The Briars, Wahroonga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Briars
The Briars in January 2013.
Location	14 Woonona Avenue, Wahroonga, Ku-ring-gai Council, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1895
Built for	William Alexander Balcombe
Architect	Charles H. Halstead
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Briars, The; The Briars
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	274
Type	House
Category	Residential buildings (private)
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The Briars is a special old house located at 14 Woonona Avenue in Wahroonga, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It was designed by an architect named Charles H. Halstead. This house is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, meaning it's protected for its historical value.

A Look Back at The Briars' History

How the Area Grew

Long ago, in the late 1700s, explorers like Captain John Hunter and Captain Arthur Phillip explored the land north of Sydney Cove. They were looking for good places to farm and find fresh water. This area was originally home to the Gurringal Aboriginal people. Today, you can still find rock carvings that show they lived here. In 1896, a large area of bushland was set aside as a park and named Ku-ring-gai Chase, honoring the original inhabitants.

The first European settler in the Ku-ring-gai area was William Henry, who started Millwood Farm in 1814. Later, in the 1820s, Joseph Fidden became an important person in the area. He used to row timber from the Lane Cove River to Sydney. His place, Fiddens Wharf, was a popular spot for the tough sawyers and bushmen.

Over time, more settlers arrived, like Robert Pymble, who started the first orange orchard in the area. The suburb of Pymble is named after him! Getting to Sydney was hard back then. The North Shore railway line finally opened in 1890, making it much easier for people to travel and for the area to grow.

By the early 1900s, Ku-ring-gai started to become a popular place for wealthy families. They built large homes with beautiful gardens. Even during the Great Depression in the 1930s, Ku-ring-gai didn't suffer as much as other places. Many people still owned their homes, and new houses continued to be built.

The Story of The Briars House

The land where The Briars stands was first given to John Terry Hughes in 1842. After he passed away, the land was divided into smaller pieces. The Briars was built during the first big growth period in Wahroonga, right after the railway opened in 1890.

In 1895, Jessie Edith Balcombe bought a piece of land from the Bundarra Estate. Her husband, William Alexander Balcombe, was a public servant. They built The Briars on their land that same year.

The house was designed by Charles Herbert Halstead, a young architect from England. He also designed other important buildings in Sydney, like parts of Sydney Grammar School.

Here's a cool fact about The Briars: William Alexander Balcombe's uncle used to be the Governor of St Helena, a volcanic island far away. It's believed that the house he lived in on St Helena was also called The Briars, and that this house in Wahroonga was built to look similar! Even more amazing, Napoleon Bonaparte himself supposedly lived in the Governor's house on St Helena for a while after he was exiled there in 1815. Historical records even say that Napoleon was often seen playing with the Balcombe children during his stay!

The Balcombe family had a tradition of naming their homes "The Briars." There's another "The Briars" house in Victoria, Australia, built by William's brother, which also looks similar.

Over the years, the large garden around The Briars became smaller due to land being sold off. The Great Depression made things tough for the Balcombes, and Jessie eventually sold the house in 1941.

Later, in 1968, the property was sold to Ian and Judith Heydon. They lovingly renovated The Briars house in 1972. In the 1990s, more land around The Briars was developed, with new houses being built nearby.

In 1999, John and Elizabeth Fuller bought The Briars. It was in poor condition, but they spent two years carefully restoring both the house and its garden. They made the garden into beautiful "rooms" with hedges to create private spaces.

A house built on what used to be The Briars' tennis court was knocked down in 2009. In a wonderful move, the Ku-Ring-Gai Council bought this land in 2009 to turn it into a public park. This helped bring back some of the original open space around The Briars, allowing people to see the beautiful house from the street again. The Fullers have even opened their home and garden to the public for special events!

What The Briars Looks Like

The Garden and Surroundings

The Briars is surrounded by a large and interesting garden, even though it's smaller than it used to be. From the street, you can catch glimpses of tall trees and unique chimney pots, hinting at the beauty within.

A gravel driveway leads to the front door. It's lined with hedges and leads around to the garage. The house sits on a sloping block of land, which has been leveled into terraces.

