DEANSIDE HOMESTEAD COMPLEX

96-103 REED COURT DEANSIDE, MELTON CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register

DEANSIDE WOOLSHED COMPLEX SOHE 2008

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    DEANSIDE HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - History

    HISTORY

    [The following information has been taken from Ecology and Heritage Partners, Deanside Woolshed Complex, Plumpton, Victoria: Historical Heritage Assessment, 12 February 2015, and Heritage Alliance, Conservation Management Plan, Deanside Woolshed Complex, 9 June 2015.]

    In September 1845, James Pinkerton obtained a lease for 8,444 acres of the Maribyrnong and Derrimut Parishes. During the early years of the 1850s, this area was divided into allotments of mostly 640 acres and auctioned by the Crown. Much of the land, including most of Pinkerton's run, was swallowed up in the massive land purchases by William John Turner Clarke ('Big') Clarke and became part of Clarke's Rockbank Estate. Clarke was a successful landowner with properties in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and New Zealand. He prospered in Victoria's pastoral boom, and after land acquisitions in 1847 held a single property that stretched from Sunbury to Sydney Road. The land on which Deanside is located was purchased by Clarke in 1853.

    'Big' Clarke established Deanside as Rockbank Estate's Head Station on the Kororoit Creek. In the early 1860s William Francis Watson was appointed as the station manager, and work began on fencing and drainage channels in the swampy ground at Deanside. Unfortunately many of Watson's improvements were destroyed by fire in 1864. William John (WJ) Clarke, who was managing the estate for his father 'Big' Clarke subsequently constructed many of the bluestone buildings extant today - including the Woolshed (1864) by architects Reed and Barnes, the Shearers Quarters (1876), Boundary Riders Quarters (1878) and the other buildings in the Woolshed Precinct. The Woolshed, with later additions also by Reed and Barnes, is one of the oldest woolsheds in Victoria. Apart from managers and workers cottages, there was no homestead built on Rockbank at this time. WJ Clarke lived at Sunbury, but although 'Big' Clarke lived in the city, he spent a lot of time at Rockbank. Once a fortnight he drove the few miles out there with his stock agent's two leading salesmen, William Hudson and John Murray Peck.

    In 1873, when WJ Clarke was the President of Melton Shire, he bestowed considerable personal attention on Deanside. By 1875, many improvements had been completed and the bluestone buildings that remain today date from the 1870s. Sepia photographs from c.1875 show that a substantial brick mansion had been constructed about 200 metres from the Woolshed. The bichrome brickwork of the mansion is typical of a late-19th century Victorian Boom-era construction. By 1892 the Bacchus Marsh Express reported that Deanside had 'thoroughly appointed . homesteading' (23 April 1892, p. 3). Deanside was a major part of the Clarke family's operations, providing fattening for stock, which could then arrive at Newmarket in good condition. Melton's Alexander Cameron also elaborated on Rockbank's two-fold advantages in his memoirs. Firstly, 'the grass on the Keilor plains was sweet, and the property specialised in fattening wethers and barren ewes for the Newmarket sales.' Secondly, Rockbank, 'being so close to Melbourne market' allowed the drovers to 'start with the sheep in the evening and be at the market in the morning.'

    After 'Big' Clarke's death in 1874, his Victorian estates were left to his eldest son WJ Clarke. Whereas 'Big' Clarke was notorious for his parsimony, WJ Clarke was progressive and prepared to invest. WJ Clarke was notable in his own right for his agricultural activities and made numerous improvements to Deanside. Before leaving on his 1874-75 Grand Tour of Europe, WJ Clarke took great pains to organise the running of his huge estates during his absence. Each manager and agent was given a program to follow and told to submit monthly reports to him by mail. Frequent letters also went to Robert Clarke, the manager of Bolinda Vale, and to WF Watson, in charge of Deanside. He sent them specific instructions regarding sheep, cattle, improved grasses and the preservation of the hares. Other improvements of this era included the complex of large dry stone wall dams across the Rockbank station and stone wall construction in the 1880s.

