Farrant Homestead

Values

The place has aesthetic value as a simple stone farmhouse residence located in a picturesque rural setting.

The place is associated with the settlement of the Daring Ranges area subsequent to the establishment of the Zig Zag railway, and the growth of the fruit industry in the area.

The place has associations with John Farrant, early landowner and who is believed to have constructed the place for the manager of his property.

The place was one of only a small group of residences and homesteads constructed prior to 1900 in the Shire of Kalamunda.

Physical Description

The residence is set back from the road and located in a picturesque farmland setting. The residence is a simple single storey building of stone and part brick construction. The CGI hipped roof has two gable vents at each end of the hip. There is a separate CGI roof to the verandah and this is supported by stone or brick plinths with timber posts above.

The place also has several outbuildings also of stone construction.

History

John Farrant and his family are attributed to being among the first settlers to the Kalamunda area in the 1880s and 1890s. Arriving from South Australia in the 1880s, he was granted 50 acres of land located below the Zig Zag Railway Line. John Farrant was a land agent and is said to have been one of the first to make the commute between the Darling Ranges area to Perth for work.

Farrant lived nearby William Henry Mead, who was the first private settler to take up land in the district, and the two families became close. It was as a result of their discussions that they founded the Darling Range Vine and Fruitgrowers Association in 1895, which was primarily a progress organization for the district and became the precursor to the Darling Range Roads Board established in 1897.

The place is said to have been constructed for the manager of Farrant’s property D. H. Slatyer. It original comprised two rooms with a lean-to and was of stone construction. In 1935 two rooms were added to the rear, a dining room built and the kitchen enlarged. Further work incorporating 2 bedrooms was undertaken in 1950.

In the post World War Two period John Farrant’s property at Gooseberry Hill was subdivided with the roads in the area taking their names from family members.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.