Wyambyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wyambyn |
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Wyambyn, 2011
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| Location | Tabragalba House Road, Tabragalba, Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1909 |
| Built for | De Burgh Bannatyne Bentinck Persse |
| Architect | Robin Dods |
| Architectural style(s) | Arts & Crafts |
| Official name: Wyambyn | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 9 August 2013 |
| Reference no. | 602821 |
| Builders | Warren and Morgan |
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Wyambyn is a historic house located on Tabragalba House Road, Tabragalba, in the Scenic Rim Region of Queensland, Australia. It was designed in 1908 by a famous architect named Robin Dods and built by Warren and Morgan between 1908 and 1909. This beautiful homestead was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 9, 2013, because of its special history and design.
Contents
The Story of Wyambyn Homestead
Wyambyn, built in 1909, is about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) east of Beaudesert. It was designed by the well-known architect Robin Dods. The house was built for a wealthy farmer and businessman named De Burgh Bannatyne Bentinck Persse.
Early Days in Queensland
The area around Wyambyn, called the Moreton pastoral district, was settled by farmers in 1841. This was part of a big movement where people expanded their farms from the south. The Moreton and Darling Downs areas were great for farming because they had good rain and rich land. From the 1860s, people could buy smaller pieces of land here. This led to large farms being divided and sold, often to the same families who were already farming there.
Important Families: Collins and De Burgh Persse
Two important families in the Beaudesert area were the Collins and the De Burgh Persse families. The Collins family started their farm, Mundoolun station, in the 1840s. They became very rich and owned many properties. The De Burgh Persse family bought Tabragalba station in 1865 and also owned a lot of land.
Both families were very important in Queensland's development. They were involved in politics, local government, and led many big companies, especially those related to farming. Over time, these families became friends and even married each other, creating a powerful farming empire.
Wyambyn was built on land bought by De Burgh Persse in June 1908. He bought it before he married Fannie Martin Collins in April 1909. The land was about 170 hectares (419 acres). Robin Dods started designing the house soon after the land was bought. In July 1908, Dods asked for builders to bid on the job, and local builders Warren and Morgan won.
Meet the Architect: Robin Dods
Robin Dods (1868–1920) was an architect born in New Zealand. He lived in Britain for a short time before moving to Brisbane in the 1870s. He later studied architecture in Scotland and England. There, he learned about the Arts and Crafts movement, a popular design style.
Dods started his career in Edinburgh in 1886. He became good friends with Sir Robert Lorimer, another famous Arts and Crafts architect. In 1890, Dods moved to London and worked for well-known architects. He became a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1891.
In 1894, Dods visited his mother in Brisbane and won a competition to design a nurses' home. He moved back to Brisbane in 1896 and started a company with architect Francis Richard Hall called Hall & Dods. Dods is known as "one of the most significant early 20th century Australian architects." He was one of the few architects in Queensland who used the Arts and Crafts style.
What is Arts and Crafts Style?
The Arts and Crafts movement was a design style popular from 1860 to 1910. It was led by artists like William Morris. This style focused on traditional craftsmanship and simple forms. It often used medieval or folk designs. A key idea was to value local traditions, so designs would fit their surroundings.
Arts and Crafts buildings often look strong and heavy. They have wide porches and steep, noticeable roofs. The natural look of materials is important, and buildings often have an uneven, interesting shape.
Dods' Special House Designs
The Hall & Dods company was very important for modern design in Brisbane. Dods did most of the design work. He mixed modern British design ideas with traditional Queensland house styles, keeping the subtropical climate in mind. His houses were practical, beautiful, and had fine details. The partnership ended in 1913 when Dods moved to Sydney. He sadly passed away in 1920.
Dods' houses used local building methods but with a clever and practical approach to the climate. Most of his houses were made of timber, showing off the great craftsmanship. A main feature of his Queensland houses (built between 1896 and 1917) was their solid, strong look. This was because of things like:
- Big Roofs: The roof was often the largest part, covering the verandahs and even a washhouse at the back. They were simple in shape and often had terracotta tiles or flat iron.
