Corunna Downs Station

Statement of Significance

Corunna Downs is associated with pioneer families notably the Drake- Brockmans and the Foulkes Taylors and the group of buildings on it illustrate the high degree of development reached in its administration. Few other houses built from ant bed remain in the north and the property has additional interest in more recent years as a_ bomber base during World War II.

Physical Description

The homestead consists of a kitchen block and separate bedroom and living block of ant bed walls and concrete floor. The original roof has been replaced with a steel framed roof structure which spans cl ear over the verandahs and rooms leaving the walls free standing beneath. The roof is sheeted with corrugated galvanized iron. _ The plan consists of a large living room and a bedroom opening onto verandahs each side of the long axis with rooms under the verandah roof each end. The ceilings are level at wall plate height and ripple iron lined in the centre core. The rooms und er the verandah roof are faked ripple iron or stamped metal lined. The separate kitchen block has concrete walls and corrugated iron roof. The outbuildings are of no great interest and some of the earlier outbuildings have long been destroyed.

History

Assessment 1983
Construction: c 1890
Corunna Downs was owned for long periods firstly by A.H. & G.D. Drake-Brockman (1891- 1927)and secondly by Ernest Foulkes Taylor (1927-1951) who is buried in the station graveyard. It was described in 1915 as better equipped than any other station in the north-west . The main house was built of ant bed bricks in the 1890's. During World War II, two 7,000 foot runways for Liberator and Wellington bombers were put down on the run some distance from the homestead . The Japanese despite many attempts, failed to locate this base. Old machinery remains at the various early mining sites on the property.

Uses

Historic Themes

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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.