Tambrey Station Homestead Ruins

Condition

Ruins

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

Tambrey homestead is significant for its mud (ant hill0 construction and the workmanship displayed in the arches over windows and doors. Also of note is the nearby grave. It is historically important as one of the early Tableland stations and its association with early pastoral pioneers such as the Meares and Cusack families. However the buildings are in ruinous state and there seems little hope of maintenance from the owners

Physical Description

The Tambrey homestead (in ruins) consists of three rooms in the centre core underneath the main hipped corrugated iron roof with framed verandah enclosures each end clad in corrugated iron. The central core is of 340mm thick wallss probably gathered from the numerous ant hills about the countryside. The window frames have been removed. Over the windows and doors, arches have been formed of key shaped mud blocks. The verandahs are of timber posts and verandah beams but have no rafters, the corrugated iron sheeting spanning unaided between the verandah beams and wall plates. The verandah roof is largely collapsed. The floors are of concrete. The outbuildings are of timber frame with the remnants of corrugated iron cladding on the roofs which are all missing. The fenced grave of T.D. Cusack its tombstone paid for by the road gang working at Tambrey at the time of his death is at the rear of the house. Tambrey is regularly visited by bus tours and there has been pressure for some years from tourist authorities and from individual tourists for the Trust to assess the property and try to encourage its restoration.

History

Assessment July 1982. Constructed 1890's: Pise (of ant bed), iron roof, rafters of sawn tree trunks Earlier part of another lease (Viveash's Inthernura station, no longer in existence) Tambrey dates from the middle 1880's when it was owned by Henry Meares but its closest association has been with the Cusacks. W.H. Cusack who went there about 1892 became a partner in 1902 and his son T.D. Cusack managed the property from c. 1922 until his death in a shooting accident in 1936. It is now run as part of the nearby Coolawanyah station.

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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

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Nanutarra Station Complex

Condition

The buildings of the Nanutarra Station Complex are in fair to poor condition, with a few parts in very poor condition. Areas of masonry and render have deteriorated due to rising damp and moisture ingress, and minor cracking has occurred in the original walls as a result of movement. All windows have deteriorated with use and exposure to the elements. The roofs are in poor condition. The interior fittings are relatively intact and in good condition, as are the internal surfaces and finishes.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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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

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Tramway and Jetty

Parent Place or Precinct

03444 Old Onslow Townsite

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Peedamulla Homestead (ruin)

Condition

The place is a ruin.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

Peedamulla Homestead has aesthetic, historic, social and representative cultural heritage value. The homestead, despite it's condition, is a good example of North West architecture with stone walls, surrounding verandahs and separate kitchen. The surrounding outbuildings contribute to the aesthetic qualities of the place as a group of related structues. Historically the homestead had been associated with the development of the pastoral industry since the 1880's. The place was built by the Burt brothers who were prominent in local affairs and served many years on the Ashburton Roads Board. Peedamulla has close associations with many Aboriginal peple who worked and lived on the property. It was also a regular stopping place for many visitors of the district.

Physical Description

Peedamulla Homestead is a group of single storey stone and iron buildings comprising a house, adjacent kitchen and outbuildings including a stone water tank. The homestead is set in a landscape of few trees and bare claypan. The main residence was built in c1915 using local stone with rendered quoins around the door and windows. The square plan of the house is not typical of the North West vernacular houses, which are usually rectangular. However, it does have surrounding verandahs, thick stone walls, a corrugated iron roof and a separate kitchen typical of a station residence. The house and kitchen buildings are being occupied at times by itinerant workers whilst working on the station. The c1915 residence is situated to the south of two old stone buildings and water tank thought to have been built in 1885 and 1900. The c1885 building has bush timber lintels and frames in the windows and doors. The existing gable roof does not appear to be the oiginal roof. This building is derelict and empty. The c1900 building with a low pitched hipped corrugated iron roof was, in 1997, being used as a mechanical workshop. Top hinge corrugated iron shutters cover the window openings. The water tank is a circular stone construction. The internal stone is rendered on the interior. The external all is faces stonework laid in a regular boding pattern with no apparent motar.

