Sunday Times Lodge

Statement of Significance

• The place has historic value for its association with the development of the region for recreational purposes. • The place has historic value for its association with James McCallum Smith and leading men of the Western Australian community in the 1920s and 1930s.

Physical Description

A single storey timber framed cottage clad with weatherboard cladding. The broad shallow pitched gable roof is clad with corrugated metal sheeting. The cottage has been altered and a new alfresco section to the front elevation has been constructed with the gabled canopy being supported on bush timbers. The flooring to the verandah is new timber decking. Windows to the original section are louvers arranged in banks of three. Windows in the new section or restored section are new timber framed sashes and a long narrow window of horizontal emphasis placed mid-way up the elevation. To the rear elevation is a brick chimney with rendered base and stepped brick chimney stack laid in stretcher bond. The render is showing signs of failure with vertical and horizontal cracking.

History

James McCallum Smith, owner of The Sunday Times newspaper, purchased 3,500 acres of virgin bush with a three mile frontage to Lake Preston in 1909. A wooden house, built in 1922, was called the Sunday Times Lodge and it became legendary for Smith’s hunting weekends with a coterie of professional mates which included lawyers, barristers, politicians from all sides, rival press men and distinguished visitors. Premier Philip Collier from 1924 to 1930 and from 1933 to 1936 was a regular visitor. Architect and planner Harold Boas was a frequent visitor and his presence on the site in 1914 with spirit level in his hand in a photograph labelled ‘setting out the lodge’ indicates he may have been involved with the design of the building. Smith was described variously as ‘an astute newspaper man’, ‘a humourless Scot who made every pound a prisoner’ and a person who had ‘inexhaustible predilections for practical jokes’. He was a Member of Parliament and held directorships on many boards. He died in 1939, leaving a bequest to the Chair of Veterinary Science at the University of W.A. His remains were returned to Scotland for burial. The next owner was Thomas William (Tom) Pearson born in the Lakes District of Westmoreland, England where his family had successfully farmed for generations. His purchase in the early 1940s added to his 950 acres in the Brunswick area. In 1965 Tom had a five mile drain dug to drain 800 acres of swamp land at Lake Preston. This made the land suitable for him to experiment with pastures such as strawberry clover and transform the bush block into a grazing property. Tom used the 'Sunday Times Lodge' as a hunting lodge for his friends in the early days while developing the property. Later he made improvements for his family and organisations to use the Lodge. Tom Pearson’s descendants still own the property.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate/ Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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