Bundanoon Homestead

Physical Description

The homestead is located some distance from the road, adjacent to Yandanooka Spring, and is approached through an attractive garden.
It is built of local sandstone, walls 375mm thick with wide verandahs. The timber and corrugated iron roof has a steep pitch. The house is long, with single rooms and an enclosed back verandah. There are smaller, possibly older buildings nearby, some in ruins.

History

Yandanooka Spring was a water source for Aborigines and nearby there was a natural clearing used for corroborees.
The Spring was from the beginning of European occupation, about 1850, an important stopping place on the route from Perth to the Geraldton district. The earliest structures would date from 1856 when the first lease was taken up by Thomas Whitfield. Historically the property is most important and the house is a typical example of a dwelling of its period.
Thomas Whitfield squatted on land adjacent to the Ikewa and Green Brook creeks and decided to build his homestead at Yandanooka which translated means water in the hills. The Homestead was built of cream sandstone which forms a buffer between the red dirt and sandplain with water seeping through, hence the meaning of the name, Water in the hills.
The house was ready to receive his wife who came up from Toodyay in 1854. The site chosen for its construction was close to water and the good building material, but on a very stable quartzy piece of soil. It consisted of a seven roomed dwelling, adjacent cookhouse come dwelling and a two roomed staff house.
In 1879 the station was offered for sale and subject to a lease to Lachlan McPherson ending in 1884, there was no sale and a partnership of Emmanuel & Phillips took on the station in 1887 till 1910 when it was resumed by the Government to be sub-divided into suitable blocks for farming. Only one block was sold and the state being a net importer of wheat at that time decided to clear more land and grown wheat for the colony. After the war the whole station was subdivided and offered to soldier settlers. This operation being managed by A.G. White who was an Agricultural Bank Supervisor and lived in the Homestead.
The Homestead was taken over by the Army during the 1939 - 45 war and was battalion headquarters of the Engineers. In 1946 the Homestead along with adjacent land, was sold to C.S. Baty of "Batyphone radio" fame and farmed by him until 1967 when it was sold to J. Lydiard and again sold to the Ward family in 1968. Tom and his sons Ian and Peter stripped the house down to a shell and re-roofed and modernised the dwelling, keeping the original shape and style intact.
Of interest is a well 2 km to the south east which is built in the traditional style being round and lined with dry stone walling, similar to others known to have been constructed by the Benedictines when they were working in the area. The well is in good condition. A new windmill was fitted in 1956 by C.S. Baty.
Following is a reproduction of 1915 newspaper article in relation to the site.
The Western Mail, Vol XXX. No. 1, 539. Perth, Friday, 25 June, 1915
The Yandanooka Estate, The Government Farming Scheme, Five Thousand Acres
Under Crop (by Wanderer)
As was mentioned in a previous article, the biggest area which is being cropped in the Midland districts is the 5,000 acres seeded by the government in the Yandanooka estate. Of all the trading enterprises which have been initiated by the government in recent years this is the one which appears to have the soundest justification, and to offer the greatest prospects of success. It was undertaken at a time when the labour market glutted as a result of the combined effects of the war and the drought, when the government was being called upon to provide work or food for hundreds of unemployed. It was, more-over, a time when it was imperatively necessary, in the interests of the Empire, that every available acre of land should be cropped in order that the maximum production of food stuffs for the use of the Allies should be secured. An experiment, which, under ordinary circumstances, might not have been justified, because, under stress of such an emergency, wholly commendable. Apart from this consideration there are several factors which should contribute to the success of this particular venture. In the first place the government has been fortunate in securing as manager a man with unique qualifications for the work, and an important consideration - he appears to have been given practically a free hand in the carrying out of the scheme. Mr H J Lee Steere, who is in charge of the work, has managed the Yandanooka estate for the private owners and the government for the past 20 years, and every part of its 63,000 acres is known to him as to no other man. Another consideration which makes for the success of the enterprise is that the Yandanooka estate contains probably the largest area of land of uniformly high quality in one block to be found in WA within the safe rainfall belt. The opinion which was held of the country by Sir John Forrest, than whom few men are better qualified to judge, is sufficiently attested by the fact that when in consideration of his exploratory services, he was voted a grant of 5,000 acres of land to be selected in any part of WA he chose a block which is bounded on three sides by Yandanooka estate.
History of the Estate
In the course of a trip through the Midland country last week I visited Yandanooka and spent a day going over the estate in company with the manager. Yandanooka is one of the old settled estates of Western Australia, having been originally selected by the Mr Whitfield some 60 years ago. There were days when the presence of hostile natives rendered it necessary for the venturesome settler to have a loaded gun ever ready to his hand, but even in those hazardous days Mrs Whitfield went out with her husband to share the perils of the bush. She lived to see her early home transformed into the biggest wheat farm in the state. About 20 years ago Yandanooka was purchased by Mr S Phillips, who at a later date was joined by Messrs Emanuel Bros, and under their joint ownership the estate became one of the most famous stock fattening stations in W.A. Yandanooka has carried as many as 2,700 bullocks and 16,000 sheep in 12 months, and in one year 22,000 pounds worth of fat stock was sold off the property.
