MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX
Springfield Lane PENSHURST, Southern Grampians Shire
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Statement of Significance
Mirschin's Homestead Complex is a complex of bluestone buildings located off the Penshurst-Macarthur Road in Burger's Road, 10kms due west of Penshurst. The homestead complex consists of a bluestone homestead and staff quarters, bluestone stables, an early orchard, a later corrugated iron woolshed and as a number of structures made of bluestone surrounding the homestead. These include an outdoor bread oven, smoke house, cow shed, pigsty. An archeological site is located immediately adjacent to the current homestead, where a two storey Lehmwickle structure dating from the 1850s was located. This was removed in 1973. The Mirtschin Homestead complex is built on land which was purchased by Johann Mirtschin and five other Wendish settlers in 1853. Each family was given an allotment of land, on which they built similar pug or Lehmwickle houses, an intact example of which survives at the adjacent Burger family property, Acacia. A later homestead was built in the mid 1870s as Johann and Ernestine's family grew. The bluestone homestead, servants quarters and stables are in very good condition, and retain a high degree of integrity; the smoke house, oven, pigsty and cow shed are in good condition and retain a high degree of integrity.
How is it significant?
Mirtschin's Homestead Complex is of historical, architectural, social and archeological significance to the Gnadenthal community and the Southern Grampians Shire.
Why is it significant?
Mirtschin's Homestead Complex is of historical significance for its long association with the Mirtschin family, who have had continuos ownership of the property since 1853. It is of further historical significance for the range of outbuildings which are adjacent to the homestead, and those which are some distance away. These buildings indicate a self sufficiency and a utopian ideal which is indicated in the name which the original settlers of the German community chose, Gnadenthal, meaning 'Valley of Grace'. The complex is historically significant for demonstrating the early immigration and settlement of a minority German group, specifically the Wends or Sorbs into Western Victoria from South Australia. It is of social significance as one of the best and most intact demonstrations of their lifestyle. It is of further significance for its links with the settlement of the Wimmera. The complex is of architectural significance as a complete small mixed farm and especially for the use of vernacular construction techniques. The site is considered to be of archaeological significance for the potential which the site of the original Lehmwickle house may have to yield information about the past.
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MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Physical Conditions
The homestead and stables are in very good condition, the other stone outbuildings are in good to fair condition, and the site of the earliest mud house is potentially of some archaeological significance.
MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Physical Description 1
Mirtschin's Homestead is located at the end of a long driveway off Springfield Lane, approximately 10km west of the township of Penshurst. The homestead complex consists of a bluestone homestead, and stables, an early orchard, a later corrugated iron woolshed and as a number of structures made of bluestone surrounding the homestead. These include an outdoor bread oven, smoke house, cow shed, pigsty.
The bluestone house was originally of four rooms, built in the 1870s, and was extended in 1937. It is a single storey symmetrical house with a central passageway and rooms to either side. The front door is symmetrically arranged, with a twelve pane double hung sash window on either side. The homestead has a simple corrugated iron hipped roof, and corrugated iron verandah supported by timber and concrete posts. It is thought that the verandah was replaced in the Interwar period. The exterior of the homestead appears to be in very good condition, and retain a good degree of integrity (the interiors were not inspected). This homestead was built to replace the earlier lehmwickle homestead which was built by the first Mirtschin family who settled this allotment. This early homestead was located 20 metres south of the current homestead, and was of two storeys. It was removed in 1973, and it is possible that some archaeological potential may exist at that site.
About 50 metres south of the bluestone house is a simple bluestone stable, with a corrugated iron gabled roof. The stable is divided into two sections, defined by timber doors which are painted yellow and red. The yellow double timber doors were for the stables, and the red single timber door indicated the wheat shed. The stables appear to be in excellent condition, and retain a high degree of integrity.
To the west of the homestead, a primitive domed bread oven built of stone and simple one roomed stone smoke house. The oven is in poor condition and the smoke house is in fair condition. A cow shed and pigsty constructed of crude uncut stones are located some distance east of the house, and are long low rectangular structures. The cow shed is half corrugated iron, and has some associated stone walls. The pigsty and cow shed are both in fair condition. The bread oven, smoke house, cow shed and pigsty all retain a high degree of integrity.
An orchard is located some distance east of the house, and has a number of fruit trees in it surrounded by a stone wall. The species and varieties of the orchard have not been inspected. The orchard appears to be in good condition and retains a very high degree of integrity.
The woolshed is made of corrugated iron, and located adjacent to the cow shed, some distance east of the house. It replaced an early timber woolshed burned down in 1963.MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Historical Australian Themes
Theme 3: Developing local, regional and national economies
3.5 Developing primary production
3.5.1 Grazing stock
Theme 5: Working
5.8 Working on the land
Theme 8 Developing Australia's cultural life
8.12 Living in and around Australian homes
8.14 Living in the country and rural settlementsMIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Usage/Former Usage
Residential and Farming
MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Integrity
high degree of integrity
MIRTSCHIN'S HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Physical Description 2
Mirtschin family
Heritage Study and Grading
Southern Grampians - Southern Grampians Shire Heritage Study
Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, Annabel Neylon
Year: 2002
Grading:
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BURGER COTTAGESVictorian Heritage Register H2125
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ALBERT HOMESTEAD COMPLEXSouthern Grampians Shire
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Burger's CottageNational Trust H2125
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..estervilleYarra City
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1 Alfred CrescentYarra City
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1 Barkly StreetYarra City
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