LEDCOURT HOMESTEAD
125 LEDCOURT ROAD LEDCOURT, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Captain Robert Briggs took up the Ledcourt run in 1840 and it was bought by an absentee owner Benjamin Boyd in 1842. Thomas Young, a solicitor from Hobart, purchased Ledcourt from Boyd in 1848. John Carfrae, who married Young's daughter in 1848, settled on the run and it was divided into three holdings; Ledcourt of 74,500 acres which includes the present homestead site, and Newington and Swinton. The original homestead was probably built at some time between 1846 and 1850 - it was the subject of a sketch by Lt. Governor Charles La Trobe during his visit in March 1850. Carfrae sold the Ledcourt license in 1858 to the de Little brothers, Henry and Joseph and their brother in law, Alfred Douglass. John Holt, a noted pastoralist, took over the license in 1868 after arriving in 1863, and was responsible for the 1875 additions to the homestead.
Marcus Clarke was employed on the property for a short period and lived in a two-roomed cottage near the homestead (no longer evident). In June 1866 he described the property; "a most fearfully rocky mountainous spot surrounded by magnificent scenery.'. It is almost worthwhile to come to Australia to see the sun rise and set over these mountains".
The original Colonial Georgian style homestead is constructed in Grampians sandstone and consists of a single storey, eight-roomed cottage with an axial plan and broken hipped roof. The building is oriented to the south on a sloping site with commanding views of the Grampians range. The front and side verandahs are roofed with concave rolled corrugated iron supported on simple timber posts. The rear (north) awning is a skillion with shingles now covered in iron.
Additions to the homestead occurred in August 1875 to the design of the architect, GC Inskip. These include two single room gabled pavilions in bluestone, one an office and the other a bathroom, to either side of a rear courtyard. The courtyard is paved with large slate flags and enclosed by a low iron palisade fence. Another pavilion to the west of similar scale to the other pavilions but in a Picturesque Gothic style contains surprisingly elaborate toilet facilities. The approach to the front verandah of the homestead was graced with a new formal staircase of Stawell stone with stucco balustrades. The interior of the cottage was refurbished in a more elaborate and up to date style. These additions may relate to the visit of the Governor, Sir George Bowen in May 1876.
How is it significant?
Ledcourt Homestead is historically and architecturally significant to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Ledcourt Homestead is historically significant as the oldest established pastoral residence in the Stawell region. Ledcourt Homestead remains largely unaltered in a near original context in a pastoral landscape at the foothills of the dramatic Grampians range. Nearby archaeological evidence of the early phase of the homestead occupation includes remnants of the stables, blacksmith shop, quarrying and a dam.
Ledcourt Homestead is historically significant as a place associated with significant people in the history of Victoria. Those who visited or stayed on the property included Lt. Governor Charles Latrobe, Marcus Clarke, and Governor Sir George Bowen. Eugene Von Guerard painted Mt William from a vantage point in the near vicinity of the homestead.
Ledcourt Homestead is architecturally significant as a rare pre-separation Colonial Georgian style homestead. The Homestead retains characteristic features of the style such as symmetrical plan and front facade, encircling verandah, broken roof pitch, wide front door with simple radiating fanlight, and french doors to the front rooms. The 1870s alterations by Inskip did little to obscure the original design and added some distinction of their own.
Ledcourt Homestead is architecturally significant for the unusual elaborately appointed toilet pavilion. The substantial freestanding stone building in picturesque Gothic style features separate male and female facilities with timber adult and children's closets on either side.
-
-
LEDCOURT HOMESTEAD - History
Thomas Young, a solicitor from Hobart, purchased Ledcourt from Boyd in 1848. Source" Colonial Times Hobart 15 September 1848LEDCOURT HOMESTEAD - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Building exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
* Regular garden maintenance.
* Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems.
Building Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms and toilets within the homestead building only including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.LEDCOURT HOMESTEAD - Permit Exemption Policy
The land extent has been designed to incorporate most of the built and ruined features of the early homestead complex. Works which impact on ruined buildings such as the stables and smithy should be controlled under the permit process. The retention of the outlook of the homestead, and the control of additions to retain the integrity of the homestead's symetrical planning, are of particular importance.
Many aspects of the Ledcourt Homestead complex have been left particularly unaltered from the early period of occupation and this adds to the significance of the place. A number of the internal fittings and fixtures remain from the 1876 additions to the front of the residence including plasterwork, pelmets, curtain rods and fireplace surrounds. In the back section of the residence the simple fitout of the earlier era is also readily evident. Changes in both of these areas should be controlled carefully under the permit process. The toilet building to the west should be preserved intact and unaltered, and evidence of the original fitout of the bathroom pavilion should also be retained.
-
-
-
-
-
LEDCOURT HOMESTEADVictorian Heritage Register H0339
-
Ledcourt Homestead, 125 Ledcourt Road, LEDCOURTNorthern Grampians Shire H0339
-
"1890"Yarra City
-
"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
-
"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
-
..estervilleYarra City
-
1 Alfred CrescentYarra City
-
1 Barkly StreetYarra City
-
-