Strathmore Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strathmore Homestead |
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Strathmore Homestead, 2007
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| Location | Strathmore Road, Springlands, Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name: Strathmore Homestead, Strathmore Station | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 13 November 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602683 |
| Significant period | 1860s |
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Strathmore Homestead is a special old house and property in Springlands, Queensland, Australia. It's known as a "heritage-listed" site, which means it's important to history and protected. The homestead is part of Strathmore Station, a large cattle property. Buildings here started being built in the 1860s and have grown over time. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008 because of its historical value.
Contents
A Look Back: Strathmore's History
Strathmore Homestead is located about 27 kilometers (17 miles) north-west of Collinsville. It was first set up in the early 1860s. Over the years, many buildings have been added. These include the main house, a slab hut (an old building made of timber slabs), stables, and even a former school and zoo!
Early Owners and Growth
In 1862, a person named PF Selheim first leased Strathmore. Later, in the 1870s, Leopold De Salis, a well-known farmer and politician, took over the lease. He helped combine several smaller properties into the larger Strathmore Station.
By 1890, the Union Bank of Australia took over the lease. They managed the property for several years.
The Cunningham Family Arrives
A very important change happened in 1902. A partnership began between William Oswald Gilchrist, William Holden Watt, and Arthur Henry Wickham Cunningham (AHW Cunningham). This was the start of the Cunningham family's long connection with Strathmore, which continues today!
The Cunningham family is one of the oldest farming families in North Queensland. AHW Cunningham's father, Edward Cunningham, had explored the area in the 1860s and started other large properties.
In 1902, after a tough time at another family property, AHW Cunningham decided to buy Strathmore Station. He moved there and his family has lived there ever since.
Building the Homestead
The main house at Strathmore was likely built around 1903. This was just after the Cunningham family took over. The house has a style that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It has fancy decorations on the roof and a grand entrance.
An even older building on the property is the slab hut. It's thought to be from the 1860s, making it one of the oldest buildings there. It was likely used as a kitchen back then. Today, it's used for staff living and dining.
By 1906, Strathmore had many buildings, including:
- The main house
- Two kitchens (one possibly the slab hut)
- Sheds and a saddle room
- Stables and yards
- A men's hut
- A cottage
- A store and office
- A beef house (for storing meat)
- A blacksmith's shop (where metal items were made)
Strathmore's Importance and the Cunninghams
AHW Cunningham managed Strathmore and other properties, covering a huge area of 4,000 square kilometers (about 1,500 square miles) with over 50,000 cattle!
He was also very involved in the local community. He was a member of the Queensland Turf Club (for horse racing) and helped start the North Queensland Amateur Turf Club. He was also a leader in the Wangaratta Shire Council for 39 years. During World War I, he was considered to be doing "essential work" by managing the station, so he stayed home to help.
His son, Edward Cunningham, also worked on Strathmore. Like his father, Edward helped manage the property and was involved in public life. He was chairman of the Bowen Shire Council and helped start the Poll Devon Breed of cattle in Australia.
The Cunningham family's connection to Strathmore continues to this day. Three members of the family are buried in a private cemetery near the homestead.
Exploring Strathmore Homestead Today
Strathmore Homestead is a large property with many different buildings and areas. It's located on a 41,000-hectare (101,000-acre) land lease.
The Main Residence
The main house sits on a small hill near Crush Creek. It's a big timber house with wide verandahs (porches) on three sides. It has a large, fancy roof made of corrugated iron. The main entrance is grand, with concrete stairs and a path lined with palm trees. Inside, the rooms have wooden walls and ceilings, and some have fireplaces.
Kitchen and Utility Wing
Attached to the main house is a separate building that holds the kitchen and other utility rooms. It's also made of timber and has a corrugated iron roof.
Laundry and Office
- Laundry and Toilet Block: A small timber building for washing clothes and toilets, located near the main house.
- Office (Former Schoolhouse): This building used to be the school for children on the station. Now it's the office and storage area. It holds many old records, photos, and items related to Strathmore and the Cunningham family.
Slab Hut and Additions
This is believed to be the oldest building on the property. It's a simple hut made of vertical timber slabs. It has a steep roof and a verandah. Later additions were built onto it. Today, the slab hut part is used for staff sleeping quarters, and the newer part has a dining room and kitchen.
Staff Quarters
There are several buildings used as staff quarters:
- Former School Teacher's Residence: This small timber cottage used to be where the school teacher lived. It's now used for staff and contains many trophies from the station's award-winning cattle.
- Former Head Stockman's Residence: Located near the main entrance, this timber building is now used for contractors.
Meathouses
Several old meathouses are still on the property. These were used to store meat. They have pyramid-shaped roofs and are made of timber slabs. Inside, you can still see old hooks for hanging meat and chopping blocks.
Other Buildings and Areas
- Cottages: There are a few other smaller cottages around the property, used for various purposes.
- Station Oven: A disused brick oven can be found near the meathouses.
- Station Sheds: Many sheds are scattered around for different uses, like mechanics' work or storage.
- Garage: A timber and corrugated iron building used for parking vehicles.
- Cattle Yards: There's a large area with yards made of rough timber for managing cattle. Some of these yards were even used in the movie "Australia"!
- Stables: Stables and yards, also made of timber, are located near the road. These once housed racehorses and special cattle.
- Swimming Pool: An old concrete swimming pool is located near the creek. It's not used anymore.
- Strathmore Private Zoo: This unique area has various enclosures that used to house animals like buffalo, deer, monkeys, a camel, birds, and even a crocodile!
- Weir: A small concrete wall built across Crush Creek to control water flow.
- Cunningham Family Cemetery: A private cemetery where three members of the Cunningham family are buried. Their gravestones tell a bit about their lives.
Why Strathmore Homestead is Important
Strathmore Homestead is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for several reasons:
- History of Queensland: It shows how the Kennedy District in North Queensland was settled for farming and cattle. It's one of the earliest properties established in the area and has been used continuously since 1862.
- Rare Buildings: It has rare examples of early buildings, like the slab hut from the 1860s, which is very uncommon to find in this part of Queensland.
- Typical Station Life: It helps us understand what a large cattle station was like in Queensland from the 1800s to the 1900s. It shows how the different buildings worked together.
- Beautiful Place: The homestead, with its palm-lined entrance, old buildings, and natural setting, is considered very beautiful and interesting.
- Cunningham Family Connection: It has a very special link to the Cunningham family, who are one of the oldest and most important farming families in North Queensland. They have been connected to Strathmore since 1902.