    In 1876, a report on the property in the Australasian advised that Rockbank sheep station was 40,000 acres in extent, and carried some 33,000 to 36,000 sheep (depending on the season), and some 800 head of cattle. The land was 'all open plains, with scarcely any shelter for the stock'. In 1892 a newspaper correspondent described the Mansion as a 'commodious brick building of very elegant exterior. partaking of the dual character of villa and mansion [with a] spacious verandah' (Bacchus Marsh Express, 23 April 1892, p. 3). Inside, there was 'a wide, handsome, delightfully cool hall to the office, a large room replete with every clerical appliance.' The garden was described as 'an oasis of green, gay and beautiful in a desert of scorched up sun-whitened grass' and had a newly planted orchard of 'ingenious design and masterly execution.' The garden and orchard was well-watered by an irrigation system to withstand the vagaries of hot, dry summers, and was fringed and shaded by introduced pine (Pinus radiata, Monterey Pine). The correspondent's description of a lush garden in the Mansion precinct and orchard fringed with pines is not evident today.

    When WJ Clarke died in 1895, the estate passed to his eldest son Sir Rupert Clarke, who received local pressure to make land available for small-scale farming. Large tracts of the Rockbank estate were auctioned and smaller allotments made available for dairy and hay farming.

    In 1909 the land that included the head station was reduced to 1,701 acres and sold grazier John Richmond Smith who established a merino stud and changed the name to 'Deanside' and extended the mansion house and possibly constructed additional infrastructure. After Smith's death, the property was acquired by Harold Cooper, a merchant who retained it for 23 years, when it was purchased by the Campbell family in 1947. In 1963, the property, now much reduced in size, was purchased by two different company's until it was purchased by the current owners in 1991. The Mansion was destroyed by fire in 1980 and demolished after 1982.

    KEY REFERENCES USED TO PREPARE ASSESSMENT

    Ecology and Heritage Partners, Deanside Woolshed Complex, Plumpton, Victoria: Historical Heritage Assessment, HV No. 4451, 12 February 2015.

    Heritage Alliance, Conservation Management Plan, Deanside Woolshed Complex, 9 June 2015.

    National Estate Register Listing Documentation, 20 June 2011.

    Assessment Against Criteria

    DEANSIDE HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Assessment Against Criteria

    Criterion

    How is it significant?

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is of historical and archaeological significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:

    Criterion A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history

    Criterion C Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria's cultural history.

    Why is it significant?

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is significant at the State level for the following reasons:

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is a substantially intact complex of rural buildings dating from the 1860s and 70s. It was developed by wealthy pastoralist WJT 'Big' Clarke from 1853 who purchased the property from William Yuille. Clarke employed the noted architectural firm of Reed and Barnes to construct the woolshed in 1864, which is among the earliest substantial bluestone woolsheds in Victoria. The homestead complex is an important and early example of a prosperous rural holding in mid to late nineteenth-century Victoria. This is evident in the archaeological remains of the original mansion and other structures, as well as extant buildings including the Shearers Quarters, Boundary Riders Quarters, Managers House and Stables. The place demonstrates the wealth generated by the Clarke family from their vast pastoral interests. The extent of the Clarke's holdings in north western Victoria is evoked by the remains of the mansion that was used when the family visited from their principle residence Rupertswood at Sunbury from 1874. [

    Criterion A]

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is of archaeological significance because it contains foundations, deposits and artefacts associated with the ownership and development of the property by William Yuille from 1846, and then by wealthy pastoralist WJT Clarke and the Clarke family from 1853 to around 1907. In addition to remains of the pre-1875 mansion, there is a grouping of bluestone ruins associated with slaughtering and rendering activities located away from the homestead. These and other structures at the site, as well as sub-surface artefacts and deposits, may contribute knowledge regarding the workings of a large pastoral estate from the 1840s. The archaeology may also provide information about the lifestyles of people from widely differing socio-economic backgrounds living and working in close juxtaposition on an early pastoral station. [

    Criterion C]

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is also significant for the following reasons, but not at the State level:

    The Deanside Homestead Complex is associated with the Clarke family who established a pastoral empire in the district through their development of the 40,000 acre (16,000 ha) Rockbank Estate. The place is believed by older local residents to also include graves of former quarry workers who died on the property.

