Wallcliffe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wallcliffe House |
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| General information | |
| Type | Homestead |
| Location | Prevelly, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°58′16″S 114°59′43″E / 33.971075°S 114.995167°E |
| Designated | 26 August 2005 |
| Reference no. | 114 |
Wallcliffe House was a very old and important home in Western Australia. It was built near the town of Prevelly and the Margaret River. This two-storey house was made from stone, wood shingles, and corrugated iron. It was considered a special heritage site.
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The Story of Wallcliffe House
Wallcliffe House was built by Alfred Bussell and his wife Ellen Bussell. They started building it in 1857 and finished in 1865. The house was designed in a style called Victorian-Georgian. The builders used local materials like limestone from the property. They also used jarrah wood, which was cut right there.
The Bussell Family's Big Estate
Wallcliffe House was the main building of the Bussell family's huge property. This estate covered about 24,000 hectares. It stretched all the way from Cowaramup to the Donnelly River. Before Wallcliffe, the Bussells lived at another place called "Ellensbrook". This was a smaller property a few miles north of the Margaret River.
A Brave Rescue by Grace Bussell
In 1876, something amazing happened near Wallcliffe House. A 16-year-old girl named Grace Bussell became a hero. She helped save about 50 people from a sinking ship. The ship, called the SS Georgette, was going down off Calgardup Bay. Grace's brave actions made her famous.
New Owners and a Sad Ending
The Bussell family owned Wallcliffe House for many years. But in 1896, they had to sell the property. It was bought by a farmer named Richard Gale. Later, in 1910 or 1911, a member of the Bussell family bought it back. This was Filumena Terry, who was born a Bussell. The house stayed in the Bussell/Terry family until 1987.
Part of the original Wallcliffe property was sold in 1953. This area became a caravan park and camping ground. Later, it was divided into smaller pieces of land. Some of these pieces eventually became the town of Prevelly.
In 1988 and 1989, Wallcliffe House was carefully fixed up. It was used as a private home after that. Sadly, in November 2011, a very large bushfire swept through the area. The historic Wallcliffe House was completely destroyed by the fire.
