Tawa, Toowoomba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tawa |
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Front of the residence, 2014
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| Location | 9 Boulton Street, Toowoomba City, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | circa 1860s |
| Official name: Tawa | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 31 October 1994 |
| Reference no. | 601301 |
| Significant period | 1860s (fabric, historical) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - main house |
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Tawa is a historic cottage located in Toowoomba City, Queensland, Australia. It was built around the 1860s. This makes it one of the oldest homes still standing in Toowoomba. Tawa is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important part of Queensland's history.
Contents
The Story of Tawa
Tawa is believed to have been built in the mid-1850s. It stands as one of the very first houses in Toowoomba.
Early Land Owners
In 1849, a surveyor named JC Burnett marked out 12 pieces of land. These were known as the Drayton Swamp Agricultural Reserve. In 1850, William Horton, a local publican, bought two of these land pieces. Later, in 1851, he bought three more.
Other important buyers were Sydney businessmen Thomas Sutcliffe Mort and Alexander Campbell Brown. They bought land with their Toowoomba partner, Thomas Ayerst. By 1855, Thomas Mort owned three of these land pieces himself. This area of Toowoomba became known as the Mort Estate.
Thomas Mort was a very successful businessman. He started as an auctioneer in Sydney in the 1840s. He became famous for selling wool. His wealth grew a lot in the 1850s from buying and selling large farms.
Martin Boulton's Connection
In 1862, Martin Boulton bought some land from the Mort Estate. He was a businessman from Leyburn who moved to Toowoomba. Martin Boulton was related to other important Toowoomba figures like Thomas Alford.
Boulton was active in making Toowoomba a municipality in 1860. This meant Toowoomba could have its own local government. He was even elected to the first Toowoomba Town Council.
By 1864, Boulton started dividing his land into smaller blocks. He built a row of terrace cottages there. These were called Boulton Terrace. Later, Boulton faced financial problems. The land was taken over by the Bank of New South Wales in 1867.
Later Years and Renovations
Over the years, the property was divided further and changed owners many times. In 1970, the front of Tawa was covered with a material called fibro.
However, in 1971, Tawa was renovated. The fibro was removed, and new wallpaper was put up to match the original design. Norman and Elizabeth Oliver, who owned Tawa from 1971 to 1974, even opened the house for people to visit.
The current owners bought Tawa in 1979. In 1983, they added a two-storey extension to the back of the house. This new part was built using recycled bricks from the old Toowoomba General Hospital.
What Tawa Looks Like
Tawa is a small, single-storey house made of brick. It has a steep, hipped roof covered with corrugated iron. The front of the house faces Boulton Street.
Outside Features
There is a verandah at the front of the house. It has a curved corrugated iron awning supported by cast iron columns. These columns are even stamped with "BUBB & SON." The floor of the verandah is made of timber.
The main entrance has a timber door with a fanlight above it. On each side of the door, there is a French door. The house has two brick chimney stacks on its southern side. The windows are timber sash windows with arched tops.
The sides of the house are made of face brick. The front is rendered (covered with a smooth plaster-like finish). The back shows signs of older parts that have been removed. A timber walkway with a corrugated iron gable roof connects the house to a newer building at the back.
Inside Features
Inside, Tawa has four main rooms. There is a central hallway at the back. The walls are rendered brick and covered with wallpaper. You can even see signs of older wallpaper underneath. The ceilings are made of hardboard with timber strips, covering older plaster.
The house has beautiful cedar joinery. This includes panelled doors, architraves (frames around doors and windows), and skirtings (boards along the bottom of walls). The two fireplaces have timber surrounds. The floors are made of old pitsawn timber boards, which are now covered with carpet.
Property Details
A narrow driveway runs along the northern side of the house. It leads to the back of the property. A new iron fence, made from security grilles from the Baillie Henderson Hospital, has been added to the front boundary.
Why Tawa is Important
Tawa was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 31 October 1994. This means it meets certain important standards.
Showing History
Tawa is one of the oldest homes in Toowoomba. It helps us understand how Toowoomba grew and developed as a place for people to live, especially from the 1850s onwards.
Design and Construction
The building is located in one of Toowoomba's first residential areas. It is a great example of how houses were designed and built in the 1860s. Its appearance also adds a lot to the look of Boulton Street.
Aesthetic Value
Tawa has a strong aesthetic value, meaning it is beautiful and pleasing to look at. Its design and age make it an important part of the streetscape.
Special Connections
Because Tawa is on Boulton Street, it has a link to Martin Boulton. He was an important businessman in Toowoomba's early days. Tawa is also connected to Thomas Sutcliffe Mort, who was one of the big land investors in Toowoomba during the 1850s.
