Eliza's Cottage

Parent Place or Precinct

02864 Blandstown Heritage Precinct

Statement of Significance

The cottage has heritage significance for the following reasons:
 The place is a rare, authentic and representative example of the Victorian Georgian style of dwelling
constructed by settlers when they first moved onto their land.
 The place is closely associated with the historical development of the town of York and the Avon Valley
and is an integral part of the Blandstown Heritage Precinct.
 The place has the potential to reveal information on early construction practises within the colony of
Western Australia.
 The place has some associations with R H Bland and S S Parker, both early settlers of the York district who
established the area known as Blandstown.

Physical Description

A simple styled building with a central two room ‘core’ constructed from rammed earth, later extensions
constructed from soft fired bricks which surround the original two rooms and more recent extensions at the rear of
the building constructed from hard fired bricks. The exterior of the cottage has been rendered. The single story
structure has a broken pitched, hipped roof covered with corrugated galvanised iron. Three simple brick
chimneystacks protrude through the roof on the northern side of the cottage. Native trees and some exotic tree
species surround it. The land slopes gently to the east to the eastern property line, which is defined by as Blands
Brook.

History

Bland was one of the first to arrive in the district and was requested by Stirling to establish a Government Stock
Station. For his services to the Government, Bland was granted 1,000 acres and later acquired an additional 4,000
acres on the left bank of the Avon River. Bland was appointed Resident Magistrate for York in November 1834.
As Bland held this type of position, York’s early development was centred around Bland’s farm at the southern
end of present day York. It is possible that the dwelling was built by Bland for his labourers or possibly a
overseer.
Eliza’s Cottage was identified as part of the Blandstown Heritage Precinct in 1977 in a historical study
undertaken by M Feilman and Partners on the town of York.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High

Condition

Fair to Moderate

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.