Wallcliffe House & Landscape

Statement of Significance

The following is an extract from the Heritage Council of WA’s Assessment Documentation for the place: Wallcliffe House & Landscape, consisting of Wallcliffe House, a two storey stone, shingle and corrugated iron homestead designed in the Victorian Georgian style, remaining outbuildings and designed landscape setting, together with the adjacent Bushland, Wallcliffe Cliffs, Wallcliffe Cave and the Bushland Scarp on the northern side of Margaret River which represents the original view from the property,has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
• the place is important in bringing together a diverse range of exceptional elements significant for their Aboriginal, European and natural values;
• the place is a site of great beauty. The attractive natural landscape first drew settlers to this area and many of the views and vistas have changed little since the start of European settlement. The picturesque siting of Wallcliffe House marks a European influence on the landscape, without intruding on the natural magnificence of the site;
• the establishment of the dairy and pastoral industries at Wallcliffe House & Landscape by the women of the Bussell family represents the important role that women played in the early rural development of the Colony;
• Wallcliffe House is an excellent and well-crafted example of a Victorian Georgian homestead, and its design represents the aspiration of many early colonists to emulate a British country gentleman’s residence. It is rare as a two-storey residence of this type constructed in stone;
• the place marks the beginning of agricultural development in the Margaret River region and was the focus of the pioneering agricultural enterprise of the family of Alfred and Ellen Bussell;
• Wallcliffe House is a distinct and important landmark due to its isolated location and the contrast of its limestone walls against the darker bushland vegetation;
• the place has long associations with the Terry and Hohnen families, each long standing families in the Margaret River community and in WA business circles; and,
• the place demonstrates changes in land use and agricultural practices, and the economic fortunes of owners from first settlement to the present time.
Note: In November 2011 the house bushfires gutted the building, leaving only the ruins of the walls standing. However, its significance remains embodied in its important historical associations and through an interpretation of the surviving fabric.

Physical Description

Prior to the 2011 bushfire Wallcliffe House was noted an excellent example of a homestead in the Victorian Georgian style. It displayed considerable finesse in its siting and design against a backdrop of bushland and limestone cliffs, and in the materials and level of craftsmanship employed in its original construction and restoration. A detailed description of the place prior to the fire is included in ‘Wallcliffe Conservation Plan’ (prepared by Hocking Planning & Architecture in association with Barbara Dundas, on behalf of M. A. & C. A. Hohnen (1998).As at February 2012 some walls and chimneys stand as part of an extensively damaged ruin.

History

Wallcliffe was a stately residence situated above the bank of the Margaret River, about one kilometre from where it enters the sea. The house was built for Alfred and Ellen Bussell, and was imposing with six large stone chimneys, limestone walls, wide verandas and cellars. Downstairs included a large kitchen, dining, reception and music rooms. The upstairs bedrooms featured protruding alcoves overlooking the river. The house had a shingle roof and jarrah floorboards. Wallcliffe was the second house built in the Margaret River area, the first being Ellensbrook, which was also built by Alfred Bussell. By 1858, their first home, Ellensbrook could no longer cope with the number of residents and stock, so Alfred decided to build a larger house on a new site. The site chosen was south of Ellensbrook. It took many years to build, not only because of its size, but also because the Bussells had to fit in their normal farm duties. The limestone used was quarried from the Margaret River bank and the chalk was quarried near Gnarabup. The original timber shingle roof has since been replaced by sheet shingles. After nearly eight years, Wallcliffe was finally ready, and in 1865 the family shifted in. Ellen Bussell had built a dairy at Wallcliffe, which was eventually turned into a restaurant. One important part of Wallcliffe's history was that it was the house that the survivors from the ‘Georgette’ were taken, after being rescued by Grace Bussell and Sam Isaacs. After the death of Alfred Bussell in 1882 the estate was left to John and Fred Bussell, with Fanny managing it until John reached the age of 23 years. Fanny stayed on for approximately seven years, but the estate was later broken up and sold out of the Bussell family.After the Union Bank foreclosed on the Bussell Brothers, Wallcliffe was leased and then sold, in 1902, to A C Loaring and N McLeod. Loaring and McLeod ran the property as a farm, but also operated the house as a guesthouse. This business expanded as more tourists came to the area following the opening of the caves to the public.
It was not until 1910 that Wallcliffe came back into the Bussell family, when Marmaduke Terry bought it from Loaring and McLeod for his wife Filumena Bussell. Unfortunately they could not secure all of the original property, mainly because of the mismanagement of John Bussell previously, who lost much of the original lease to the Government. When Terry purchased the property 29,000 acres of leasehold land reverted to the State, but the two partners retained 1,500 acres of freehold and conditional purchase land. Filumena and Marmaduke only secured some of the original property, which was Class A reserve lease of 1000 acres of coastal land. It was after this that a further 800 acres were added to the estate, as well as 200 acres bought by Filumena, which eventually became the part of the estate known as Garthowen. In this time the shingles were replaced with corrugated iron. Upon the death of Marmaduke in 1932, his son, Brian, ran the property.In early 1953, returned soldier Geoffrey Edwards and his wife purchased a southern coastal portion of the Wallcliffe property from the Terrys to establish a caravan park and holiday ‘resort’. Initially this consisted of only 30 acres, and was little more than a few tent sites. Later the land holding was increased, holiday cabins built, and a caravan park established. The access road, a fishing track that also serviced Wallcliffe House, was gradually improved, and tourist numbers in the area increased. In the early 1960s, the Edwards began to subdivide their land, and the settlement of Prevelly was established on land that had formerly been part of Wallcliffe. Sometime in the 1970s the dairy was converted into a restaurant.The Terrys sold the property in 1987 to Mark & Catherine (Cate) Hohnen. Mark was a founding member of Margaret River Land Holdings Ltd, a prominent Western Australian businessman and head of a hotel chain in the 1980s, and a significant investor in and developer of the Margaret River Area. In 1970, he and his brother David established the local Cape Mentelle Wines, one of the earliest commercial vineyards to operate in an area that has come to be characterised by this industry.
In 1998, a conservation plan followed by a program of restoration and adaptation of Wallcliffe House was undertaken. The works were awarded a Royal Australian Institute of Architects Award for Conservation. Mrs Rosemary Chaney purchased Wallcliffe from the Hohnens in November 2001. Michael Chaney, a leading Australian businessman andNAB Chairman, built a new house and workshop adjacent to the house in a similar style, including the use of shingles for the roof. Wallcliffe House continued to be used as a residence, with the former dairy adapted for use as a guest house and occasional meeting room.On 23-24 November 2011, Wallcliffe House was extensively damaged in bushfire which destroyed over 30 properties in the Prevelly area. Also lost was a large collection of hand crafted jarrah furniture originally owned by the Bussell family, lithographs, water colours and historic papers.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium: The use has been altered, but the original use is still clearly evident through interpretation of the fabric.
Low: The place has been considerably altered through the extensive damage caused by the 2011 bushfire, with major loss of significant fabric.

Condition

Poor (ruin)

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.