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Former Monavae
Port Fairy Road,, HAMILTON VIC 3300 - Property No B0063

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National Trust

B0063 Monivae Hamilton

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Statement of Significance
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Statement of Significance

The pastoral run Monivae, near Hamilton, was taken up by Acheson Ffrench in 1841 and named after the family seat Monavae Castle in country Galway. Ireland. John Thompson acquired the property after Ffrench's death in 1870 and, possibly in 1878, built the present severe, two storey bluestone homestead as a Conservative Italianate mansion embellished only with a wide double storey encircling cast iron verandah.
Monivae is the epitome of the Italianate style Western District mansion, erected of ubiquitous basalt and enhanced by unusually constructed cast iron verandah with grouped columns, horizontal balustrade panels, decorative frieze and central entrance pediment. The homestead has notable associations with Acheson Ffrench (to whom the building of the homestead is wrongly attrubuted), a noted Hamilton district benefactor.
Monivae was for many years occupied as the Sacred Heart College at Hamilton. The homestead is presently in fair condition and is largely intact. Parts of the fabric continue to deteriorate.
Classified: 'Regional' 02/02/1967
Revised: 03/08/1998

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