BELMONT
643 MAIN LEAD ROAD RAGLAN, PYRENEES SHIRE

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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
In about 1858, James Frazer Watkin, an English engineer occupied land on a Miner’s Right near the Mount Cole to Mitchell’s Gully water race at Raglan. J. F. Watkin had been involved in construction of the race commissioned by the Ballarat Goldmining Company, which was originally used to bring sluice water from Mount Cole to the head of Mitchell’s Gully, which lies immediately north of, and below the present homestead. In 1861 the construction of the original section of Belmont was commenced and orchards and vineyards established. The house was extended over time culminating in the major addition of the 1886 wing and verandahs. Mr William Fustrom, a ship’s carpenter, built these additions. The garden was laid out from the 1860s, originally covering five to six hectares but now reduced to 0.2 hectares. The lily pond was completed in 1864. The garden was opened to the public as a pleasure garden in the late 1860s and wine and fruit were sold to the public. The farm produce was also used to feed the contractors and many of the farm buildings such as the smoke house and kitchen were used to prepare food to be sent away in vans to feed the gangs at their work sites. In about 1877 Watkin constructed the Gully reservoir, which still provides water to the garden through a four inch main, and the ornamental lily pond were used as an overflow for watering the property. The ponds to the north of the homestead in Mitchell’s Gully were JF Watkin’s imaginative response to the destruction caused by mining. By filling the diggers' holes with water an attractive feature was created. Ornamental ponds are also situated to the south of the homestead. James Frazer Watkin died in 1896 and his sons Harriet and Louis carried out the contracting work and property management respectively until Louis’ death in 1942. Louis and his son Max E Watkin purchased additional land until 1960 when the property had grown to 1600 acres (648 hectares). Fruit growing was gradually replaced by wool production with the farm concentrating on fine and superfine wool since about 1930. The present owner Mrs. Jocelyn Reid is the daughter of Max and Lorna Watkin.
How is it significant?
Belmont is of historical, architectural, aesthetic and technical significance to the State of Victoria
Why is it significant?
Belmont is of historical significance because of the completeness of its setting-house, interior decoration, significant contents, garden outbuildings and contents and is outstanding as a rare survivor of a small rural estate and its associated way of life. The extensive gardens, which were opened to the public as pleasure gardens in the 1860s, retain the characteristic garden elements including the ornamental lake, orchard, flower beds, vegetable gardens, garden buildings and substantial outbuildings including a pigsty, buggy shed and brick stables. The property is sited directly on the main water race to Beaufort and the ornamental ponds started life as mining dams, and these features provide a direct link with the gold mining era and the need for water as part of mining operations. The landscape of Belmont is of historical significance for its substantial evidence, both documented and on site, of garden, orchard and vineyard and associated outbuildings and architectural features such as the fernery. It contains a substantial number of old fruit varieties in remnant stands and the present garden layout is relatively unchanged from its modifications in 1887.
Belmont is of architectural and aesthetic significance as the external detailing of the homestead is unusual with various configurations of the rising sun motif being repeated in different parts of the building. Internally the building remains substantially unaltered and contains an intact nineteenth century decorative scheme and most of the original furnishings in the drawing room that was part of the 1886 addition. This is a rare surviving example of a complete decorative and furnishing scheme in a country property of this era. The cottage garden is intact, and the lych gate is a feature which is both rare for its good condition and unique architecture. Most of the outbuildings and garden structures date to the late 1880s and are still intact. They are important as representatives of horticultural and agricultural practices. The landscape and associated buildings and water features of Belmont are of aesthetic significance as they contribute to and support the house, completing the setting of the property.
Belmont is of technical significance for the strong theme of water conservation and usage demonstrated by the reservoir, the water races, service pipes, ornamental ponds (formerly mining dams). The irrigation system established in 1877 and still in use today is of historical importance for its demonstration of early water supply techniques.
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BELMONT - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Building Interiors-In all rooms except for the drawing room
* Interior painting and wallpapering provided the preparation work does not remove evidence of the building’s original paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal or installation of carpets and other flexible floor coverings such as vinyl.
* Installation of curtain tracks, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of paintings, mirrors and other wall mounted objects.
Building Exterior
* Repair and Maintenance of existing building fabric.
* Repainting to the external colour scheme as set out in the Belmont Conservation Plan, Wendy Jacobs, April 1998.
Fire Protection
* Installation of additional smoke detectors
Insulation
* Installation of bulk insulation to the roof space.
Electrical
* Re-wiring, provided new wiring is concealed.
Fencing
* Reinstatement of known earlier fences to original design and in similar materials.
* Erection and alteration of fencing relating to the operation of the property as a farm but evidence of any early fence layouts should not be obliterated.
Small outbuildings
*Erection of small outbuildings.
*Reconstruction of known earlier outbuildings based on physical and photographic evidence. ie. The fernery.
Landscape
* Routine gardening and maintenance for the care of existing plants and planting themes.
* Repairs, conservation and maintenance to hard landscape elements including walls, roads, paths, drainage and irrigation.
* The process of gardening; mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead plants, disease and weed control, emergency and safety works and landscaping and planting to retain the existing landscape character.
* Non-commercial signage, lighting, security and fire safety, provided no structural building works occur.
Repainting in the same colour of previously painted surfaces or to colour scheme as set out in the conservation plan.
* Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373.
* Removal of elements not identified as being significant.
* Removal of plants listed as Noxious Weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
* Removal of vegetation to maintain fire safety and to conserve significant buildings and structures.
Land east of the Beaufort-Raglan Road.
No permit required for agricultural use of the land, which does not affect the existing water supply system.BELMONT - Permit Exemption Policy
Permit decisions should be made in accordance with the Belmont Conservation Plan, prepared by Wendy Jacobs for Heritage Victoria, April 1998 and A Conservation Analysis of the Historic Landscape of Belmont prepared by Andrea K Bathie 1988.
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BELMONTVictorian Heritage Register H0644
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Belmont House & GardenNational Trust H0644
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Belmont GardenNational Trust
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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'CARINYA' LADSONS STOREVictorian Heritage Register H0568
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1 Alexander StreetYarra City
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