History

These historical notes have been taken from the Heritage Council of WA Assessment 1997 Peedamulla Homestead was originally referred to as Peedamullah until 1928, when the Peedamulla Pastoral Company was formed and dropped the 'h' from the name. Peedamullah is a local Aboriginal word said to mean 'plenty water'. Peedamulla Homestead is situated approximately 50 kilometres south east of Onslow. In 1878, brothers Edmund and Archibald Burt (grandsons of Sir Francis Burt, Chief Justce from 1861-1870) arrived from the West Indies. They took over the Peedamulla leases in the early 1880's. Like other station owners in the Ashburton district the Burts relied on Aboriginal labour for domestic work as well as fencing, shearing, mustering and boundary riding. Many of the Aboriginal people were born on or near the station. In 1885, the original townsite of Onslow was gazetted as a member of the Ashburton Roads Board. Archibald Burt was closely associated with the development of the new town site. In 1895 Archibald left the property to go into Government service as the Mining Register. He retained his share of the station. He later had a successful career in law. Edmund continued to live at and manage the Peedamulla Station. Edmund Burt married in 1916 and it is probable that the c1915 homestead was constructed to improve living conditions on the station in anticipation of his marriage. On 20th March 1918 the Burt's took over additional leases which added 257,850 hectares to their property. From 1920 until his death in 1927 Edmund Burt was Chairman of the Ashburton Roads Board for six years. During this time the new Onslow at Beadon Point was proposed and developed. Peedamulla Station was located on the original North West coastal highway that detoured nto the town of Onslow. Travellers frequently stopped at the homestead as they passed through the area. In more recent years te highway was rerouted to an alignment which runs seven kilometres to the east of Peedamulla Homestead. Edmund Burt died following a fall from a window of the Weld Club in Perth in 1927. Peedamulla Station was incorporated in 1928 and 40,000 shares were issued at one pound each. In 1932 however, the ownership of the station was transferred to Cornelius McManu and W Montgomery. (The company was not officially defunct util 1974). In the 1934 cyclone substantial losses were inflicted on Peedamulla Station. 40 windmills were destroyed. This destruction plus a drought in the following years resulted in many stock losses. In 1937 Alexander Hardie and his family bought Peedamulla Station for 19,522 pounds. Management of the station was taken over by Byron Hardie (son of Alexander) and then subsequently by G Herbert in 1942. G Herbert eventually leased a part of Peedamulla Station and formed Cane River Station. Peedamulla continued in the Hardie family after the death of Alexander in 1954. The 1950's was a very profitable period owing to the wool boom. In 1961 the peedamulla leasehold was reduced to 156,000 hectares owing to the resumption of land for the Onslow Town water supply. In 1961 and then again in 1963, cyclones damaged the homestead, shearing sheds and resulted in a number of stock losses. These factors plus low wool prices in the early 1970's forced the Hardie's to sell Peedamulla to Neville and Moira MacDonald for the sum of $70,000. Three years later the MacDonalds sold the station to the Commonwealth Government for the use of the Aboriginal people of the Onslow region. The station at the time had a stock holding of 28,000 sheep. In 1981 managers were placed on the station and living in the homestead. However, in 1984 a cyclone unroofed the homestead and transportable accommodation was brought in for living quarters. By 1997 the homestead had fallen into a state is disrepair and was vacant much of the time. Today the homestead is still severely damaged. Though the walls are intact the roof has not been replaced. The Yundara Aboriginal Co-operative based in Onslow operates Peedamaulla.

Integrity/Authenticity

Uncomprised by many changes despite very poor condition.