On the north side of the house, there's an old cast iron fountain in a pond. It's a lovely spot in the middle of the lawn. Steps behind the house lead down to a large back garden. This garden is divided into different "rooms," some formal and neat, others more natural.

You can still find some very old turpentine trees in the garden. There's also a large English elm tree in one corner. The current owners have worked hard to restore and improve the garden, planting many beautiful flowers and plants.

Inside The Briars House

The Briars is a very well-built house, and many of its original features are still there. Things like the wooden details, screenwork, and even the fireplaces are original from when it was built in 1895!

The house is made of brick with a slate roof. It has a charming timber verandah that wraps around three sides. This verandah is decorated with pretty wooden brackets. French doors open from the main rooms onto the verandah.

When the Fullers bought the house in 1998, it needed a lot of work. The roof had many broken slates, and some rooms didn't even have electricity! But the house had strong "bones." They found beautiful tallow wood floors hidden under carpets and polished them. The original fireplaces, doors, windows, and ceiling roses were all still there. You can even see the old servant bells next to the fireplaces!

The Fullers have furnished the house with furniture from the same time period, making it feel like you've stepped back in time.

• Hallway: Look for a collection of plates on a special railing. There's an old barometer from around 1835 and a beautiful Victorian table from the 1860s. A tall clock from the 1780s is a family treasure.
• Main Bedroom: The large bed and chest of drawers are old Victorian pieces. The bed covering was even made by Mrs. Fuller to match the room!
• Second Bedroom: Notice the original cast iron ceiling rose and the wooden ceiling.
• Library: This room also has its original ceiling rose and wooden ceiling. You'll find an old revolving table and a French bookcase from the 1880s.
• Dining Room: This elegant room has a grand fireplace. On the mantelpiece, there's a French clock and a small statue of Napoleon. These remind us of Napoleon's connection to the Balcombe family!
• Formal Sitting Room: Most of the furniture here is early Victorian. Many china pieces are family heirlooms.
• Morning Room: You can see prints of paintings by Thomas Balcombe (William's father) and even a recent photo of "The Briars" on St Helena.

The verandah still has some of its original posts. You can also see the unique chimney pots with fans on the roof. When the current owners bought the property, the garden was like a jungle! They had to make many trips to clear it, but they kept many old trees and shrubs.

Condition and Changes

The Briars house is in great condition today, thanks to the careful work of its owners. Many original parts of the house and garden are still preserved. For example, twelve old turpentine trees remain from the very first trees on the property.

Over the years, there have been some changes to the property:

• Around the 1940s-50s, the former tennis court in front of the house was sold, and another house was built there.
• In 1983, the house was beautifully restored by its owners at the time.
• In 1999, more changes were made to restore the house, like removing some newer additions and fitting out new bathrooms and a kitchen.
• In the early 2000s, new townhouses were built on land that used to be part of The Briars estate.
• In 2009, the house that was built on the old tennis court was demolished.
• In 2010, the Ku-Ring-Gai Council bought this land and turned it into a public park. This park helps restore the original view of The Briars from the street. The Council is even planning to name it Balcombe Park, after the family who built The Briars!

Why The Briars is Special

The Briars is very important because of its history, culture, and beautiful design. It's a great example of a house style that was popular around the late 1800s and early 1900s. It shows how homes were built in Wahroonga when the railway first opened in 1890.

The Briars is also special because of its connection to the Balcombe family and, surprisingly, to Napoleon Bonaparte! William Alexander Balcombe, who built The Briars in Wahroonga, was the grandson of William Balcombe (Snr). William Balcombe (Snr) was a British agent on the island of St Helena when Napoleon was exiled there after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Napoleon actually lived with the Balcombe family at their home on St Helena, which was also called The Briars! He stayed in a special building called the Pavilion on their estate. It's said that Napoleon often played with the Balcombe children during his time there.

William Balcombe (Snr) later moved to New South Wales and became the first Colonial Treasurer. His son, Thomas, became a famous artist. The Balcombe family had a tradition of naming their houses "The Briars." The Pavilion on St Helena even looks similar to The Briars in Wahroonga! There's also another "The Briars" house in Victoria, Australia, built by William's brother, which shares a similar design.

The Briars was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, recognizing its unique place in history.