Toorak House, Brisbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toorak House |
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Toorak House, 2009
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| Location | 28 Annie Street, Hamilton, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | c. 1865 - 1915 |
| Built for | James Robert Dickson |
| Official name: Toorak House | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 2 March 1994 |
| Reference no. | 600216 |
| Significant period | 1860s-1890s, 1910s (fabric) 1860s- 1910s (historical) |
| Significant components | garden/grounds, views to, tower - observation/lookout, mural / fresco, wall/s - retaining, residential accommodation - main house, gate - entrance, views from, out house, garden edging/balustrades/planter boxes |
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Toorak House is a beautiful old home in Hamilton, Brisbane, Australia. It's a special type of house called a villa, which means it's a large, fancy house. It was built a long time ago, starting around 1865. Because it's so old and important, it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which helps protect historic places.
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History of Toorak House
Toorak House was built for a famous Brisbane businessman named James Robert Dickson. He moved to the Breakfast Creek area around 1865. Dickson was involved in selling land and other businesses.
James Dickson: A Leader in Queensland
James Dickson was also a very important politician. He became a Member of Parliament in 1873. This meant he helped make laws for Queensland. He held many different jobs in the government. Later, he became the Premier of Queensland, which is like being the leader of the state. He was Premier from 1898 to 1899.
Dickson strongly believed in Federation. This was when all the separate Australian colonies joined together to form one country. He even went to England to help make this happen. He became the first Minister of Defence for the new country of Australia. Sadly, he died shortly after Federation in 1901.
Building and Changes to the House
The land where Toorak House stands was first owned by William Robert Howe Weekes in 1864. James Dickson bought part of this land. By 1873, the house and its grounds were owned by Annie Dickson, James's wife.
Toorak House was built using stone from nearby quarries. Its design was inspired by a house in Melbourne, Australia. The style of the house shows the influence of the "English Picturesque movement." This style aimed to make buildings look like they fit beautifully into nature, almost like a painting.
Early photos show that Toorak House was first a single-storey building. The second storey and a taller tower were added later, by the 1890s.
When James Dickson traveled to Europe in the early 1890s, he brought back two large marble lions. These lions now stand at the entrance of Toorak House. He also hired Italian artists to decorate the inside of the house.
Later Owners and Uses
After James Dickson passed away, his children became the owners. In 1907, a school called Eton High School (which later became St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School) leased Toorak House. The school thought it was a healthy place for students who lived there. However, it was "too great a climb" for day students, so the school moved around 1910.
More parts were added to Toorak House in 1915 by an architect named Richard Gailey.
Over the years, several important families owned Toorak House. These included graziers (people who raise livestock), business owners, and art collectors. Since 1977, the house has remained with the Allen family. It still sits on a large piece of land, showing its long history.
What Toorak House Looks Like
Toorak House is a grand, two-storey home made of sandstone. It has a style called Gothic-influenced, which means it has some features like old castles or cathedrals. The house has steep, shingled roofs. There's also a smaller brick wing at the back. It sits on top of Hamilton Hill, giving it amazing views.
Outside the House
The front of the house is very impressive. It has a square tower that looks like a castle tower, rising above the roof. On either side of the tower are two tall bay windows and windows in the roof called dormer windows. The ground floor has a U-shaped porch, or verandah, with a corrugated iron roof.
To enter the house, you walk up stone stairs. These stairs are guarded by two life-sized marble lions. At the bottom of the tower, there's an arched entrance. The word "TOORAK" is set into the marble floor at the entrance.
The outside of the house has many decorative details. The stone walls have special carved stones called quoins and keystones around the windows. The roofs are decorated with carved wooden pieces and brackets.
Inside the House
Inside, the house has many rooms. On the ground floor, there are four large rooms and two smaller ones, all off a central hallway. Upstairs, there are four big bedrooms and two smaller ones.
The entrance hall is very special. It has beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings, called frescos. The rooms on the ground floor have fancy marble fireplaces and detailed plaster work on the ceilings. The wooden parts, like doors and frames, are mostly made of cedar wood.
Wooden stairs lead to the upstairs rooms. A small room at the end of the upstairs hallway has narrow stairs that go up to the very top of the tower. From here, you can see amazing 360-degree views of Brisbane.
The back part of the house is made of brick. It has a kitchen, bedrooms, and an office. Some rooms have stone floors, while others have wooden floors. Some of the rooms still have their original wooden or metal ceilings.
The Gardens
The gardens around Toorak House are also very beautiful. In front of the house, there's an oval-shaped rose garden with a circular driveway. The garden on the east side has different levels, like terraces. The northern garden has a lawn, a tall hedge, and an old brick outhouse. The grounds have many large, old trees, including palm trees, jacarandas, and Moreton Bay chestnuts.
Why Toorak House is Important
Toorak House was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 2 March 1994. This means it's recognized as an important part of Queensland's history for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland grew: As a large stone house built in the 1860s, it helps us understand how Brisbane developed.
- It's a great example of its style: The house and its gardens show what a grand villa influenced by the English Picturesque movement looked like.
- It's beautiful: People value its lovely interiors, impressive outside look, and the beautiful gardens.
- It's connected to important people: Many important political and social figures from Queensland's past lived here, like the Dicksons and other notable families.
