Back to search results

GRAFFS FARM
1 THOMAS STREET THOMASTOWN, WHITTLESEA CITY

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.
Victorian Heritage Register
1 graffs farm thomas street thomastown front view
1 graffs farm thomas street thomastown front view
1 graffs farm thomas street thomastown front view
h00915 plan
On this page:

Statement of Significance

Graff's Farm, comprising the main house, the barn, the rainwater tank footings, the milking shed, the remnants of the freestanding wall and the well, is of outstanding historical significance to the State of Victoria as part of the Westgarthtown settlement, for its association with the State's promotion of German settlement in Victoria. As part of the Westgarthtown settlement, Graff's Farm has an important association with William Westgarth, MLC, a notable pioneer of Victoria who was directly responsible for the immigrant communities in Victoria.

The house, constructed in 1873 for Johann Graff, is of ashlar bluestone and is a two storey building with the upper level within the steeply pitched jerkin head roof. The glass roof lights were replaced with dormer windows in the late 1940s. The barn, also constructed of ashlar bluestone with jerkin head roof form, was probably intended to provide shelter to animals and hay storage on the upper level. These two buildings are obviously derived from rural German architecture and they represent a transportation of German building techniques to Victoria. The quality of the stonework in both the house and barn reflects the craftsmanship of the early German settlers, particularly in the working of bluestone.

Show more
Show less

    • History

      GRAFFS FARM - History

      Associated People: Tenant JOHANN GRAFF;

      Permit Exemptions

      GRAFFS FARM - 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.

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
Timeline browser

< to 1849
< - 1849
1850 to 1879
1850 - 1879
1880 to 1909
1880 - 1909
1910 to 1939
1910 - 1939
1940 to 1969
1940 - 1969
1970 to 1999
1970 - 1999
2000 to >
2000 - >