Riverwood House

Author

Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes

Place Number

06626

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Location

24399 South Western Hwy Bridgetown

Location Details

Part of NT Blackwood River Crossing & First Settlers Precinct

Local Government

Bridgetown-Greenbushes

Region

South West

Construction Date

Constructed from 1897, Constructed from 1896

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
Heritage List	Adopted	28 Nov 2019

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	28 Jun 2001	Category 2	Category 2 High level of protection appropriate: provide maximum encouragement to the owner under the town planning scheme to conserve the significance of the place.
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	29 Mar 2018	Management Category B	Management Category B Conservation of the place is highly desirable. If not already, to be included on the Local Heritage List. Development proposals to be assessed pursuant to State Planning Policy 3.5 Historic Heritage Conservation; a Conservation Management Plan (if one exists); and to reinforce the significance of the place. Record prior to redevelopment, recognise and interpret if possible.

Statement of Significance

Riverwood House (and the site of the first Blackwood Police station) is especially significant for its historic role in the development of Bridgetown and for its aesthetic value on the banks of the Blackwood River, as one of the few buildings built up close to the Blackwood River.
Aesthetic Value
Moderate to high aesthetic value as one of the few buildings built on the banks of the Blackwood River, and for its architectural qualities as a government residence suitable for a rural doctor.
Historic Value
Riverwood House has high historic value as the site of the first Blackwood Police Station and as the first purpose-built Doctors residence and surgery in Bridgetown.The provision of a house for a resident doctor in the mid 1890s was an important step towards the establishment of a well-serviced rural township.
Research Value
NA
Social Value
Riverwood House has retained a moderate level of social value, first as the doctor’s residence and surgery, and later as a bed and breakfast/restaurant. However currently it is a residence only.

Physical Description

Hipped roof

History

Riverwood House was built on or near to the site of the original Blackwood Police Station (which was replaced by a new Police Station in the centre of town in 1880) and sits within the First Settlers Precinct.
In 1895 it was reported by a Bridgetown correspondent that:
“We are glad to see ….. £200 [has been placed on the estimates] for repairing the old police quarters for our doctor's residence. This sum should make it a comfortable dwelling.”
However, the following article indicates that the plans were changed to provide a new residence:
“Mr. J. Smith, I hear is the successful contractor for our Doctor's quarters and we hope soon to see Dr. Dickinson comfortably settled in them. From what one can judge from the plans it will be a very neat and commodious building and will add to the beauty of our lovely river, as it will be built on the south bank just below the Blackwood Bridge.”
In January 1897 it was announced that the new doctor’s quarters were nearing completion.

Integrity/Authenticity

High Integrity
The place has continued to be used for its primary purpose as a residence (although its associated use as a Doctor’s surgery may have ceased by the 1920’s).
Medium Authenticity
There have been numerous unrecorded changes to Riverwood House, however the general external character remains consistent with the construction of the house in the mid 1890’s.

Condition

Good

References

Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	Contemporary newspaper reports (trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper)
Oral history	current owner	2015
Southern Times		4/07/1896
Southern Times		5-26/09/1895
Fran Taylor	Bridgetown The Early Bridgetown Years
	Shire records
Bunbury Herald		22/01/1897

Other Reference Numbers

Ref Number	Description
No.B48	MI Place No.
A8907	Assess No (Shire Ref)

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Present Use	RESIDENTIAL	Single storey residence
Original Use	HEALTH	Housing or Quarters

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Bungalow

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Roof	METAL	Corrugated Iron
Wall	BRICK	Other Brick

Historic Themes

General	Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Community services & utilities
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Settlements

Creation Date

14 May 1997

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

27 Apr 2021

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.