Riversdale, Goulburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Riversdale |
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Riversdale
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| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Early colonial Regency |
| Location | Maud Street, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°44′06″S 149°44′18″E / 34.7351°S 149.7383°E |
| Estimated completion | c. 1840s |
| Owner | National Trust of Australia |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | John Richards |
| Official name: Riversdale | |
| Criteria: | a., c., e., f., g. |
| Designated: | 1 March 2002 |
| Reference #: | 01504 |
Riversdale is a special house in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. It is listed as a heritage site, meaning it is important to history. The house was built around 1840 in an early colonial style called Regency. Some of its other buildings are even older. Today, the National Trust of Australia owns and cares for Riversdale. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 1, 2002.
Contents
Discovering Riversdale's Past
Riversdale as a Coaching Inn: A Traveler's Stop
The land where Riversdale stands was first owned by Matthew Healey. He ran a small hotel there called the Old Goulburn Inn. In 1837, Healey sold his properties to retire. He placed an advertisement describing the inn and other buildings.
John Richards bought the property and built Riversdale around 1840. He planned for it to be a "coaching inn" called the Victoria Inn. A coaching inn was like a hotel for people traveling by horse-drawn coach. Sadly, John died before it opened. His wife, Ann, took over the businesses.
The first person to run the inn was Louis Levy. Later, Benjamin Gould held the license from 1843. Their names are still painted on the stone archway at Riversdale. Benjamin Gould was known for helping travelers. Once, when a bridge flooded, he helped people cross on horseback. He even rescued passengers when a mail coach fell through the bridge!
Riversdale as a School: Goulburn Grammar for Boys
From about 1850 to 1856, Riversdale became a boarding school for boys. It was called Goulburn Grammar School. David Patterson, a former headmaster from Sydney, started the school. Students remembered him as a "splendid man" and a great teacher. He was strict but also very kind.
Before David Patterson left, an advertisement for the building's sale appeared. It described the property in 1855. It had 13 rooms, two cellars, a kitchen, and a pantry. There were also stables for horses and coaches, and a large garden with fruit trees. The property even had its own well with fresh water.
After the school, the property was sold to Thomas Bowen, then to Henry Wilson. It became an inn again, called the Criterion Hotel. Later, John Fulljames bought it and used it as his family home.
The Fulljames Family: Naming Riversdale
John Fulljames was born in 1818. He came to Australia as a ship's chief steward and decided to stay. In 1840, he married Elizabeth Smyth. He started a business in Goulburn that dealt with livestock. The Fulljames family had many children. Two of their daughters, Emily and Rachel, married into the Badgery family.
The Fulljames family likely moved into Riversdale in the early 1860s. In 1861, a newspaper mentioned John growing a prize apple at his house in Goulburn. The first time the name "Riversdale" was used for the property was in 1862. It was in a marriage notice for his eldest daughter, Emily. So, it seems the Fulljames family gave Riversdale its name.
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Emily Fulljames around 1860, daughter of John Fulljames. She later married John Badgery.
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Rebecca Fulljames around 1860, daughter of John Fulljames. She later married Andrew Badgery.
The Twynam Family: Long-Term Residents
The Twynam family bought Riversdale in 1875 after renting it for several years. Edward Twynam was born in England in 1832. He came to Australia when he was 23 and became a surveyor. He did many important surveys in New South Wales. From 1888 to 1900, he was the Surveyor-General of New South Wales.
Edward moved to Goulburn in 1864. In 1866, he married Emily Rose Bolton. Emily Rose was born in 1845 and was one of nine children. Her older sister, Lady Mary Windeyer, was famous for her work for women's rights and charity.
Emily was very artistic and skilled in woodcarving, embroidery, and drawing. She won a prize for her embroidery at an exhibition in Chicago in 1893. Her sketchbooks have over 130 drawings of plants, birds, and lizards. She also carved furniture and picture frames, some of which are still at Riversdale.
Emily died in 1910, and Edward died in 1923 at age 91. After Edward's death, their two unmarried daughters, Edith and Alice Joan, lived at Riversdale. In 1939, their sister Phoebe Wesche joined them. All three sisters lived at Riversdale for the rest of their lives. When the youngest sister, Alice Joan, died in 1967, the property was sold to the National Trust of Australia. The Trust still owns and manages Riversdale today.
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Mary Twynam (married name Mary Cunningham), daughter of Edward Twynam.
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Edith Twynam, daughter of Edward Twynam.
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Phoebe Twynam, (married name Phoebe Wesche) daughter of Edward Twynam.
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Riversdale around 1900 with some members of the Twynam family.
National Trust Ownership: Restoring Riversdale
In 1967, the National Trust of Australia (NSW) took over Riversdale. A committee was formed to help restore its gardens. The garden was redesigned by Jean Friend in a style popular after World War II. They created a Victorian cottage garden with many different plants and heritage roses. Fruit trees were also added to the existing orchard.
For a short time in the early 2000s, Riversdale was leased out. The Trust was trying to find ways to get money for maintenance. This plan did not work out. Then, a severe drought hit Goulburn. The garden suffered, and many large trees and special plants died.
Since then, local volunteers have worked hard to bring the garden back to life. A new Property Manager, Debbie Sibbick, was hired. The "Friends of Riversdale" group was formed. They work with other groups to care for the house and garden. In 2011, an appeal raised $25,000 to install an irrigation system. One hundred olive trees were planted to hide nearby buildings. A pergola was also built. The garden was restored after years of drought and neglect.
