DOOLAN DOOLAN
Roger's Road STRATHKELLAR, Southern Grampians Shire
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Statement of Significance
Doolan Doolan (formerly Doling Doling), Roger's Road, North Hamilton was built in 1867 and developed further in 1868 for the local businessman, Henry Scott and family. Hector McLean designed the main house and a cottage that was possibly used as a gatehouse. He probably designed the surviving adjacent stables because of the quality and unusual character of their construction. The whole was a substantial villa complex set picturesquely on a hill within a broad landscape. The view had been praised by its discoverer, Major Mitchell, Surveyor General of NSW who had named the Doling Doling swamp Lake Nivelle. Lindsay Clarke, the District Surveyor had selected the land. David Laidlaw, businessman and local politician owned the property after Scott from 1874 until 1891 and then J d'A Moynan, architect and local shire engineer owned it into the early twentieth century. Laidlaw began life as a humble saddler and all the owners of Doolan Doolan have been good horsemen. Moynan was associated with the revived Hamilton Hunt, entertaining the riders at Doolan Doolan. The place makes an important pair and comparison with Correagh, the intact complex of house, garden, park, orchard and outbuildings on the adjacent hill, which enjoys the same position in the broad landscape. Correagh was the home of Cuthbert Featherstonhaugh Junior, one of the great horseman of colonial Victoria and best friend of the notorious rider and poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon. The Doolan Doolan house and gatehouse were demolished in the 1980s. The drive and an extensive garden, the park and much of the orchard survive along with the important timber stables and ancillary structures. The latter are in a ruinous condition but retain a high degree of archaeological potential while the garden, park and orchard are overgrown and incomplete.
How is it significant?
Doolan Doolan is of historical, scientific and aesthetic significance to the Southern Grampians Shire.
Why is it significant?
The Doolan Doolan complex, especially the stables, is of historical significance as an example of a lost way of life and for its associations with a succession of important figures and their families including: Lindsay Clarke, Land Surveyor, Henry Scott, businessman, David Laidlaw, businessman and local politician, and J d'A Moynan, shire engineer and architect. It is very likely that Cuthbert Featherstonhaugh and Adam Lindsay Gordon were visitors. The mature and substantial garden of exotics, which survives, is of scientific and aesthetic significance as an example of the suburban villa lifestyle, although the house and gatehouse have been demolished. Doolan Doolan is also of significance for its proximity to and relationship with its neighbour, Correagh.
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DOOLAN DOOLAN - Physical Conditions
The stables and cellar are in ruinous condition. The garden is abandoned and overgrown.
DOOLAN DOOLAN - Physical Description 1
The stables at Doolan Doolan are single storied with external walls which are ballon-frame timber construction set on a bluestone plinth and with an unusual internal bluestone wall of coursed random rubble. The building is sited on a slope dipping to the west. They face west with access through a large door and a small door with ventilation through extensive areas of timber trellis. Much of the stall fixtures for the horses survive as well as the paving. At the northern end there is a substantial groom's room, well finished and with the conventional fireplace and a bluestone chimney to provide warmth and dryness. Internally the walls are lined with split weatherboards. Above the whole there is a loft area under the corrugated iron roof. The sheets of iron are of interest, and almost certainly are original from the 1850s because of their small size. (No proprietary brands were located. The iron is the same as that on the roof of the William Howarth House, Munroe Street, Branxholme.) On the east side there is a bluestone cellar, reached from the outside, with low brick walls above ground level. It has a timber ceiling insulated above with a layer of clay. Its skillion roof was covered with the same iron as the main building. A door on the east side beside the cellar gives access to the stables from the house. Some old saddles and tack equipment survives inside.
A substantial garden covers the slope from the current house and stables down to the boundary fence on Rogers Road. The garden is comprised mainly of fruit and nut trees, although a variety of ornamental exotic trees (mainly evergreen) are interspersed among these. A further plant survey will details species and condition.DOOLAN DOOLAN - Historical Australian Themes
Theme 7 Governing
7.2 Developing institutions of self-government and democracy
Theme 8 Developing Australia's cultural life
8.12 Living in and around Australian homes
8.14 Living in the country and rural settlementsDOOLAN DOOLAN - Usage/Former Usage
Residential.
DOOLAN DOOLAN - Integrity
The drive and an extensive garden, the park and much of the orchard survive along with the timber stables and ancillary structures. The latter are in a ruinous condition but retain a high degree of archaeological potential while the garden, park and orchard are overgrown and incomplete.
DOOLAN DOOLAN - Physical Description 2
Lindsay Clarke, District Surveyor, selected the land
Henry Scott, first owner
David Laidlaw, second owner
J d'A Moynan, third owner
Hector McLean, designer
Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh, neighbourHeritage Study and Grading
Southern Grampians - Southern Grampians Shire Heritage Study
Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, Annabel Neylon
Year: 2002
Grading:
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CORREAGHVictorian Heritage Register H2269
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CORREAGHSouthern Grampians Shire
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CorreaghNational Trust H2269
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