Tambrey Station Homestead Ruins

Statement of Significance

The Tambrey Station homestead ruins have historic and scientific cultural heritage significance. The ruins have associations with the development of the pastoral industry in the Pilbara region since 1893 and with many early pastoralists particularly H Meares, S Viveash, W and R Cusack and R and L Parsons. All these pioneers played an important role in the development of pastoralism and a few were significant to local government development.

The mud brick construction and building techniques displayed in the arches over the windows and doors are distinctive for their workmanship and design in an isolated region in the 1890's The complex structures contrubutes to an understanding of a way of life associated with pastoralism. The homestead was a good example of North West Vernacular architecture.

Physical Description

Tambrey Homestead Ruins consists of a group of building remains in close proximity on the northern side of the creek. There are also some remains of a group of shearing related buildings on the southern side of the creek. The homestead ruins are visible from the Roeburne-Wittenoom Road.

The ruins include the mud-brick homestead, the adjacent kitchens, meat house and cook's room, store room saddle and tool rooms, garages and manager's quarters. The shearing shed, shearer's kitchen, quarters and yards are south of the creek. The homestead is sutuated on a level plateau above the creek. The surrounding land is undulating with a range of hills in the west. A small rise east of the homestead is where Cusack's grave is located.

The homestead was built in c1893. It was constructed with antbed mud bricks containing chopped up spinifex and dags from the woolshed which were used as binding materials. The walls were only 2.45 metres high as construction of the dwelling had to be expedited owing to the expected birth of Mrs Cusack's baby. The walls were halted at the exisitng height and consequently the verandah perimeter has a low roof. The roof timbers were cut from neary trees. There were no door or window frames and the openings are arched with 700mm wide window sills. The craftsmanship of the arched opening is unusual in the use of mud brick and in such an isolated situation. The verandah was supported by bush timber poles some remain in place but the roof of the verandah has collapsed around the dwelling.

The homestead and associated buildings have been vacant since 1950. The deterioration and weathering since then have resulted in the ruinous condition the place now presents.

History

Tambrey Homestead and Ruins is the remains of a single storey mud brick and iron dwelling and associated out buildings, located on the main road to Wittenoom Gorge, 190 kms south east of Roeburne by road. It was incorporated into Collawanyah Station in 1950, by which time the place had been vacated. Eleven stations consisting of 446,856 hectares were leased by the pioneering Withnell family in the late 1880's. Emma and John Withnell who had been in the Pilbara since c.1865, had a daughter Emily who married John Goldsmith Meares in 1886. Subsequently, their daughter Ellen married Ron Parsons who leased Coolawanyah Station which now incorporates Tambry Station. In 1997 the Parson family still owned and managed the station.

Tambrey Station was fomerly part if another lease of Ithernura Station which was held by Viveash. Tambrey dates from the mid 1880's when Henry Meares held the lease. In 1892 William Cusack went to Tambrey to manage the station for Meares. He had previously worked as a jackaroo and blacksmith on Andover and Ithernura Stations.

In 1893, during the period when Cusack was manager of Tambrey, the homestead was built. In 1902 Cusack went into partenership with Henry Meares in the leasehold of Tambrey Station. Meares was identified with Tambrey for over thirty years. He was a prominent local identity who served on various Roads Boards and other community organisations involved in the progress of the North West. One of Meares and Cusack's employees Charles Ferguson gained such experience of the station that he bought an interest in the property and then took over the management in the early 1900's. Ferguson also contributed to local organisations and served a period as Chairman of the Tableland Roads Board. He was made commisioner of the Peace in 1910.

In 1915 Tambrey comprised 161,874 hectares with a capacity of 20,000 sheep. During the years of World War I both Henry Meares and William Cusack died, leaving Tambrey Station to the complete management of Ferguson. In 1920 Jones, McMullan and Roy Parsons took up Collawanyah Station whih adjoined Tambrey Station. Coolawanyah is the only known example of a Soldier Settlement station in the district. Parsons later bought out both Jones and McMullan.

In 1922 Thomas Cusack (son of William) took over management of Tambrey Station. At this time it appears alterations to the homestead took place. Tom and Olive Cusack were both active community memebers who held positions of Chairman and Secretary of the Roeburne Roads Board. Many Road Board meetings were held at Tambrey.

The Cusacks had three children. At the back of the sleeping quarters there was a big bough shed which held all the children's beds. In front of the house was a small lawn with ponciana tree and a lone orange tree. Besides a bountiful vegetable graden, Olive Cusack had a tennis court built with the assistance of aboriginal labour. The surface of the tennis court was constructed of crushed anthills. Tennnis parties at Tambrey attractes many people. Competitions were held over weekends.

The original six stand shearing shed was replaced by a new shed c.1930. In 1940 an even larger shed was built with a pen fo each shearer. the whole shed was under one large curved roof. In 1963 this shed was destroyed by fire and not replaced. Tom Cusack died in 1936 from a self inflicted shooting accident. He was buried on the station. Though not immediately, Olive Cusack eventually left the station and later became headmistress if Presbyterian Ladies College. When Olive Cusack died in 1985 her ashes were placed at the grave of her husband. This gravesite is fenced and maintained by the Cusack Family.

In 1949 Lang Hancock bought Hooley and Tambrey Stations from Ferguson and the Cusack Family for 50,000 pounds. One year later when Parsons of Coolawanyah was seeking to expand his property, Hancock sold Tambrey and Hooley to him. From this time on the homestead remained unoccupied. Parsons ran Hooley, Coolawanyah and Tambrey seperately until 1970 when Tambrey was merged with Coolawanyah. During the latter half of the 1970's the Parsons family converted their station from sheep to cattle.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Deterioration prevents measurment.

Condition

Ruins

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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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.