Wambo Homestead facts for kids

Wambo Homestead is an old farm complex in Warkworth, Australia. It's a special place because it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's important to the history of New South Wales. The buildings were constructed between 1830 and 1906.

A Look Back at Wambo Homestead's History

First People: Aboriginal History at Wambo

Wambo Homestead is located where two Aboriginal groups, the Kamilaroi and Wonaruah peoples, traditionally met. The Kamilaroi lived west towards the Namoi and Barwon Rivers. The Wonaruah lived in the central Hunter Valley, from Merriwa to Paterson.

Europeans first met these groups when exploring the Blue Mountains. Old camp sites have been found at the Wambo mine area. After Europeans settled, Aboriginal people stayed around Wambo and Jerry's Plains. They even worked on the Wambo estate for the Durham family in the 1830s.

European Settlers Arrive in the Hunter Valley

In 1813, a few convicts were given small farms near Paterson's Plains. This was the first official settlement in the Hunter Valley. In 1821, the area was opened for free settlers.

In 1820, John Howe led a group from Windsor to what is now Broke and Jerry's Plains. They arrived near Singleton, close to Wambo. Howe named the area St Patricks Plains. This was the start of European settlement in the middle and upper Hunter Valley.

Between 1822 and 1829, many European farms were set up in the Hunter Valley. Most were large, over 1000 acres. Settlers came by sea from Sydney or overland from Windsor. By the 1830s, the Hunter Valley was very populated.

Larger farms were used for sheep and cattle. They were often run by people who had moved from other countries. Convicts were assigned to work on these farms.

How the Wambo Estate Grew (1824-1840)

The land around Wambo was very good. It was near the Windsor Road and fertile rivers. It was first given to two free settlers in 1824 and 1825. But they didn't build much.

Then, James Hale bought both pieces of land. He started the Wambo Estate. Hale arrived in Australia in 1816 as a young convict. By 1822, he was free and working as an overseer.

In the 1820s and 1830s, Hale became a successful businessman. He supplied food and transport to the government. By 1828, he owned a lot of land and animals in Windsor.

In 1835, Hale bought 1218 acres on Wollombi Brook. He quickly bought more land, adding over 10,000 acres by 1837. This made him one of the biggest landowners in the Hunter Valley. By 1841, Hale owned almost 100,000 acres!

Most of his properties, like Wambo, were run by managers. They used both assigned convicts and new immigrant workers. James Hale himself lived in Windsor.

The Wambo Homestead Buildings

Around 1830-1833, Hale built the first part of Wambo Homestead. This was the Kitchen Wing, a stone building with a cellar. Later, a brick upper floor was added.

Other buildings were added over time:

• The stud master's cottage in 1840.
• The carriage house with stables and granary in 1840.
• The servants' wing in 1844.

The "New House" was built between 1844 and 1847. Hale might have been inspired by famous architects of the time. He also might have used some of the same builders who worked for William Cox, his former master.

By 1844, James Hale was one of the top 100 landowners in the colony. He raised sheep, cattle, and grew wheat. Wambo was a stop for moving sheep between Windsor and his other properties. Wambo's cattle even won prizes at shows!

In 1857, James Hale passed away. He left Wambo to William Durham, his wife's eldest son. Durham had likely been managing Wambo. The Durham family owned Wambo until 1894. Coal was even found at Wambo in 1863 while drilling a well.

In 1900, a timber Butcher's Hut was built. In 1905, Wambo Estate was bought by R. C. Allen and Frank Macdonald. They wanted to use it as a place to breed racehorses. They built more timber structures in 1906, like the Slab Horse Boxes. In 1906, the property was divided. The Macdonald family bought the Wambo Homestead part and owned it until 1983.

In 1971, the Wambo Mining Corporation bought most of the land around the homestead. In 1987, they bought the Wambo Homestead block itself. They used the homestead for training and storage until 2000. Since then, it has been empty.

In 2010, Wambo Coal Pty Ltd wanted to remove the homestead from the heritage list. They wanted to dig for coal under the property. They said it would cost them too much money to keep it. But people who care about heritage disagreed, and the plan to remove it did not happen.

