Westbrook Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westbrook Homestead |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Westbrook Homestead, 1999
|
|
| Location | Coupers Road, Westbrook, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1864 - 1867 |
| Official name: Westbrook Homestead | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological, landscape) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600636 |
| Significant period | 1860s (historical) 1860s (fabric) |
| Significant components | trees/plantings, kitchen/kitchen house, driveway, garden/grounds, chimney/chimney stack, residential accommodation - main house |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Westbrook Homestead is a special historic house located in Westbrook, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1864 and 1867. This homestead is important because it was one of the first large farms, known as "pastoral runs," in the Darling Downs area. Today, Westbrook Homestead is protected on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its rich history and unique design.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Westbrook Homestead
Westbrook Homestead was built in 1867 on land that was first claimed in 1841. This land was part of the very first large farms in the Darling Downs.
Early Explorers and Settlers
In 1827, a botanist and explorer named Allan Cunningham first explored the Darling Downs. He thought finding this fertile land was one of his greatest discoveries. Thirteen years later, a farmer named Patrick Leslie looked for new land. In 1840, he started the first two big farms in the Darling Downs, called Toolburra and Canning Downs.
Soon after, in 1841, a man named John "Tinker" Campbell arrived. He had been a tinsmith in Sydney. He moved to the Darling Downs and started his own large farm, which he named Westbrook. It's thought he named it after his hometown.
Changing Hands and New Buildings
John Campbell faced tough times, including bad weather for farming. In 1843, he sold Westbrook to John Stevens. The farm changed hands a few more times. In 1846, it was sold to Henry Hughes and Isaac. Then, in 1853, John Donald McLean bought Westbrook.
In 1856, William Beit became McLean's partner and moved to Westbrook to manage the farm. McLean also became a Member of Parliament for Queensland in 1862. By the early 1860s, they planned to build a much bigger and better homestead.
The new homestead was built from 1864 to 1867. It was made from strong bluestone, which was dug up right on Westbrook land. The roof was made of special English slate, and beautiful cedar wood was used inside. William Beit got married in 1864. Sadly, his wife, Mary, died in an accident in 1865. John McLean also died in an accident in 1866, after being a politician for Queensland. The house was finished in 1867, and a stone above the door has "McL & B 1867" carved into it, likely to remember McLean and Beit.
Westbrook's Many Uses
After McLean and Beit passed away, Westbrook was sold in 1872 to Shanahan and Jennings. They owned many large farms. J. H. Davidson, a relative of a former Premier of New South Wales, lived at Westbrook with his family.
Over the years, the huge Westbrook farm became smaller. The government divided up large farms to create more land for smaller farms and towns. For example, parts of Westbrook became the towns of Drayton and Oakey.
Shanahan and Jennings owned Westbrook until 1898. They planted many fruit trees and vineyards. The farm was also known for raising cattle and horses. In 1898, the government bought almost 10,000 acres of Westbrook land. This land was divided into smaller farm blocks and sold. The rest of the estate was also sold off. The homestead block, with 9000 acres, was sold to Messrs Couper and Raulston. They turned it into three dairy farms.
In 1942, during World War II, children from a home in Nundah were moved to Westbrook for safety. They stayed there until 1945. After that, Ralph Couper turned Westbrook into a boarding school for boys. The school taught both farming and regular school subjects. The buildings were changed, and new classrooms, a sports oval, and tennis courts were added. Some of the roof slates were replaced with corrugated iron at this time.
The school closed in 1948. Many of the school buildings were sold and moved away. Hector McPhie bought the property in 1949 and made more changes. Westbrook was a dairy and stud farm until 1954. In 1966, the house was divided into two separate homes, and new kitchens were built. The old kitchen building was later renovated into guest rooms. Sadly, some old sheds and stables were taken down during this time.
Today, Westbrook Homestead sits on 23 hectares of land. The current owners bought it in 1999.
What Westbrook Homestead Looks Like
Westbrook Homestead has two stone buildings. They are located on a small hill overlooking Westbrook Creek.
The Main House
The main house is shaped like a rectangle. It is built from strong, dark grey basalt stone from Toowoomba. The outer walls are very thick, with two layers of stone and rubble in between. The roof is shaped like a hip roof, with a dip in the middle. It has both English slate and corrugated iron.
A wide verandah goes all around the house. It has its own curved roof and is held up by timber posts. Wide sandstone steps lead up to the verandah. Most rooms in the house have French doors that open onto this verandah. Some parts of the back verandah have been closed in to create extra rooms. The front and side verandahs have timber floors, while the back has concrete. There's also a timber bathroom attached to one side of the house.
Inside, the house has five brick chimneys with fireplaces made of cedar or marble. The walls are plastered, and the ceilings are made of timber. There is a lot of beautiful cedar wood used for doors and other fittings.
The Old Kitchen Building
Behind the main house is a separate rectangular building that used to be the kitchen. It's also made of basalt stone with brick corners. It has a hip roof made of corrugated iron. There's an open carport on one side. Some parts of the walls have been rebuilt with bricks, and the brick chimney has also been rebuilt.
Inside, there are five rooms with plastered walls and timber ceilings, just like in the main house. The entrance is on the western side, which used to have a verandah.
Gardens and Grounds
The gardens around the homestead still show signs of old terracing and a circular driveway. There are some old, large trees, including bunya trees. The area where the old sports oval and other buildings used to be is located to the north-west of the house.
Why Westbrook Homestead is Important
Westbrook Homestead was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is recognized as a very important historical site.
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. Westbrook Homestead shows how Queensland developed. It was one of the first large farms, or "squatter" settlements, in the Darling Downs in 1841. The homestead was built during a time when the area was becoming very successful. It helps us understand how farming started before towns grew in Queensland.
The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage. Westbrook Homestead is special because it's an early, grand homestead. It's also uncommon because both the main house and the separate kitchen were built using local bluestone.
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland's history. Westbrook Homestead and its grounds, where other buildings once stood, can teach us a lot about the history of one of Queensland's earliest large farms. It's also beautiful to look at, with its pleasing shape, materials, and details.
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. Westbrook Homestead is important to the community because it was one of the first large farms established in the Darling Downs.
The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. Westbrook Homestead is connected to the lives of its early owners who were very important in starting the farming industry in the Darling Downs. These include John "Tinker" Campbell, who started the farm, and the builders of the homestead, John Donald McLean (who was also a politician and Queensland's Treasurer in 1866) and William Beit (who helped start the Darling Downs Agricultural Society).