- Low-Set Design: Houses were often low to the ground, with enclosed areas underneath to make them look even more solid.
- Strong Materials: He used bold, dark colors, stained timber, and rough-sawn wood to make the houses look heavy and strong. Materials were chosen to age well, giving the house an established look.
His house designs were also very thoughtful. They had formal entry halls and traditional room layouts. Living spaces were placed to get the best sunlight, and the design allowed for good airflow. They also had informal spaces, especially large verandah "piazzas" (like big outdoor living rooms). These spaces were designed for the comfort and health of the people living there.
Dods also designed the gardens around his houses, which was more common in Britain than in Queensland. These gardens often had formal flower beds, terraces, tennis courts, and carefully planned paths.
Wyambyn's Place in History
Wyambyn is a great example of the large homes built by successful farmers in Queensland. As these farmers became richer, they built comfortable, architect-designed homes that showed their status.
Between 1901 and 1913, Dods designed six homesteads for rural properties, including Wyambyn. These were large homes that were often the center of many farm buildings. Their gardens were also very important.
The Collins family knew Dods well. He had overseen the building of St John's Church in 1901, which honored their parents. In 1906, Dods designed additions to the Nindooinbah homestead for William Collins. Dods and the Collins and Persse men may have also known each other through the Queensland Club, a private club they were all members of.
Dods also designed an extension for Wyambyn, finished by 1912, to make room for the growing family. This new part included a nursery and extra bedrooms. It was later used as more bedrooms and a school room.
It's also thought that Dods designed the tennis court at Wyambyn. It appears in old photos and fits perfectly with the house's design.
Life at Wyambyn
Initially, Wyambyn was a cattle farm. But in the mid-1920s, De Burgh Persse started raising sheep again, as did other family farms in the area. This happened because beef prices went down, and wool prices went up.
De Burgh Bannatyne Bentinck Persse was not just a farmer. Like his father, he was involved in many businesses. He was chairman of several companies, including a gold mining company and a meat export company.
After De Burgh Persse passed away in 1947, Wyambyn and its land went to his second son, Burton Persse. Burton lived there with his family and ran a dairy farm from after World War II until the late 1970s. After that, the farm switched back to raising beef cattle.
In 1981, Wyambyn was sold. Later, in 1990, the Queensland Government planned to build a dam that would flood the land around Wyambyn. Because of this, the South East Queensland Water Board bought Wyambyn. After buying it, the land was leased out, first as an organic dairy, then for cattle grazing.
Wyambyn has been studied and praised many times. A court case in 1990 called the homestead "imposing" and "maintained in excellent order." Several architectural studies have also highlighted its importance. It's even been suggested as a nationally important place by the Australian Institute of Architects.
Changes Over Time
Some parts of Wyambyn have changed over the years. In 1936, a fire damaged the bathroom ceiling. There's also evidence of a more recent fire in the laundry. The kitchen was updated in the 1960s, changing from a wood stove to a modern one. A small verandah was enclosed to create an eating area. The two original bathrooms were also changed. The wall between the old cook's room and the kitchen was removed. The roof, which Dods preferred to be flat iron, was changed to corrugated iron by 1996. The timber blinds around the piazza, seen in early photos, have also been removed.
Wyambyn has been used in promotional materials for the region and was even a setting for the movie Unfinished Sky in 2007. The dam project never happened, and in 2013, the property was still leased for grazing.
What Wyambyn Looks Like
Wyambyn is a large timber house with a garden, surrounded by lightly wooded land in the Albert River valley. It's about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) east of Beaudesert. The house sits on a small hill, offering amazing views of the valley and mountains.
Wyambyn is a single-story timber house, built low to the ground, with wide verandahs all around it. It has a main section, a northern wing, and a western service wing. The large, sloped roof is covered with corrugated metal and has two brick chimneys. The verandahs have timber ceilings, big timber posts with decorative brackets, and timber railings. The walls facing the verandahs are made of single layers of timber boards. The outside walls are weatherboards. The area under the house is enclosed with timber lattice.