In 2012, Wambo Coal started looking for a new use for the homestead. They had to figure out how to use it while it was still inside a mining area. Some small repairs were done, and more were planned. In 2013, people gathered stories about the homestead. This was a condition for the mining company to continue working nearby.

What Wambo Homestead Looks Like

The Homestead has eight buildings. The oldest is the kitchen wing. It was first a stone building with a cellar. Later, a brick upper floor was added, along with a large brick laundry.

Other buildings include:

• The Stud Master's Cottage, with three rooms.
• The brick servants' wing, also with three rooms.

All these buildings are in the "Old Colonial Georgian" style, which was one of the first European architectural styles in Australia.

Around 1844, the "New House" was built. It's made of brick and looks like a fancy "Victorian Regency" style villa. It was designed to look grand and impressive. It faced the valley and hills to the south. The old kitchen wing became a supporting service area.

The New House has four main rooms. These rooms are surrounded by lower verandahs (porches). These verandahs originally had hardwood shingle roofs.

Other buildings at the Homestead are the Slab Carriage House with Stables, the timber slab Butcher's Hut, and the Slab Horse Boxes. There are also other structures like a large hay barn, silos, and fences.

It's rare to find so many original details in these old buildings. The four main masonry buildings from the 1830s and 1840s still have all their original wooden parts. As a group, Wambo Homestead is special because so many of its old outbuildings are still standing. This helps us understand how a large farm complex developed over time.

Changes to Wambo Homestead Over Time

• 1830s: The single brick Stud Master's Cottage and Servants Wing were built. The brick upper floor was added to the kitchen wing.
• 1837: The Homestead was on 4480 acres and included a large brick building with cellars.
• Around 1844: The New House was built. The Carriage House and Stables were likely built around the same time.

Why Wambo Homestead is Important (Heritage Listing)

Wambo Homestead Complex is very important to the history of farming and horse breeding in New South Wales. It shows how farming and agriculture grew in the Hunter Region, which was an early area for colonial settlement.

Its importance comes from:

• The survival of five main buildings from the 1830s and 1840s.
• How all the buildings fit together with the landscape.

Wambo Homestead is also important because its buildings are mostly still intact. They show how a typical Australian homestead changed over time. It's rare to see so many original details, like the early finishes and original wooden parts in the older buildings. The New House is special for its beautiful design and how ambitious it was for an early farm home.

Wambo Homestead Complex is rare because it was started by a former convict, James Hale. Most large estates in the Hunter Region were started by free settlers. Hale became one of the top 100 landowners in the colony by 1844.

Even though Wambo Homestead is a bit "rundown" now, it still shows its great historical importance.

Wambo Homestead was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because it met several important rules:

• It shows how New South Wales's history unfolded.

* It shows how farming developed in the Hunter Valley. * It shows how James Hale, a former convict, became very wealthy. * It's a rare example of how the Hunter Valley grew from farming to coal mining.

• It is strongly connected to important people in New South Wales history.

* It shows the opportunities available to people like James Hale, who came to Australia as a convict. He became rich and powerful in just two decades. * During the Durham family's time, the property continued to bring wealth. This allowed children of convicts to live well.

• It shows great design and building skills in New South Wales.

* The buildings are mostly unchanged and follow the style of old English farmhouses. * The New House (around 1847) is important for its fancy design. It was built to look impressive and grand.

• It has a strong connection to a community or group in New South Wales.

* It shows the opportunities for energetic people who came to NSW in the early 1800s. * It shows how farms were run, with a lot of manual labor and horses. * The homestead was home to William and Sophia Durham, who were important in the Hunter Valley. * Later, the horse stud built by Allen and McDonald shows the interests of wealthy people from Sydney.

• It can help us learn more about New South Wales history.

* The buildings and land can teach us about the colony's growth. They can also teach us about daily life on farms from the 1820s to the 1890s.

• It has rare or endangered parts of New South Wales history.

* Many of its outbuildings are still intact, which is rare in New South Wales. This helps us understand how a homestead complex developed. * It's rare as a large estate started by a freed convict in the Hunter Valley. Most large estates there were started by free settlers. * The main buildings from the 1830s and 1840s have rare original finishes and wooden parts.