Purchased by the State
About 4 years ago the estate was repurchased by the Government for 140,000, representing 2. 4s. 6d. per acre for Yandanooka property, a price which included about 1,000 worth of improvements on the 90,000 acre pastoral lease adjoining, which was also surrendered to the Crown. Amongst the improvements on the property were a substantial stone homestead, 220 miles of fencing, 15 tanks and 9 wells equipped with storage tanks and several dams, which are dotted about the estate, representing 91,000 cubic yards of excavation. From one well at the Homestead which has never been materially lowered. Water is gravitated into 5 paddocks aggregating 10,000 acres. While to other portions of the estate water is run by gravitation from some of the larger dams which have never yet been dry. About 2 years ago, approximately 26,000 acres of the land was subdivided and offered to the public at prices ranging from 5 pounds per acre for blocks close to the siding down to 25s. per acre. The terms were 20 years, with 5 per cent interest added. It failed, however, to attract settlers, and only an infinitesimal area has been selected. Asked whether he did not think and excessive valuation had been placed on the land, Mr Lee Steere said that he and the Government valuer had each assessed the land, and there was only the trifling difference of 300 pounds in the totals arrived at. Previously when the original owners had had in mind the cutting up of the estate, he and Mr James Gardiner had both made a valuation and there was a variation of only 2,000 pounds in a total of 180,000. These valuations were all made independently and if the prices fixed were excessive there was an amazing uniformity about the assessors blundering.
Character of the Country
A drive around the estate goes far to substantiate the managers claim that nowhere else in WA would it be possible to find, in one block of equal extent, a similar area of first class. Where else would one drive from 9 o'clock in the morning till 6 in the evening - covering a distance of 50 miles - without traversing a single acre of inferior land? Mr Lee Steere claims that 50,000 of the 63,000 acres is absolutely first-class land. Throughout the estate is intersected by winding water courses, the chief of which are the Arrowsmith River and Green Brook. It is along these water courses that one obtains an idea of the remarkable depth of soil, the great banks of rich, red loam ranging in depth from 4ft to 15ft. As a member of the Lands Advisory Board put it when being driven through the estate some years ago, "In most parts of WA we calculate our soil in inches; here it is no extravagance to talk in years." Even thus early in the season we drove through a solid carpet of Trefoil a foot or more in height, while particularly in the north end of the estate, where there had been a heavy fall of rain which missed the home paddocks the wild oats were waving 3ft high. Throughout the estate there is a growth gerenium, a splendid fodder grass, whilst amongst other varieties of herbage which are making rapid headway are canary grass, cockspur, barley grass, spear grass, and capeweed. Nearer the Homestead, on the limestone hills, which the manager says are the best horse paddocks in the property, the feed is more backward, but with further rains they will be covered with carpet of vivid green which elsewhere makes the prospect so alluring. At present there are only about 5,000 wethers at Yandanooka, but between 1,200 and 1,300 head of bullocks have been purchased in the Port Hedland district and are now being travelled down to be topped off for the Metropolitan market. The manager also expects to acquire another 5,000 or 6,000 wethers for fattening purposes.
Inception of the Farm Scheme
When the Government repurchased the estate Mr Lee Steere who for 16 years had been manager for Messrs Emanuel Bros, and Phillips retained his old position. It had always been his ambition to see Yandanooka converted into a great farming proposition and the opportunity came when, in September last, the then Minister for Lands (Mr Bath) asked him if he could find profitable employment for some of the unemployed. The project of cropping 5,000 acres was then conceived. The work of clearing was begun on 5 October, and developments since that date have been rapid and continuous. It was early afternoon when we reached the "farm", where as far as the eye could reach was a vast panorama of growing corn, and rich red virgin soil in process of cultivation. Here the wheat planted in the closing days of April has attained a height of 18 inches and more; there the tender shoots were just showing through the ground; and in the middle distance giving a touch of native beauty to the whole are the long irregular lines of flooded gums which mark the erratic course of the Green and Ikawar brooks. The area selected for cultivation forms portion of that which was subdivided for settlement and not sold. The price at which this was submitted to the public averaged 4 pounds per acre, the improvements at that time consisting of fencing, ringbarking, and dams. In order to ensure a ready-made water supply for the expected settlers, the surveyors in cutting up the blocks, provided where possible that one dam should serve two or more settlers. The cultivated area at its nearest point is about 6 miles from the railway siding, while the most distant point is 10 miles. Since 5 October 7,000 acres have been cleared and up to the time my visit was paid, a little over 4,000 out of the 5,000 acres it is intended to crop had been seeded. The balance of 2,000 acres will be placed under fallow.
The Steam Tractor