The house has very few decorations, and its size and shape make it blend in with the landscape. The front of the main part of the house is balanced, with a large, projecting verandah piazza (a big, open porch) covered by a gable roof. This piazza used to be enclosed.
The verandah wraps around the entire house, with some corners enclosed to create small rooms. You can get onto the verandah using timber stairs on either side of the piazza. The main front door is in the center, with large bay windows on each side. The entry door is made of timber with glass panels on the sides and a semi-circular window above it.
Inside Wyambyn
The main part of the house has a central hallway. Living rooms are on the south side, and bedrooms are on the north. Inside, most floors are timber boards. The walls are timber boards with decorative timber trim. The ceilings are also timber boards. The main rooms have wider, more detailed ceiling trim. Much of the timber inside the house is stained dark.
The drawing room and dining room are connected by large timber doors. The dining room has a big brick fireplace with a timber frame. The house also has built-in timber cupboards and a built-in timber bookshelf in the hall. Large glass French doors open onto the verandah from all rooms. Inside doors are timber with opening windows above them for airflow.
The rooms in the northern wing are accessed from the verandah. One room has a fireplace with a carved timber frame and a built-in timber seat and cupboard next to it. Some doors in this wing still have their original timber-framed flyscreen doors. There are also large built-in timber cupboards on the verandah.
A verandah walkway connects the back of the main house to the service wing. On one side of this walkway is the dairy, a small room enclosed with flyscreens and timber lattice, with timber shelves.
The service wing includes an enclosed eastern verandah, a kitchen with a large pantry, a living space, and a laundry. The laundry is on the ground level with a door to the yard and a small timber stair up to the kitchen. The laundry windows are corrugated metal shutters that open from the top.
Throughout the house, many original brass door and window fittings are still there.
The Garden and Tennis Court
The garden has mature trees, lawns, and garden beds. To the east of the house, there's a large Jacaranda tree and a tennis court. Both are lined up with the front of the main house. The tennis court has brick walls and steps. It still has an old timber net post. The flat grass court sits nicely within the sloping land, and the distant mountains create a beautiful background.
Why Wyambyn is Important
Wyambyn was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on August 9, 2013, because it meets several important criteria.
A Look into Queensland's Past
Wyambyn (1909) is important because it shows how the famous architect Robin Dods helped shape Queensland's architecture. It also shows the rich lifestyle of early farmers in south-east Queensland. These farmers were able to own large amounts of land and build impressive homes.
A Rare Example of Design
Wyambyn is one of only six homesteads in Queensland designed by the acclaimed architect Robin Dods. This makes it a rare and well-preserved example of his special homestead designs.
Showing Key Features of a Style
Wyambyn is a great, well-preserved example of Dods' high-quality house designs. His work is known for feeling traditional, solid, and using materials honestly. It's designed in the Arts and Crafts style, with:
- Low-set timber construction.
- Deliberately oversized timber parts and openings.
- A large verandah piazza.
- A steep, dominant roof.
- Finely detailed, built-in timber furniture.
- A well-thought-out service area (like the kitchen and laundry).
- An interior layout that allows for great airflow and sunlight.
Beautiful and Scenic
Sitting on a hill within a large farming landscape, the low-set house with its big, steeply pitched roof, wide verandahs, garden, and tennis court offers amazing views of the valley and mountains. The way the buildings fit with the natural landscape is truly beautiful. The wide verandahs, piazza, and spacious living rooms give the house a feeling of elegant country living. Wyambyn is important for its Arts and Crafts beauty, especially its fine craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and clever arrangement of living spaces. Its beauty has even been recognized in a movie and used in promotional pictures for the region.
Connected to Important People
Wyambyn is important because of its connection to the De Burgh Persse and Collins families for over 70 years. These families were very important in Queensland's farming industry and public life for more than 150 years. They were not only early farmers in the Beaudesert area but also served in the Queensland Parliament, helped start Queensland's National Parks system, and promoted beef exports.
Images for kids
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Building extension, 1919
