HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed
117 - 125 McPherson Road TOOLERN VALE, Melton Shire

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Statement of Significance
The house at 117 - 125 McPherson Road Toolern Vale is significant as a moderately intact and contextually substantial example of a Late Victorian style. Most likely built c.1885, the house is associated with the locally prominent Malcolm McPherson, former Shire President. A rear shearing shed also contributes to the significance of the place.
The house at 117 - 125 McPherson Road is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level (AHC D.2). Although altered, it still demonstrates original design qualities of a Late Victorian style. These qualities include the hipped roof form, together with the convex profile encircling verandah. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the single storey height, horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding, corrugated profile sheet metal roof cladding, face brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops, narrow eaves with decorative timber brackets, symmetrical composition of the front facade with the timber framed doorway having a four panelled timber door and sidelights and highlights, and the flanking timber framed windows, and the other timber framed windows on the side elevations. The rear gabled addition contributes to an understanding of the historical evolution of the building. The nearby gabled, galvanised corrugated steel 2-stand shearing shed, with timber structural frame (including log posts) also contributes to the significance of the place.
The house and shed at 117 - 125 McPherson Road are historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC A4, H1). It is one of a limited number of surviving Melton Shire farms that pre-date the break-up of Melton's large Clarke, Staughton, Taylor, and Patterson pastoral estates. It is directly associated with Malcolm McPherson, long serving Shire Councillor (1894-1920) and multiple Shire President, called the 'father of municipal life' in Melton by the local press at the time of his death. The house is also a scarce surviving intact property associated with the enclave of Scottish immigrants who would appear to have been the dominant farming landholders in early Toolern Vale.
Overall, the house and shed at 53-105 McPherson Road is of LOCAL significance.
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HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed - Physical Description 1
Physical Description -
The house at 117 - 125 McPherson Road, Toolern Vale, has a rural setting of timbered ranges and a vineyard. The house garden is bound by an introduced open horizontal timber paling fence approximately 1400 mm high. The garden is largely an open grassed area with some perimeter plantings.
The substantial, single storey, horizontal timber weatherboard, Late Victorian styled house is characterised by a hipped roof form, together with an encircling convex verandah. At the rear is an introduced gabled addition that possibly dates from the interwar period, given its timber framed windows arranged in banks of three. The encircling verandah has been extended past the rear gabled addition. These roof forms are clad in introduced grey/green corrugated Colorbond. Two early face brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops adorn the roofline. Narrow overhangs and decorative timber brackets are features of the eaves.
The encircling verandah appears to have replaced an earlier verandah, possibly of the same convex profile. The existing verandah is supported by introduced turned timber posts and there is an elevated concrete verandah floor at the front and sides which has also been introduced.
Under the verandah at the front is a symmetrical composition defined by the early timber framed door opening with four panelled timber door and sidelights and highlights, and the flanking timber framed double hung windows. The other timber framed double hung windows on the side elevations also appear to be early.
Towards the rear of the house is a Federation vernacular styled, 2-stand shearing shed. It is characterised by a simple gable roof form, the roof and walls being clad in unpainted galvanised corrugated steel. The building has a timber structural frame having log posts. There is a shed attached at one end.
HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed - Historical Australian Themes
Melton Historical Themes: 'Farming'
HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed - Integrity
Integrity - Moderately intact
HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed - Physical Conditions
Physical Condition - Good
Heritage Study and Grading
Melton - Shire of Melton Heritage Study phase 2
Author: David Maloney, David Rowe, Pamela Jellie, Sera Jane Peters
Year: 2007
Grading:
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