Moonby House facts for kids

Moonby House is a special old building in Kootingal, New South Wales, Australia. It's located right on the New England Highway. This house was built a long time ago, between 1895 and 1896.

Today, it's known as Moonbi Retirement Homes and serves as a place for older people to live. Because of its history, Moonby House is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's protected as an important part of the state's past.

The History of Moonby House

Early Land Use

In the late 1830s, people called "squatters" started settling on Crown land in the Peel Valley. This land was owned by the government. These squatters moved into the area and used the land for farming and raising animals.

By 1848, a large area of land, about 10,240 hectares (25,300 acres), was known as the "Moonbi" run. This land was managed by Henry Dangar. He was a surveyor for a big company called the Australian Agricultural Company. Henry Dangar helped convince the company to trade their land near Port Stephens for the better farming lands in the Peel Valley.

Building the House

Pastoral runs were like big open farms. The main house, called the head station, was the center of everything. Moonby House was built by the Gill family. They earned their money from delivering mail and from farming. The house showed how wealthy they had become by the end of the 1800s.

Robert Alfred Orvill Gill built Moonby House between 1895 and 1896. The house was made from double bricks. These bricks were made close to the river on the family's property, called Tangelwood.

Later Uses of Moonby House

In 1970, Moonby House was fixed up by a company called "Artificial Breeders Ltd." They used the house as their main office for a cattle breeding center.

In 1977, the Masonic Lodge decided to turn the house into a retirement village. The next year, in 1978, the Freemasons Benevolent Institution of NSW bought the property. They wanted to create a place for older people to live, called the Northern Inland Masonic Retirement Centre. Moonby House is still used for this purpose today.

About Moonby House

Location and Design

Moonby House is in a great spot. It has lovely views across the countryside towards the Moonbi Ranges. Today, the house is part of a larger retirement village.

A long driveway leads up to Moonby House from Churchill Drive. This driveway is an important part of the property's look.

Architectural Style

Moonby House was built between 1895 and 1896. It shows how the area grew with more farms and settlements. It's also a great example of a large farm house built in the Federation Filigree style. This style often has detailed decorations.

The house is very important to the local community. It's a well-known landmark. It's also connected to important historical figures like Henry Dangar, who first leased the land, and the Gill Family, who built the house. Its current use as a retirement village also adds to its social and cultural importance.

Moonby House is a big, well-built house. It has interesting details and a unique architectural style.

Heritage Listing

Moonby House was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This listing helps protect the house and its history for future generations.