In 2009, a new committee started, and volunteers began working in 2010. They uncovered old gravel paths and started new plantings. The garden now has many beautiful flowers like lamb's ear, peonies, and roses. In 2012, the garden won "Best Overall Garden" in a local competition.
In 2013, over 500 people gathered at Riversdale for a special Mass. This celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Goulburn. Riversdale's gardens were the site of Goulburn's first Catholic Mass in 1833.
Volunteer Ray Shiel has transformed Riversdale's vegetable garden. It now provides fresh produce for the kitchen and catering team. This helps raise money for the property. Ray also works with local groups like TAFE NSW and the Permaculture Group. He gives demonstrations and workshops.
Riversdale received a grant to build a concrete compost bin. This helps recycle green waste from the 10-acre property. The garden was opened to the public for the first time in 2012. It won an Australia Day Award for its unique garden fair.
Riversdale now hosts an annual Open Garden Australia day and Vintage Fair. Monthly homestead markets started in 2014. Riversdale has become a popular spot for its heritage gardens and local produce. A grant helped build a ramp for disabled access to the toilets. In 2015, a Growers' and Rare Plant Fair was held. Riversdale also hosted a Victorian Christmas. Volunteers continue to promote sustainable gardening and use garden produce for local food.
Exploring Riversdale's Features
Riversdale is located at the northern edge of Goulburn's Old Town. The town plan was set up in 1829 to standardize how towns were built.
Riversdale's Garden and Grounds
The property covers about 10 acres. Riversdale has an old colonial garden that has been restored. Volunteers have added many shrubs, flowers, and fruit trees since 1967.
Some important old trees still remain. These include fruit trees planted in the 1840s, like a medlar tree. There's also an early black locust tree. A line of elm trees from the 1850s stands behind the house. You can also see Aleppo, Canary Island, and Monterey pine trees. Other trees include holm oaks, honey locust, Irish yew, and funeral cypresses.
Three espaliered apple trees from 1918 are still there. The garden was at its best during the Twynam family's time (1872–1969). Volunteers restored the garden between 2010 and 2012. It won "best overall" in a local garden competition in 2012. An old well, possibly from the 1840s, also remains on the property.
The Historic Barn
The stone barn is much older than the house, built in 1828. It is the only building left from the "Old Township" of Goulburn. This makes it one of the oldest buildings in Goulburn.
The Riversdale House
Riversdale is a single-story house built in the Colonial Georgian style. It has two wings that form a courtyard at the back. The house is made of brick with an iron roof, though it originally had a shingle roof. It has timber floors and cedar wood details. The doors have eight panels and are made of cedar. The windows have small glass panes held by cedar bars. The house's design dates back to about 1840. It was built on land given to Mathew Healy in 1830.
Why Riversdale is a Heritage Site
Riversdale is a very important historical site in New South Wales. Its location shows where Goulburn town first began. The house and its buildings are a great example of an early Australian colonial home. It had gardens, paddocks, and other buildings, forming a complete property. The stone barn is especially important because it's the only building left from Goulburn's first settlement in 1828. The house and its outbuildings show how people lived in the 1800s.
Riversdale has been an inn, a school, and a home. This shows its strong connection to the area's social history. It is most known for its connection to the Twynam family. Edward Twynam helped explore and map new areas of New South Wales. His family also contributed to the culture of the district. Riversdale was the second property the National Trust of Australia (NSW) bought to protect its history.
Riversdale is an excellent example of the Old Colonial Regency style. It also shows what wayside inns were like between 1830 and 1880. Riversdale is known for its beautiful design, skilled craftsmanship, and fine details.
The house also has historical and artistic importance because of its old colonial garden. Volunteers have restored and added to it since 1967. Important old plants still growing there include fruit trees from the 1840s, like a medlar tree. There are also old black locust trees, elm trees from the 1850s, and various pine and oak trees.
Riversdale, Goulburn, was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 1, 2002, because it met several important criteria:
It shows the history of New South Wales. Riversdale is linked to Goulburn's earliest town plan from 1829. It also connects to important early citizens. The property was the only major private building in the Old Town. It also served a public purpose as an inn. The property helps us understand a past way of life. It was known as a "cultural house" that helped the town's social life. Riversdale is also near the old Police Barracks and the Goulburn Goal. It has links to early Goulburn figures like Healy, Gould, Levy, Fulljames, and Twynam.
It shows great design and skill in New South Wales. Riversdale is a typical example of an early Colonial suburban house. Its design and original materials show what the mid-1800s Colonial period was like. The old buildings, especially the stone barn, are excellent examples of service buildings for a gentleman's home. Riversdale's location, slightly outside the town and near the Wollondilly River, adds to its unique quality.
It can teach us about New South Wales' history. The site includes land once used by the Mounted Police in Goulburn. Even though those buildings are gone, old plans show where they were. There might have been even older buildings too. This means the site is important for archaeological study.
It is rare in New South Wales' history. Riversdale is rare because of its historical, social, and environmental links to the founding of Goulburn as a town.
It shows the main features of important cultural places in New South Wales. Riversdale is a great example of an early Colonial suburban house. Its design and original materials show what the mid-1800s Colonial period was like.
See also
- List of historic homesteads in Australia
