Oran Park (homestead) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oran Park |
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| Location | 112-130 Oran Park Drive, Oran Park, Camden Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1837–1946 |
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| Official name: Oran Park; Catherine Park House | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 5 March 2015 |
| Reference no. | 1695 |
| Type | Homestead Complex |
| Category | Farming and Grazing |
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Oran Park is a special old house in the south-western Sydney suburb of Oran Park, New South Wales. It's listed as a heritage site, which means it's an important part of history that needs to be protected. Over the years, it has been a private home, a golf course, and even a golf clubhouse.
The house was built between 1837 and 1946. Sometimes, people call it Catherine Park House. This name comes from a land division, but "Catherine Park" is actually a name used by developers, not a real suburb. The property is owned by a private family. It was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 March 2015.
Contents
A Look at Oran Park's Past
Early Days and Discoveries
After the First Fleet arrived in Sydney in 1788, they found the soil wasn't good for farming. So, they looked for better land outside the colony. By 1795, settlers found the rich land of the Cumberland Plain to the west. They called this area the Cowpastures. This was because they found a herd of wild cows there. These cows had escaped the colony years before and were grazing in the area now known as Camden.
The colonial leaders quickly saw this land as perfect for raising animals and farming. The gentle hills and wide grassy areas reminded them of English country estates. This made it an ideal spot for wealthy families to set up large properties.
Land Grants and First Owners
Soon, private colonists wanted to own land in this rich area. In 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie gave a large piece of land, about 2,000 acres (809 hectares), to Captain William Douglas Campbell. He was a member of the British merchant navy. Campbell named his estate Harrington Park. The land where Oran Park house now stands was used for farming and grazing animals back then.
When Captain Campbell died in 1827, Harrington Park was divided up. His nephew, John Douglas Campbell, received 1,000 acres. He started building a house and other buildings, like the coach house, around 1837. In 1839, even though the buildings weren't finished, Campbell leased the property to Henry Keck. Keck was the Governor of Darlinghurst Gaol. Part of their agreement was that Keck would finish building Oran Park house.
Changes in Ownership and Tragic Events
In 1842, Henry William Johnson took over the lease. He bought 800 acres (324 hectares) and the buildings. It's thought he finished building Oran Park house around 1865. Johnson lived at Oran Park until 1867. He lost the property because he couldn't pay his loans. Thomas Barker then took ownership. It is said that Johnson, feeling ashamed, jumped to his death from the roof of Oran Park house.
By 1871, when Edward Lomas Moore bought Oran Park, the house was in poor condition. Moore was a rich grazier and a big landowner in the Campbelltown area. He lived at Oran Park with his wife Anne and their many children (about 12!). They stayed there until their new house, Badgally, was finished. In 1882, the family moved. Moore then leased the large two-storey Oran Park house to Thomas Cadell, who ran it as a dairy farm.
Modern Era and Restoration
After Moore's death in 1887, his younger son, Essington Moore, finally inherited Oran Park in 1907. He leased it out at first, but then returned from England in the 1930s to live there. During his time, some changes were made to the house, like the roof. When he died suddenly in 1937, Hubert Harry Robbins bought the property. Robbins wanted to make Oran Park his family's country getaway. He made many big changes, turning the house from a Victorian Italianate style to a Georgian Revival style.
After Robbins died in 1945, Oran Park was sold several times. Daniel James Cleary bought it and later established the Oran Park Raceway nearby. In 1960, the property was divided into 26 smaller "hobby farms." In 1961, a trotting track and an 18-hole golf course were built. Oran Park house was then used as the golf clubhouse.
In 1969, a motor racing fan named Lionel John Charles Seymour Dawson-Damer bought Oran Park. He loved the property because it was so close to the Oran Park Raceway. He was known for keeping his collection of historic cars in the stables and other buildings at Oran Park.
When the Dawson-Damers bought the house, it was in bad shape. They worked hard to restore the house and its other buildings, like the coach house. They also brought the gardens back to life and fixed the old driveway. John Dawson-Damer sadly died in a racing accident in 2002. Since then, Oran Park has had a few different owners. Today, it is part of a new land development area called Catherine Fields.
Around the mid-2010s, the main driveway was shortened. It now connects to Seidler Parade, a local street, instead of Oran Park Drive.
Exploring Oran Park Today
The House and Its Surroundings
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Oran Park house sits on a high natural hill, surrounded by open fields. You reach it by a long, straight driveway that ends in a circular loop for carriages. Because of its location, the house stands out and offers great views of the historic estates nearby.
The Oran Park property still has the main house, a coach house, a silo, beautiful gardens, and its paddocks and driveways.