Condition

Ruins

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Old Onslow Police Station

Parent Place or Precinct

03444 Old Onslow Townsite

Uses

Creation Date

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Old Onslow Townsite

Child Places

• 04232 Tramway and Jetty
• 03949 Old Onslow Police Station

Condition

Old Onslow Townsite is a rare example of an historical archaeological site of a former ‘frontier’ settlement in a very remote area of the North West of the State.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Child Places

• 04232 Tramway and Jetty
• 03949 Old Onslow Police Station

Statement of Significance

The old Onslow town site has aesthetic, historic, social, scientific and rarity cultural heritage significance. Though the town site is today a collections of ruins, it represents an important historical period of development for the Ashburton district. Owing to it's isolation from civilisation the old town has an interesting, almost tangible historical presence similar to ghost towns in the Western Australaina goldfields. It has much potential as a tourist and pre federation archaeological site giving it scientific heritage value. Old Onslow us a rare example of ruins in the Ashburton district that represent the difficulties of early development in the North West.

Physical Description

The most prominent ruins in the old Onslow town site are the stone remains of the gaol, the courthouse, the police station and police quarters. A concrete roof that appears to be set into the ground is the roof of an underground water tank once used by the police. None of the buildings remain intact and have suffered badly from vandalism and exposure to harsh climatic conditions. The stone walls were constructed from local stone blocks with concrete quoins and tuck-pointing. None of the large doors or substantial windows remains. Few trees have survived in the vicinity of the ruins, which are surrounded by scrub.

History

The town and port of Old Onslow was gazetted in 1885. The founding of the town was a well received event for the local pastoralists who had demanded a port for a number of years for the export of their wool clip. The first building in the town was a goods shed taken over by James Clark and John McKenzie on their arrival in 1883. Here they set up their warehouse and store. According to later correspondence this store (along with the telegragh line) influenced the surveying and lying out of the townsite. Onslow was named in the honour of the Chief Magistrate, Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow (1842-1908) who was acting Governor for a short period. The town, when first laid out, had 116 lots in two blocks, ten by the river and the rest in a block situated inland from the river. All the street names (bar one Anketell) were named after relatives of AC Onslow. From the outset the town and port of Onslow experienced difficulties owing to the natural features of the site. The Ashburton River carried such a large amount of water during the wet season (and particularly after a cyclone) that the safe mooring required for the unloading of goods was often jeopardised. The town itself was not ideal being situated near claypans that often flooded. However, the value or the port at Onslw was questionable as the bar across the mouth of the river became more increasingly difficult to navigate. A number of accidents associated with using the port led to many meetings on the future of the river port. An alternative solution was found in the construction of a sea jetty (after a failed first attempt was destroyed by a cyclone in 1897). Unfortunately the second and third jetties were not situated far enough away from the river mouth. This allowed silt ot be swept down and depositied in the sea, rendering the jetties useles in the case of low tides and heavly laden ships. A further solution for the problems of the jetty was sought and found by the building of another jetty, at some distance from the town, on Beadon Point. This was opened with much fanfare in 1925. With the new sea jetty, the old townsite of Onslow was now isolated for the movement of goods into and out of the Ashburton district. As early as 1920 it became obvious that a new town would have to be located at Beadon and the Ashburton Roads Board supported the relocation of the old town to the new site. Much controversy arose over the choosing of a new town site as well as the number of issues concerning the relocation process and compensation for residents already established at Old Onslow. Another issue creating many debates was the naming of the new town with some people wanting a new start with Beadon, others with Ashburton and many wanting to retain the name Onslow.

Archaeology

In 1925 new Onslow was developed and in 1976 the old Onslow townsite was revested with the crown. Old Onslow Townsite is an archaelogical site comprising various structures & features, including the Police Station Complex, is located in a natural setting in the banks of the Ashburton River.

Integrity/Authenticity

Uncompromised owing to little modern building intervention however, no substantial buildings remain.

Condition

Ruins

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