    Permit Exemptions

    DEANSIDE HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - 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:

    PERMIT EXEMPTIONS

    It should be noted that Permit Exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42(4) of the Heritage Act). Permit Exemptions can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).

    General Condition 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.

    General Condition 2

    Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works 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 works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible.

    General Condition 3

    All works should be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.

    General Condition 4

    Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.

    General Condition 5

    Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.

    Specific Permit Exemptions

    Building Exteriors

    . Minor patching, repair and maintenance which replace like with like.

    . Removal of non-original items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc and making good in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation or removal of non-original external fixtures and fittings such as hot water services and taps a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Repair and removal of non-original fences and gates a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method in a manner which does not affect the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Painting of previously painted surfaces provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.

    Building interiors - Shearers Quarters, Boundary Riders Quarters, Stables, Managers House

    . All internal alterations to these buildings excluding the internal structure required to support the building.

    Building Interiors - Other Buildings

    . Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of any original paint or other decorative scheme.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of non-original carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of non-original curtain tracks, rods and blinds.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted art.

    . Demolition or removal of non-original stud/partition walls, suspended ceilings or non-original wall linings (including plasterboard, laminate and Masonite), non-original glazed screens, non-original flush panel or part-glazed laminated doors, aluminium-framed windows, bathroom partitions and tiling, sanitary fixtures and fittings, kitchen wall tiling and equipment, lights, built-in cupboards, cubicle partitions, computer and office fitout and the like.

    . Removal of non-original door and window furniture including, hinges, locks, knobsets and sash lifts.

    . Removal of non-original glazing to internal timber-framed, double hung sash windows, and replacement with clear or plain opaque glass.

    . Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.

    . Removal of non-original tiling or concrete slabs in wet areas provided there is no damage to or alteration of original structure or fabric.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and that the central plant is concealed, and is done in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in situ.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of electric clocks, public address systems, detectors, alarms, emergency lights, exit signs, luminaires and the like on non-decorative plaster surfaces.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.

    . Installation of plant within the roof space.

    Maintenance and Security

    . Maintenance and replacement of plumbing and electrical services providing that the original formation of the buildings remains unaltered, and does not have a detrimental impact on cultural heritage significance.

    . General maintenance of buildings of primary heritage significance. Such maintenance includes the removal of broken glass, the temporary shuttering of windows and covering of holes as long as this work is reversible and does not have a detrimental impact on cultural heritage significance.

    Landscape

    . The process of gardening, including mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead shrubs and replanting the same species or cultivar, disease and weed control, and maintenance to care for existing plants.

    . The removal or pruning of dead or dangerous trees to maintain safety.

    . Replanting of removed or dead trees and vegetation with the same plant species to conserve the significant landscape character and values.

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373-1996

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Protection of Trees on Development Sites AS 4970-2009.

    . Subsurface works involving the installation, removal or replacement of watering and drainage systems or services outside the canopy edge of significant trees in accordance with AS4970 and on the condition that works do not impact on archaeological features or deposits

    . Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994

    . Vegetation protection and management of possums and vermin.

    . Landscape maintenance works provided the activities do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.

    Hard Landscape Elements

    . Works to roads and pathways that are not part of the original design, and do not affect the cultural heritage significance.

    . Minor repairs and maintenance of hard landscape elements, roads, structures, steps, paths, and gutters, drainage and irrigation systems, edging, fences and gates.

