Woolmers Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Woolmers Estate |
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The front entrance of the Woolmers main house.
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Address | Woolmers Lane, Longford TAS 7301 |
| Town or city | Longford, Tasmania |
| Country | Australia |
| Construction started | 1819 |
| Completed | 1843 |
| Owner | Woolmers Foundation Inc. |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Archer |
| Type: | Cultural |
| Criteria: | iv, vi |
| Designated: | 2010 (34th session) |
| Part of: | Australian Convict Sites |
| Reference #: | 1306 |
| Region: | Asia-Pacific |
Woolmers Estate is a historic farm located in Longford, Tasmania, Australia. It was started in 1817 by Thomas Archer, a well-known farmer and politician. The estate covers about 82 hectares (200 acres). It includes a large main house, a coach house, the National Rose Garden, many other buildings, and beautiful gardens.
The main house has two parts. The first part, a wooden homestead, was built in 1819. A larger addition in the Italianate style was designed by William Archer and finished in 1843. The Archer family lived at Woolmers Estate from 1819 until 1994.
Woolmers Estate is very important to Australia's history. It is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register. In 2007, it was added to the Australian National Heritage List along with Brickendon Estate. This was because of their strong connection to the system where convicts were sent to Australia. In 2010, Woolmers Estate became a World Heritage site as part of the Australian Convict Sites. It is considered one of the best examples of how convicts were used to help European countries expand.
What's in a Name?
Woolmers Estate got its name from a place in England. Many properties owned by the Archer family were named after English locations. Woolmers was named after Woolmer's Park in Hertfordshire, England.
The National Rose Garden
One of the special features at Woolmers Estate is the National Rose Garden. This garden started in 1999 with money donated by the public. It is home to 460 different kinds of roses. There are more than 5,000 individual rose plants growing there.
A Look Back at History
In 1812, Thomas Archer arrived in New South Wales, Australia. He came on a ship called the Guilford. He had a special letter from Lord Liverpool, a powerful person in England. This letter helped him get a job.
Thomas Archer started as a clerk, which is like an office worker, in Sydney. He quickly moved up and became a deputy assistant in charge of supplies. In 1813, he moved to Port Dalrymple (now George Town) to manage supplies there. He became a magistrate, a type of judge, in 1814. In 1816, he was made a coroner for Cornwall County, meaning he investigated deaths. That same year, he married Susan Hortle.
Thomas Archer received more promotions, but he decided to retire in 1821. He wanted to focus on his farm. In 1817, he was given 800 acres of land. This land became the main part of Woolmers Estate. By 1819, the first part of the main house, the wooden section, was being built. The wood for the house came from trees on the estate itself.
