Mt. Narryer Station

Child Places

• 18196 Road Gate

Statement of Significance

The Mt Narryer Station Homestead is significant as a substantial architect designed building. The Homestead and the large shearing shed illustrates the effective use of local stone. The place has historic significance for it's association with Charles Aitkins, a well known Perth businessman.

Physical Description

The Mt. Narryer Station comprises the homestead, a detached building containing the office/store, cook's quarter and laundry, meat house, new workshops, a magazine and shearing shed. Only the foundations remain of the original homestead built by the Tyson brothers. Designed by the architectural firm Eales and Cohen, the current homestead is large building of local stone construction which forms a incomplete 'U' with a central courtyard. It features cement quoins with black tuck-pointing, a rear breezeway and an arched entry centrally positioned to the south facade. The place has a steeply pitched corrugated iron dutch gable roof with surrounding verandahs supported on wide pillars of stone and brick construction. The verandah is partly enclosed to the east elevation with brick, glass and shade cloth. Timber framed french doors open out onto the verandah while the windows are timber framed with 8 panes. The main entrance is enhanced by a gable roof with decorative timber barge boarding in an old English style and a decorative tower complete with weather vein. A brick render was added to the lower walls in 1960 in an attempt to alleviate damp and salt problems. The adjacent meat house and laundry is combination of stone and timber with a dutch gable corrugated iron roof. To the north of the Homestead is the substantial shearing shed built c1918 of local stone with buttresses and large timber doors. Internal walls are rendered and white washed. The engine room is attached to the south elevation. The original shearer's quarters, also of stone construction, have been removed. The former magazine, a small stone structure with a skillion cement roof surrounded by a timber and wire fence, is situated to the east of the shearing shed.

History

Mt Narryer Station was named after the hill on a nearby range, 'Mt Narryer', which was named by Robert Austin in 1854. Land int he area was taken up by J & W Tyson in the late 1870's. They built a stone dwelling which was demolished in 1945.The Tysons remained at Mt Narryer until 1908 when they sold it to the Aitkin Brothers, who also owned Murgoo. In 1923 the Aitkin Brothers had a much larger homestead buuilt approximately a quarter of a mile from the Tyson's homestead. An earthquake damaged several buildings in 1941 while a cyclone necessitated the shearer's quarters to be demolished in 1967. The Aitkins Brothers, owned the property, which has had aseries of different managers until 1974.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Good

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.