    Fire Suppression Duties

    . Fire suppression and fire fighting duties provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.

    . Fire suppression activities such as fuel reduction burns, and fire control line construction, provided all significant historical and archaeological features are appropriately recognised and protected.

    Note: Fire management authorities should be aware of the location, extent and significance of historical and archaeological places when developing fire suppression and fire fighting strategies. The importance of places listed in the Heritage Register must be considered when strategies for fire suppression and management are being developed.

    Public Safety and Security

    . The erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety which will not adversely affect significant fabric of the place including archaeological features provided that temporary structures are removed within 30 days of erection.

    . Emergency building stabilisation (including propping) necessary to secure safety where a site feature has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and represents a safety risk.

    Note: Urgent or emergency site works are to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified specialist such as a structural engineer, or other heritage professional.

    Signage and Site Interpretation

    . Signage and site interpretation activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.

    . The erection of non-illuminated signage for the purpose of ensuring public safety or to assist in the interpretation of the heritage significance of the place or object and which will not adversely affect significant fabric including landscape or archaeological features of the place or obstruct significant views of and from heritage values or items.

    Note: Signage and site interpretation products must be located and be of a suitable size so as not to obscure or damage significant fabric of the place, and signage and site interpretation products must be able to be later removed without causing damage to the significant fabric of the place. The development of signage and site interpretation products must be consistent in the use of format, text, logos, themes and other display materials.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    DEANSIDE HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Permit Exemption Policy

    Preamble

    The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.

    The extent of registration of the Deanside Homestead Complex in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 810 including the land, all buildings, roads, trees, landscape elements and other features. Under the Heritage Act 1995 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.

    If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.

    Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).

    It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.

    Cultural heritage management plans

    It is recommended that the Conservation Management Plan developed by Heritage Alliance (9 June 2015) is consulted before any works are undertaken at this place to ensure that it is managed in a manner which preserves its cultural heritage significance.

    Cultural heritage significance

    Overview of significance

    The cultural heritage significance of the Deanside Homestead Complex derives from the relationship between the 1860s and 1870s buildings and their landscape setting, the whole providing evidence of the occupation and operation of the land from the earliest phases of European settlement of the Port Phillip District (Victoria). The 1864 Woolshed in particular is valued for its rarity. The other bluestone buildings are architecturally distinctive and have a degree of refinement. The enclosure of the homestead precinct by a drystone walls provides an understanding of the response to the landscape by early settlers. Despite alterations and additions over time the place has the ability to demonstrate its early configuration and uses. The archaeological remains of the former mansion and other structures are of significance because they contains foundations, deposits and artefacts associated with the ownership and development of the property.

    This section identifies buildings and features at the place and attributes a level of cultural heritage significance to them.

    a) All of the buildings and features listed here are of primary cultural heritage significance in the context of the place. The buildings and features of cultural heritage significance are shown in red on the diagram. The drystone walls are of primary significance but are not identified in the diagram. A permit is required for most works or alterations. See Permit Exemptions section for specific permit exempt activities:

    Precinct 1 - Woolshed Precinct

    1. Woolshed

    2. Managers House

    3. Shearers Quarters

    4. Boundary Riders Quarters

    5. Cookhouse

    6. Stables

    7. Drenching Shed

    8. Well

    9. Causeway (Ford) across Kororoit Creek.

    Precinct 2 - Killing Shed Precinct

    10. Killing Shed

    11. Rendering Works

    12. Store Ruin

    Precinct 3 - Former Homestead Precinct

    13. Mansion Ruins

    14. Stone-lined Circular Driveway

    15. Stone-lined Cistern

    16. A Silo and Foundations

    17. Pig Pens

    General

    18. All Dry Stone Walls

    Land: All of the land identified in Diagram 810 is of primary cultural heritage significance.

    Archaeological: Ground disturbance may affect the archaeological significance of the place and, subject to the exemptions stated in this document, requires a permit.

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