This tractor was seen at work ploughing portion of the balance of 1,000 acres which is expected to get in before the end of June. The steam tractor engineer which was imported by the Government for land clearing in various parts of the state - has done splendid work at Yandanooka, and is a revelation of what can be done in farming of big areas. Attached to the engine was a 30 furrow disc plough which was especially made to the managers order at the State Implement Works. Coupled to the side of this was an ordinary disc plough often furrows, so that a 40 furrow track 27ft in width was being torn up. With this equipment the traction engine averages about 35 to 40 acres a day. While under favourable conditions it has pulled up to 50 furrows width of 33ft; representing a corresponding increase in the average ploughed for the day. The engine is a big consumer of both wood and water, but where, as at Yandanooka, there is abundant supplies of both, this is not a serious consideration. About half the area has been ploughed with the tractor, the balance having been done by horse teams.
The Financial Aspect
Questioned on the all important matter of the cost of putting in the crop Mr Lee Steere said; "The clearing of the land (which was done some years ago), cost from 15s. to 17s, 6d per acre; ploughing by tractor 2s. 6d. per acre; ploughing by horse teams 7s. 6d. per acre; cultivating, 3s. 9d. per acre; drilling, 2s. 6d. per acre. When the 5,000 acres are completed about half the area will have been ploughed by tractor and half by horse teams. In considering this aspect of the matter, the fact should not be lost sight of that we are utilising on the farm draught horses which were already in the possession of the Government. When the dry time came these horses had to be brought in from various districts, and but for the work provided for them at Yandanooka, they would have had to be put on the market and sold at a big sacrifice. The work of clearing, breaking up and cropping a big area of virgin country after two comparatively dry years, and at short notice, was a big undertaking, but I have had the loyal assistance of a fine body of men, from the overseer (Mr A J Maybrey) downwards. That they have done good work the cost of ploughing will show. When the Minister first suggested the work to relieve the labour market, I undertook to take something over 100 men, of whom I picked thirty at Geraldton. The greatest number of the wage sheet at any one time has been 130, and at the present time 24 men are employed.
Seed and Fertiliser
As soon as the farming project was decided upon, the manager set about procuring his seed wheat, with the result that the whole area will be cropped with seed true to name. The purchases were made in districts free from noxious weeds in order to avoid the necessity of grading. Seed was brought from Messrs Marvick Bros. (York), Whitfield (Greenhills), Patrick Bros., Cunningham, Smith and Dredge (Northhampton). Four fifths of the area will be sown with Federation, which Mr Lee Steere regards as the best standing wheat - an important attribute when the big area to be harvested is considered. Other varieties sown are Bunyip, Yandilla, King, Crossbred 73, and Baroota Wonder. There will probably be an interval of 10 or 11 weeks between the sowing of the first and the last acre, but as there was no rain for three weeks after the seeding of the first, a very large area will necessarily ripen at the same time. The advantage of having a considerable portion of a variety which will stand for some time without shedding is therefore apparent. In this connection it may be mentioned that an order has already been placed with the State Implement Works for 10 harvesters. No difficulty has been experienced in obtaining supplies of superphosphate the precaution having been taken of ordering earlier. For 6 weeks before ploughing was started 2 wagons were kept continuously employed in carting seed, wheat and super. Fee for the 70 horses which have been employed in the scheme a big item, and the manager states that he is greatly indebted to the Farmers Assistance Board for the promptitude with which supplied his requirements in the matter of chaff. He has also received from the board some of the important maize, which proved itself a splendid fodder for the working horses. On the day that my visit was paid there were, in addition to the working traction engine, 14 horse teams at work ploughing, drilling and cultivating. A Forcast
"I am confident" said Mr Lee Steere, "that if we have an average good season of which at the present time there is every indication, I shall be able to show a profit on the working of the farm of between 7,000 and 8,000 pounds. For the past 20 years we have cropped small areas, not exceeding 300 acres, for an average yield of 22 bushels. This is expecting last season, when, instead of our average rainfall of 17 inches, we had only 5 inches and even the little crop we might have had was taken off by a plague of grasshoppers. In the whole 5,000 acres crop this year there is not a square inch of inferior land, acre for acre it is the equal of the land sown in previous years. In addition to that the land has been farmed more thoroughly that has been the case previously so that, with an average season, we should have no difficulty in taking off 7 bags to the acre. At #1 per bag and it should be easily worth that in a season when wheat true to name will be a scarce commodity, that will represent a gross return of #35,000. The cost of producing the crop will be about #23,000, but making a generous allowance for contingencies, I expect to get a nett return of from #7,000 to #8,000. In this estimate I have all calculations on outside costs and the total cost of machinery purchased and of the clearing of 7,000 acres, which represents a permanent improvement to the property."

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Exterior walls intact, one interior removed.
Modifications: Extensively modified internally, roof rebuilt with steel frame, rear verandah built in with sandstone walls, some aluminium windows, walls supported for insertion of damp-proof membrane

Condition

Very Good

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.