Back to search results

TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK)
off Parkwood Road COLERAINE, Southern Grampians Shire

All information on this page is maintained by Southern Grampians Shire. Click below for their website and contact details.

Southern Grampians Shire

23330 copy of 4665 Toolang Homestead Wannon facade

On this page:

Statement of Significance
Timeline browser

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
George Trangmar established Toolang Homestead, off Parkwood Road about 13km east of Coleraine and 9km north of Wannon. Born in Brighton, England he arrived at Portland in 1849 where he was a merchant with his brothers, James and Thomas. After an unsuccessful visit to the Bendigo diggings, George returned to Portland and then purchased a general store in Coleraine in 1853. The business prospered and by the mid-1860s George was able to purchased land both in the town and as a selector. The main house at Toolang was built in 1870. The architect is not known but Trangmar had engaged James H Fox to design his Coleraine home in 1864. It was built of local stone and had a verandah across the facade providing views out into the landscape. The simple Italianate style and symmetrical plan are conventional and conservative. The setting and siting of the house are typical of the Picturesque aesthetic current at the time. George Trangmar died in 1917 and the property passed through various owners being much altered during the Interwar years. It has been altered and extended recently, the front wing reverting to its nineteenth century appearance. Consequently, while the house is in excellent condition it has a low degree of integrity.

How is it significant?
Toolang Homestead is of historical and architectural significance to the community of Coleraine and to the Southern Grampians Shire.

Why is it significant?
Toolang Homestead is of historical significance because of its connection with the early and successful merchant, George Trangmar and his family, particularly representing his increased status as a substantial landholder. Although much altered, it is of architectural significance as a typical example of the setting and siting of a modest homestead within the landscape, appropriate the owner's respectable position within the community.

Show less

- Physical Conditions
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Physical Conditions
  
  The house is in excellent condition.
  
  Physical Description 1
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Physical Description 1
  
  The core of the main house is an early stone building, dating from about 1870, and probably a stone kitchen wing to one side. It is said that the stone used was sandstone quarried on the property. The original house appears to have been simple and conventional comprising a front verandah, a central hall and four main rooms with a service area at the rear. Like many homesteads in the area, it appears to have been deliberately sited to take advantage of the view down to the River Wannon below, to Mount Napier on the south-east diagonal and to Melville Forest on the south-west diagonal.
  
  The original house has been substantially modified both in the Interwar period to convert it into a bungalow form and in the late 1980s to revert it into a Victorian form. The former change included the addition of a second floor, as an attic, and a new roof in the mid-1920s. A separate kitchen wing may have been incorporated with the main house. The new gables were typically half-timbered with groups of three double-hung sash windows in each. Extensive verandahs were also added. The rear courtyard was enclosed and converted into a large, central room. Further renovations occurred after 1936. A sunroom was added to the side verandah in the late 1960s or early 1970s. In the late 1980s, the second storey was removed and the roof replaced, the verandah remodelled and extensive living areas, including outdoor areas, and a large garage were added at the rear.
  
  The house is surrounded by a large and substantial garden. It was described in 1973 as including "many oaks, liquidambers, claret ash, birch" which suggests that it dates from the Interwar period (Leake, 51). The garden also includes a swimming pool, paving and stone garden walls "constructed from stone salvaged from the Gringegalgona stables" (Gibbs, pers. comm. 21/7/03).
  
  Historical Australian Themes
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Historical Australian Themes
  
  Theme 3. Developing local, regional and national economies
  3.5 Developing primary production
  3.5.1 Grazing stock
  3.5.3 Developing agricultural industries
  3.12 Feeding People
  3.12.2 Developing sources of fresh local produce
  
  Theme 5 Working
  5.8 Working on the land
  
  Usage/Former Usage
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Usage/Former Usage
  
  pastoral and agricultural
  
  Integrity
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Integrity
  
  subtantially altered
  
  Physical Description 2
  
  TOOLANG HOMESTEAD COMPLEX (FORMERLY MAORI PARK) - Physical Description 2
  
  George Trangmar, first owner, successful merchant in Coleraine and pastoralist
  George Broughton Snr, second owner and owner of The Wilderness nearby
  Arthur Broughton, third owner or manager and son of George Broughton
  Colin Maslin, subsequent owner
  G. Butler, owner in the 1920s when first major alterations occurred
  D. P. Mein, owner in the 1930s when further alterations occurred
  
  Heritage Study and Grading
  
  Heritage Study and Grading
  
  Southern Grampians - Southern Grampians Shire Heritage Study
  
  Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, Annabel Neylon
  Year: 2002
  Grading:
- Show:
- HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH COMPLEX
  
  Victorian Heritage Register H0246
- MECHANICS INSTITUTE
  
  Southern Grampians Shire
- COLERAINE COURTHOUSE (FORMER)
  
  Southern Grampians Shire
- 'The Pines' Scout Camp
  
  Hobsons Bay City
- 106 Nicholson Street
  
  Yarra City
- 12 Gore Street
  
  Yarra City