Sinnamon Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sinnamon Farm |
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Avondale in 2014
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| Location | 645 & 693 Seventeen Mile Rocks Road, Sinnamon Park, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s–1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1869–1890s |
| Official name: Sinnamon Farm, Avondale and Macleod aviation site, Beechwood, Glen Ross and Seventeen Mile Rocks School, 600237, 600234, 600236 | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological, built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600233 |
| Significant period | 1869–1890s (fabric) 1860s–1960s, 1910 (historical) |
| Significant components | shed – storage, farmhouse, shed – shelter, objects (movable) – farming, garden – ornamental/flower, trees/plantings, school/school room, plaque, orchard, barn, kitchen/kitchen house, garden – vegetable |
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Sinnamon Farm is a special place in Sinnamon Park, Queensland, Australia. It's a heritage-listed farm with buildings that were built between 1869 and the 1890s. This farm is also known by names like Avondale, Beechwood, Glen Ross, and the Seventeen Mile Rocks School. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 because of its important history.
Contents
The Sinnamon Family Arrives
The Sinnamon family came to Brisbane in 1863. James Sinnamon, a farmer from Northern Ireland, arrived with his wife Margaret and their ten children. They were looking for a better life and more freedom.
In 1865, the family settled in an area called Seventeen Mile Rocks, right by the Brisbane River. This area was becoming popular for farms.
Starting the Farm
The land along the river was covered in thick rainforest. The Sinnamon family had to work hard to clear the land. They cut down trees and burned the scrub to create space for farming.
In 1866, James Sinnamon bought more land. On one part of their property, they built a large hut from split logs with an earthen floor. They used money from government land orders and loans to improve their farm.
Building Homes on the Farm
By 1869, the Sinnamon family built a bigger house called Beechwood. They cut and moved timber from their own land to build it. Sadly, James Sinnamon was hurt by a horse during this time and passed away. His wife Margaret and their children finished building Beechwood and kept the farm going.
Beechwood has been lived in continuously since 1869. It is one of the oldest homes in the area, like Wolston House (built in 1863).
Glen Ross and Avondale
In 1887, another large house called Glen Ross was built for James Sinnamon Jr., one of James and Margaret's sons. He named it after their family home in Ireland. This house was made bigger over time for his nine children. A large hay shed was built around 1890 but burned down in 1978.
Later, in the 1890s, a fourth house called Avondale was built for Benjamin Sinnamon, another son. He and his wife and six children lived there.
Other Family Properties
George Sinnamon, another of James and Margaret's children, bought a property called Rosemount. It had a long path lined with mango trees. Rosemount burned down around 1970. The land was then given to the Methodist Church, which built the Sinnamon Retirement Village there.
Farming Life and Community
The Sinnamon farms grew many different crops over the years. They started with sugarcane and cotton, then grew corn, potatoes, and pineapples. Later, they focused on raising horses and cattle, especially pure Jersey cows.
The Sinnamon family was also very involved in their local community. They helped start the Seventeen Mile Rocks School and the local church, now known as the Sinnamon Memorial Uniting Church. Benjamin Sinnamon was even on the local council for many years.
The Seventeen Mile Rocks School
Children in the Seventeen Mile Rocks area had to travel far to go to school. So, in 1870, a temporary school was built. Local farmers helped by providing timber and furniture.
By 1876, enough money was raised to build a new school building. It was finished in 1877 and opened in 1878 with 32 students. The school also had a shelter shed and a house for the teacher.
In the early 1900s, the school's inside walls were covered with wooden boards, and its roof was changed from shingles to corrugated iron. The school closed in 1966 when Jindalee State School opened.
The school building was later bought by Hercules Sinnamon, a businessman and farmer from the family. He moved it to his property. Generations of the Sinnamon family had attended this school. It has since been used as an interactive museum for school groups.
Early Flights at Sinnamon Farm
Sinnamon Farm was also a special place for early aviation. In 1910, Thomas Macleod made pioneering glider flights there. He also made the first officially watched flight in Queensland of a machine heavier than air. These events were remembered in 1970 with a plaque near the relocated school.
Preserving the Farm's History
From the 1960s, some Sinnamon land was sold for new suburbs like Jindalee. However, Hercules Sinnamon worked hard to keep the family's main property between Seventeen Mile Rocks Road and the Brisbane River.
He wanted to protect his family's history. He stopped a plan for a bridge that would go through the farmland. He also moved the old school building to his property to save it. Hercules Sinnamon passed away in 1994 at 94 years old.
After Hercules Sinnamon's death, the land was sold for new houses. However, a plan was made in 2011 to restore the heritage-listed buildings like Glen Ross, Beechwood, and the old Seventeen Mile Rocks School. Work on these restorations was happening in 2014.
What You Can See at Sinnamon Farm
Sinnamon Farm includes all the old buildings, structures, and gardens connected to the Sinnamon family.
- Beechwood (1869): This is an old farmhouse with a gabled roof and a veranda. It has four bedrooms and a living room. It was built from timber cut on the property.
- Glen Ross (1887): This house is a typical Queensland home from the late 1800s. It has twelve rooms and wide verandas with decorative ironwork. It also has a formal front garden, vegetable beds, and an orchard. You can still see an old shed and farming tools there.
- Avondale (around 1890s): This is another Queensland farmhouse from the late 1800s, similar to Glen Ross. It has wide verandas on all sides with decorative ironwork. There's also an old barn and the stone remains of a circular horse-powered mill.
- Former Seventeen Mile Rocks School (1877): This one-room school building was moved to the farm. It has a gabled roof and verandas. Inside, the walls are lined with wooden boards. It still has old student desks and benches. There's also a separate shelter shed.
- Macleod Aviation Site (1910): This is the area where Thomas Macleod made his famous glider flights. A plaque was placed here in 1970 to remember these important events.
Why Sinnamon Farm is Important
Sinnamon Farm is important for many reasons:
- History of Queensland: It shows how early farms were set up along the Brisbane River from the 1860s to the 1890s. It also shows how communities grew around families, schools, and churches.
- Rare Grouping: It's rare to find such a group of old farm buildings and structures in a suburban area like Brisbane today. It helps us understand how people lived in the past.
- Typical Old Buildings: The houses and school are great examples of timber buildings from rural Queensland in the 1800s. They are still in good condition and show what these types of buildings were like.
- Sinnamon Family Connection: The farm has a strong link to the Sinnamon family, who were very important in developing the local area and in other public activities since the 1860s.
