Seaview

Statement of Significance

The place is of considerable significance for the associations with McCourts, the Catholic Church, Forrests and convict labour. It is a substantial place informing of a way of life no longer practised, and was a major port for the hinterland.

Physical Description

No inspection was made. 1863 -1 st three rooms-bricks baked at Ludlow, built by Ward.

History

James McCourt arrived in the colony December 1842, with his wife Mary, on the Trusty to work at Australind as a timber worker. He was determined to improve his station in life. After the death of their daughter in January 1843, they abandoned Australind and leased Sussex location 81 next to Moriarty, and called it 'Fatfield'. James Jnr was bom soon after in 1844. As with many other settlers at the time, McCourt grazed cattle and bred remount horses for the Indian army. He expanded his property, and his place became the meeting place in the district. Mass was held whenever the priest came through the area. In 1845, the Catholic Church planned three missions, with one being in the centre of loc 62, north of the Ludlow River, close to the McCourts. The land was allocated to the church, and the McCourts managed it. In 1848, Fatfield was the venue for the first Catholic baptism in the area. McCourt used TOL labour for the heavy work of draining the water form the land. In 1853, James Paine married Ann McCourt at Fatfield, and in 1860 Ann was remarried at Fatfield. In 1861, Mary McCourt died and one of the boys joined the Gregory expedition in the north west of the colony. In 1862 James snr married Ann Murphy. In 1862, floods washed the house away , and James built the first aprt of the existing Seaview. In c.1863 Captain Molloy bought Fatfield from McCourt, and leased the property to Peter and Margaret Gibbons, who renamed the property bayview. They purchased the property and lived there for approximately 20 years until they returned to England. James Hill Forrest purchased the place in 1885 after it had been empty for some time, to please his wife Annie Maria (nee Ramsay), and renamed the place Seaview. In 1929, Bruce Forrest married Christina (Sweetie) Scott, and moved to Seaview. The port facility was located on the coast of the property, it is there that George Payne's 'Citizen of London' was launched. In c1970 James Hill Forrest's grandson Jim, with wife Marie built a new home at the property.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Redeemable
Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Fair - Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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