Bunkin Homestead

Statement of Significance

Bunkin has aesthetic, historic, representative and rarity cultural heritage significance. The homestead is a good and rare representative of the home of one of the pioneering families in the Dumbleyung district. Built by John and Eliza Cronin in 1894 the cottage has been the home of a number of farmers who have made important contributions to the development of the district. The house and its contents has local rarity heritage value as a sturdy reminder of the way of life of the early settlers.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• House set below a breakaway (Mt Eliza) - this protects the house from Northerly winds
• Original cottage Federation farmhouse with very high integrity
• Walls unpainted, handmade, kiln fired brick (the clay for the bricks comes from the property)
• Bricks laid in Flemish bond pattern, originally with mud mortar (this was replaced with cement (eWorld
War II)
• Some of the timber in the cottage is also local
• Two external graduated brick chimneys
• Corrugated iron hipped roof
• Broken backed verandah around two thirds of the house
• Sash windows
• Internally the house also has very high integrity
• Mud plaster on walls, original floors and ceilings
• In the grounds of the house is an old peppercorn tree planted in 1898

History

In 1878 John Cronin (Senior) arrived in the district looking for grazing land. Like the Kersley family he was impressed with the native grasses that appeared good for pasture and subsequently applied for a pastoral lease. The property situated about 13 kilometres from Dumbleyung town site became known as Bunkin. A small cottage (since demolished) was built for Eliza and John Cronin on a site west of the present farmhouse at Bunkin. The cottage that now stands was built in 1894. Sheep were grazed on the property without fences for a number of years. Local Aboriginal men were employed as shepherds until fences were erected.

Being devout Catholics, Bunkin was used for a number of years as a place for itinerant Priests to celebrate Mass. (The Dumbleyung Catholic Church was not erected until 1925.) Bunkin was also the gathering place for the first Dumbleyung Roads Board Meeting which occurred in 1906.

In c 1912 the verandah on the north west side of the house was enclosed to become a bedroom for one of the Cronin daughters. She had contracted Tuberculosis and in those days fresh air was the only known treatment. It was thought a bedroom on the verandah would help her condition.

In the 1930s Bunkin was sold to Lew Quartermaine by local character Bill (Sugar) Cronin. Bill left the farm and went into town to run the Barber Shop and Billiard Saloon. Lew and Marg Quartermaine lived on the farm for many years. Visitors to the farm remember much home grown fruit picked from the trees that were originally planted by Bunkin's first owners, Eliza and John Cronin.

Bunkin was purchased back by Norm and Dulcie Cronin after the death of Lew's wife. Lew continued to live
at Bunkin until his death at the age of 93. After Lew died Dulcie and Norm Cronin converted Bunkin to a museum, which has become a tourist attraction maintained and run by the Cronin family. The Museum holds an amazing number of artefacts from the Cronin family including correspondence, clothing, shoes, furniture and kitchen utensils of the original Cronin family. The museum is an excellent historical resource used by the local school for educational purposes.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Degree

Condition

Fair

Uses

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.