The Homestead, Chipping Norton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Homestead |
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| Location | Charlton Avenue, Chipping Norton, City of Liverpool, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1884–1893 |
| Owner | Chipping Norton Lakes Authority |
| Official name: Homestead, The; The Homestead; Chipping Norton Homestead | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 214 |
| Type | Homestead building |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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The Homestead is a very old house in Chipping Norton, Sydney, Australia. It was built between 1884 and 1893. Many people also know it as Chipping Norton Homestead.
This special house is owned by the Chipping Norton Lakes Authority. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is an important historical place that needs to be protected.
Contents
The Homestead's Story
The Homestead is located near the Georges River in an area that was mostly farmland. This area was named Chipping Norton after a village in England. It was named by William Alexander Long. He was born in Sydney in 1839.
William Long studied law in England. He later lived in Chipping Norton, England. He bought a lot of land in this area around 1900. He called his own home "Chipping Norton" too.
His property also had a horse stud, which is a place where horses are bred. Many excellent young horses came from his stud farm. William Long passed away in 1915. After he died, the Government of New South Wales bought his land. They divided it into smaller farms for soldiers returning from World War I.
Early Days of the Land
Before Europeans arrived, the land where The Homestead stands was a forest. There were also swampy areas along the river. We don't have records of Aboriginal people living exactly where The Homestead is now.
The first Europeans to explore this area were George Bass and Matthew Flinders. This was followed by Governor Hunter in 1797. Land grants, which are like giving away land, started in the late 1790s.
One of the first settlers was George Johnston. He was an officer in the New South Wales Corps. He received a large land grant where the Georges River and Prospect Creek meet. His house, George's Hall, was built on a hill overlooking the river.
Another officer, Thomas Rowley, received land next to Johnston's in 1798. It is thought that these early land grants were used for farming. They might have grown crops or used the land for animals. There might have been small huts for workers too.
Who Owned the Land?
Over the years, the land changed hands many times. Thomas Rowley's land went to Robert Campbell junior by 1822. Then, in 1837, Samuel Bowler bought it. He owned the land for almost 30 years, likely using it as a farm.
In 1865, Samuel Bowler sold his land to David Johnston. This meant that the two original land grants were now owned by one family. The Johnston family kept the land until 1883.
Then, Alfred Smart bought both properties. He then sold them to William Long in 1884. William Long was the person who named the area "Chipping Norton."
Recent History of The Homestead
The 1890s had a tough economy. This made things hard for William Long. He had to mortgage his entire property by 1899.
After William Long, several other people owned The Homestead. In the early 1900s, the area became part of a plan to settle soldiers after the war. The land was divided into small farms. At that time, The Homestead property had other buildings. These included a cottage, stables, a coach house, and sheds.
During World War II, from 1942 to 1943, the military used The Homestead. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, the Fairall family lived there. In 1975, The National Trust of Australia (NSW) recognized the property as important for its history.
In 1978, the NSW Department of Environment and Planning bought The Homestead. This was part of a bigger plan called the Chipping Norton Lakes Scheme. Before 1992, the buildings were fixed up. The gardens were tidied, and a new fence was put up.
In the early 1990s, The Homestead was rented out as a restaurant. It was also used for entertainment. In 1992, the Liverpool City Council became responsible for the property. The lease ended in 1998. The council was looking for new ways to use The Homestead. As of 2018, the building was empty.
What The Homestead Looks Like
The Homestead is a group of buildings and features. It includes:
- A main house made of brick, built in a style called Victorian Italianate. It has wings at the back for services and rooms.
- Two newer buildings outside.
- Some old plants and trees from its early garden.
- A small wooden garden shed.
- The place where old timber stables used to be.
The Homestead is on flat land. It looks out over Lake Moore, where sand mining used to happen. The garden has grassy areas with many large trees and some newer shrubs. Some of the original plants include pine trees, an olive grove, and large peppercorn trees.
The Main House
The Homestead is a single-story house. It is built in the Victorian Italianate style. The walls are made of brick covered in stucco. It has a hipped slate roof and brick chimneys.
A verandah goes around two sides of the house. Its roof is slightly curved and made of corrugated iron. It is held up by round cast iron columns. These columns have fancy cast iron decorations.
The front verandah is next to a part of the house with its own roof. It also has a projecting three-sided bay window. The Italianate style decorations include brackets and raised panels under the eaves. There are also moldings around the round-headed windows. The verandah floor is covered with patterned tiles and has sandstone edges.
The front door has carved panels. Above the door, in the fanlight and side lights, there is colorful stained glass. Inside, there are five main rooms. Each room has a fireplace, mostly made of marble. The doors, windows, and their frames were in good condition in 1992. Some original plaster ceilings and cornices were still there. Others had been replaced with pressed metal. At the back of the house, there is a large room with light from the roof. This room also has patterned tiles on the floor.
The Gardens and Grounds
The area around The Homestead has many old garden features. The plants are a mix of native and introduced trees, shrubs, and grasses. Some of the trees include camphor laurels, Himalayan cedars, gums, silky oaks, and jacarandas.
Two very old camphor laurel trees are over 100 years old. They are close to the house. There were originally more, but two were cut down in 2011. Their roots were causing problems for the house's foundation. Other trees nearby include tall fan palms and Monterey pines.
Under the camphor laurels, you can find plants like ladder ferns, Kaffir lilies, and spider plants. There are also concrete paths near the old kitchen area.
The garden also has some interesting old features. On the north and south sides of the house, you can still see where an old driveway was. There are also parts of old paths made of bitumen and concrete. To the east of the house, you can see the remains of a concrete fountain. It is now covered with a large wooden lid.
Behind the house, there is a round brick cistern. A cistern is like a large tank for collecting water. This one is about 2.6 meters wide and 4 meters deep. Outside the northern edge of the property, there is a concrete horse trough. It is 3.2 meters long and 0.85 meters wide.
The grounds also hold the remains of the old timber stables and coach house from the late 1800s. These are located behind the main house. A wooden sign marks the spot. The foundations of these buildings are still there. Inside the foundations, you can see some old farm tools. The sign explains that the stables and coach house were built in 1887 by William Long. In the early 1920s, the coach house was even used as a temporary school! The building was made of wood with a corrugated iron roof. Sadly, it fell down during storms in the early 1990s.
Heritage Listing
The Homestead was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This listing helps protect its history and importance for future generations.
