De Grey Station Group

Statement of Significance

The historic significance springs from the fact that the De Grey was not only the first of the N W leases but also it was subsequent to Grant, Anderson and Edgar taking the lease, the springboard from which many other stations on the De Grey - were established. a setting is noteworthy because of the proximity of the De Grey river and the existence of significant trees amongst which the complex is set.

Physical Description

The De Grey lease was the first to be taken up in the north-west. Although the homestead site is not the original site which was downstream and on the other side of the De Grey river/ the two brick buildings nevertheless date back to at least the 1890's. These two brick buildings (one a ruin) are of interest in that there are few remaining Pilbara homesteads of brick construction. Also of interest is the endeavour to embellish the brickwork with attached piers topped by simple capitals. The complex, though neglected and falling into disrepair, displays a development of station life and building types from the 1890's through to the 1930*s.
The homestead consists of a brick section (extant in 1890’s), a cement block dining room and a timber framed and corrugated iron clad kitchen wing. The brick section has lost its roof to all parts except the rear (south) lean to. The brick walls are 450mm thick and constructed of soft burnt red clay brick contained in mud mortar with lime plastered finishes internally and pointed in lime mortar externally. There is a 1450mm high cement dado externally on the north side. The brickwork is executed in English bond, one course of headers and one of stretchers alternately On the north side facing what was the front verandah the wall contains a number of attached piers formed in brick work and terminating approximately 2200mm above the floor with a projecting brick capital * The ceiling height was 3320mm and the roof sloped down to 2100mm at the edges of the verandahs. The floors are of concrete and there is no step between the main floor and the verandah floor .
Between the ruined brick section and the iron clad kitchen block is a large roo (dining room) measuring about 10m x 7m and of about 3.6m ceiling height. The walls are of cement block and the floor concrete and the finishes are basic : plastered walls, fibrous plaster and battened ceiling. The brickwork is similar to that of the ruined homestead, though the attached piers on the front side are at closer centres. White paint has been applied to the brickwork to simulate quoins. The roof is of galvanised iron and the floors are of concrete.
There are a number of cement block outbuildings close by the north end of the house. These are: lavatory, bathroom and laundry and a room attache3d to the house by means of a short corridor. These structures date from the 1920's. There are a large number of outbuildings scattered over a wide area. Most of these such as the shearing shed are in a ruined condition, others are in varying states of disrepair. Some of the stockyards however are still used.

History

Assessment 1983
Construction pre 1890's
Leases were taken up along the De Grey river by Walter Padbury in 1863, his manager was Charles Nairn. Their camp was established on the western branch of the De Grey river at the end of July and a flooded gum near the site was marked N-JY-1863. The first house was finished in September and stockyards were under way. After the loss of his new ship the Emma in 1967 in which Charles Nairn was drowned, Padbury decided to abandon the De Grey and the leases were not renewed.
He sent Edward Roberts from Dandaragan to drive his stock overland to his property there, Yathroo. Anderson and Grant, who had been in partnership with the Richardsons at Pyramid took over the leases in 1869 and held them under various names - Grant, Anderson and Edgar/ Grant, Harper & Anderson, etc., until the purchase by M. Rubin in 1912. A number of nearby stations were originally part of the De Grey, e.g. Pardoo, Mulyie, Ettrick (formerly part of Mulyie, with which it is again amalgamated), Muccan and Yarri. It is believed that the original buildings on De Grey station were destroyed by floods, the present buildings (pre 1890*s) being on the eastern side of the river upstream from where it branches. The De Grey homestead is now unoccupied and. the station is run from Mulyie homestead, both these stations now being owned by the Rubin Co. - The De Grey River Pastoral Co.

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.