Nanutarra Station Complex

Statement of Significance

Nanutarra Homestead has aesthetic, historic and representative heritage value. The homestead is a fine example of pastoral station buildings. The homestead complex of buildings are in good condidtion and have a high integrity as few external changes have been made since construction in 1884. Still in use, the homestead is representative of the way of life of pastoralists in the Pilbara region for the last one hundred years.

Physical Description

Nanutarra Homestead is a complex of buildings constructed from a variety of materials. The main dwelling has mud brick walls, a corrugated ion roof and a verandah supported by unadorned posts surrounds the whole building. The house comprises two buildings of a simple rectangular design linked by a breezeway. Both buildings have a hipped roof and brick chimneys. The house is a good example of the Australian Colonial design of this era. Other buildings within the complex include outhouses with corrigated iron cladding and a spinifex coolhouse.

History

Nanutarra like many of the stations in the North West was used as grazing land for a number of years before any settlement and development took place. In 1882 a roll call of the pastoralists in the Ashburton region included H Higham who had been on Nanutarra for two years by this time. Higham had to cope with a number of hardships in his early days in developing Nanutarra. Flooding after a cyclone in 1883 caused stock losses and isolation and dwindling supplies often depressed the pastoralist. Nevertheless, he built a home in 1884 designed by Raglan Jarvis of Fremantle. The first phone service to be installed out of Onslow was at Minderoo in 1922. It was put in place at Nanutarra soon after. Transportation and communication was also improved with the purchase of a truck in 1923, one of the earliest in the district, though it was a number of years before the camel and horse teams were made obselete altogether.

By 1918-19 Nanutarra Station had been expanded to 502,670 acres one of the top ten biggest stations in the Ashburton region. Nanutarra was still owned by H Higham in 1934 when the devastating cyclone came through and destroyed much of Onslow. Higham was part of a deputation of Ashburton residents who petitioned the government for help in the wake of the storm.

Integrity/Authenticity

High Degree

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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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.