Mount Cornish Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Cornish Homestead |
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Tea party at Mount Cornish Homestead, 1898
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| Location | Cornish Creek near Muttaburra, Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name: Mt Cornish Homestead | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 21 August 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600009 |
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Mount Cornish Homestead is a very old and special house located near Muttaburra in Queensland, Australia. It's known as a heritage-listed homestead, which means it's an important historical place protected by the Queensland Heritage Register. This homestead tells a story about early life and farming in the Queensland outback.
A Look Back in Time
Mount Cornish was first set up in 1872. It started as an "outstation" for a much larger property called Bowen Downs Station. An outstation was like a smaller, separate part of a big farm, often used for grazing animals further away.
The Edkins family moved to Bowen Downs Station in 1861 to help manage it. Later, they were sent to Mount Cornish with 12,000 cattle. At first, they lived in a very simple mud hut with a bark roof. Imagine living in a house made of mud!
In 1876, a wooden house was built, which was a big improvement. Then, in 1883, something even more exciting happened: a stone section was added to the wooden house. This new part had two rooms and was surrounded by a verandah, which is like a covered porch.
The white stone used for the new section was dug up from a quarry about a mile away. People believe that two very skilled German builders, called masons, built this stone part. They must have been very good at their job!
Over the years, parts of Mount Cornish were divided up. This happened in 1889 and again in 1895. The area also faced tough times with long periods of very little rain, known as droughts, which lasted until 1902. Even after 1927, when the original lease for Bowen Downs ended, Mount Cornish continued to be used for raising sheep and cattle for many more years, right up until the 1960s.
Why Mount Cornish Homestead is Important
Mount Cornish Homestead is a special part of Queensland's history. It was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 21, 1992. This means it's recognized as a place that helps us understand the past, especially how people lived and worked on large farms in the Australian outback long ago. Protecting places like Mount Cornish Homestead helps future generations learn about their history.
