great example of a large farm complex. It includes the main house (from the 1870s with a 1910s addition), the old slab barn and shed, the single men's barracks, and the Aboriginal workers' quarters. The main house is a good example of a large farm home from the late 1800s. It was expanded in the early 1900s for a bigger family.