Driveways and Paths
Two main driveways show how access to Oran Park house has changed over time. The older driveway runs diagonally from the south-east. It was lined in the 1920s with a mix of South African yellowwood and native Port Jackson cypress pine trees.
The newer driveway runs from south to north, off what is now Oran Park Drive. This one was partly lined in the mid-to-late 20th century with different types of eucalyptus trees.
The Gardens of Oran Park
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The homestead is surrounded by a large country garden. It mainly features lawns with scattered shrubs and special trees. Some of these trees are very old, dating back to the 1800s. These include a Bunya Bunya pine, Mediterranean cypress, and white cedar trees. You can also see old Brazilian Peppercorn trees.
Other trees planted in the 20th century include Hoop pine and Chinese elms. Many of the garden plants around the house were added or replanted by the Dawson-Damer family in the mid-to-late 1900s. These include Cape chestnut trees. There are also hedges of Cape honeysuckle, African boxthorn, and geraniums. To the west of the house, there's a kitchen garden area, surrounded by Cape honeysuckle hedges and fences.
The Homestead Building
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Oran Park is a two-storey house with a back wing. It was first built in the Victorian Italianate style. However, it was changed a lot between the two World Wars and now looks like a Georgian Revival style house. At the back, a courtyard is surrounded by stone walls. There's also a well or water tank under the paving in this courtyard. A small cottage for a caretaker is located behind the main house.
The Coach House
The coach house is located to the east of the main house. It's a single-storey building, though it was originally two storeys. It's built with the same sandstock bricks as Oran Park house.
How the House Has Changed
Oran Park house is generally in good condition today. Caretakers live on site and help keep the house maintained and secure.
The original shape of Oran Park house has changed quite a bit over its history. The changes made between the World Wars, to give it a Georgian Revival look, altered its original style.
Even though some original parts and features are still there, the constant changes mean that the house doesn't look exactly as it did when it was first built. However, these layers of changes show how the property has evolved and been used over many years.
- 1907-1937: Essington Moore made some changes, like adjusting the roof and removing a lantern in the 1930s.
- 1937-1945: Hubert Harry Robbins made major changes. He turned the Victorian Italianate house into a Georgian Revival style building. The back basement was also changed into a garage.
- 1960: The large Oran Park property was divided into 26 smaller "hobby farms."
- 1961: A trotting track and an 18-hole golf course were built. Oran Park house became the golf clubhouse.
- 1969: John Dawson-Damer restored Oran Park house and the coach house. He also brought back the old driveway. A swimming pool was built to the west of the house.
- 1990: The Dawson-Damer family did more renovations.
Why Oran Park is Important
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As of June 2007, Oran Park is very important to the heritage of New South Wales. It's an early example of a cultural landscape in the state. It was part of a 2,000-acre (809-hectare) land grant given by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1815. Oran Park shows how the Cowpastures district developed in the early to mid-1800s. It also shows how country estates for important and wealthy people started to appear in the colony.
Oran Park has many layers of history. These layers show how the property and its uses have changed over the last two centuries.
Oran Park is also important because it's connected to several famous people. These include William Douglas Campbell, who received the original land grant, Edward Lomas Moore, a wealthy grazier, and John Dawson-Damer, a well-known engineer and motor racing enthusiast.
Oran Park was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 March 2015 for several reasons:
- It shows the history of New South Wales: Oran Park is an early example of a cultural landscape. It represents the development of the Cowpastures district in the 1800s. It shows how country estates for important people grew in the colony. The house itself has changed over time, showing how tastes and uses of the property evolved.
- It's linked to important people: Oran Park is connected to several key figures in New South Wales history. These include William Douglas Campbell, who first received the land, and Edward Lomas Moore, a powerful landowner. It also has a strong link to John Dawson-Damer, a famous motor racing enthusiast. He lived there for many years and kept his historic car collection on the property.
- It has special design features: The way Oran Park house is placed on a hilltop in the countryside shows design ideas from England in the early 1800s. This location gave residents amazing views and allowed the house to be seen from other colonial estates. The relationship between the house, its gardens, and the wider landscape is still clear today.
- It can teach us about history: There's a chance for archaeological studies at Oran Park. Even though farming might have disturbed some evidence, studying the land could show how it was used over time. Digging around the house and coach house might also reveal more about how these buildings were constructed.
- It's a good example of its type: Oran Park is a great example of a mid-19th century country estate in the Cowpastures district. It shows the design ideas from England at the time. Building a grand house on a dominant hilltop with a long driveway was a common British design. This design allowed people passing by to see the house and understand the owner's wealth and status.
See also
- Australian residential architectural styles
Images for kids
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Oran Park homestead
