Egoline Homestead

Values

· The place is a rare example of a Homestead property in Northam which has been physically modified since it’s construction in c1851, on several occasions by different owners in order to adapt to its current functions and needs.
· The place is a good example of a rural property, which is associated with several themes unique to this history Western Australia
· Early Settlement of Western Australia
· Convict labour

Physical Description

Egoline Homestead is a residential complex based on 10 acres of land, which has evolved through several stages of modification in order to accommodate the changing functions and needs of the estate. The complex comprises of four buildings which all relate to separate periods of construction. The c.1851 original brick and mortar structure is central to the complex, with the two storeyed 1860/1870s mud mortar section to the west, and c.1917 local stone section to the east. A separate cottage was constructed in c.1933. The exterior of the homestead is characterised by its encompassing deep verandah and half gable shaped roof. The buildings themselves seem to be constructed in similar colours and textures in order to harmonise the later additions to the original structure.

History

After the settlement the Swan River by Europeans in 1829, people began to move into further inland in search of more productive land. The Avon Valley became a popular due to its excellent land potential and in 1831, sixteen land grants in the Northam area were issued. Settlers became more established in the following decades, and more permanent houses were erected as a consequence. Buildings in the district were usually constructed of mud, ram-jam, or stone. Farms began to develop in the Northam area in response to the large demand for wool from British Mills, however farms also met individual needs of the settlers cultivating vegetables, fruit, dairy cattle, pigs, goats and poultry. Slow settlement of the Northam region began to increase in the latter part of the 1840s due to the growing demand for wool by the British and the introduction of convict labour to the Swan River Colony. Until 1870s, part of the increase in the population of the Northam districts was attributed to the convicts, whom settled and took up land upon their release. Arrival of the railway at Northam contributed to an increase in population in the area as many of the railway workers needed to be housed and fed. Further growth occurred following the construction of the transcontinental railway through Northam, where a major railway workshop was located.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update