Murgoo Station Homestead

Statement of Significance

Murgoo Station has high significance as one of the oldest stations of the Murchison district and for it's association with Frank Wittenoom and later the Aitkins Brothers, who owned it for nearly 70years. The place has further historic significance for it's use as firstly a Post Office and then as a Telephone Exchange, effectively becoming the communication hub for the district. Furthermore , Murgoo Station is well known as a Merino Stud and for the Murgoo Horse Races. The group of buildings that comprise Murgoo Homestead Group reflect the development of the station, fromt he remnants of the mud brick buildings at Cheangwa to the original stone homestead at the new site to the 1920's concrete block house.

Physical Description

The Murgoo Station Homestead comprises a group of buildings within a fenced garden area, including (in a clockwise direction) the original cottage, an office (which was utilised as a post office and telephone exchange), the current house, meat house, generator shed, store/laundry, guest cottage, bough shed, quarters as well as swimming pool all forming a quadrangle. the original Murgoo cottage is of local stone construction with a steeply pitched gable thatched roof, later covered by a corrugated iron roof., with the iron bent over to form ridge capping. A concrete block wall to window sill height may have been a measure to curb the effects of rising damp and/or flood damage. The corrugated iron clad office was a later addition to the western elevation and is unusually tall in proportion. The current house c1920 is of concrete block construction. The corrugated iron roof, which features vented gablets and a centrally placed chimney, extends to cover the surrounding verandahs. The store/laundry is a simple timber framed corrugated iron clad building with a hipped roof and verandah to the southern facade. The guest cottage is of stone construction with a hipped corrugated iron roof and separate verandah roof over a flagstone floor. The quarters is of mud brick construction with surrounding verandahs partly enclosed with a combination of fibro, weatherboard and shade cloth. The out buildings include single mens' quarters, an old magazine of corrugated iron construction, stone stables, cart shed and a blacksmith's shop. Remnants of the tennis court and original swimming pool are located to the south west of the homestead group. The current shearing shed is located south of the homestead. Approximately 18 kms south of the Murgoo Homestead are the remnants of the original mud brick store and post office, built in 1877-88 at Cheangwa.The Murgoo Race Course is located approximately 8 kms to the south of the Murgoo Homestead Group and adjacent tot he shearing shed. A bough shed and jockey's room remain in place at the site.

History

Murgoo Station is one of the oldest stations in the Murchison district, it was first selected in 1873 by Frank Wittenoom. In 1874 Frank and his brother Edward leased Yuin Station from their uncle, Thomas Burgess for a period of 10 years to assist with the early settlement. Originally referred to as 'Cheangwa Station', it was soon necessary to establish a homestead and other facilities on the property which were too far from Yuin to manage efficiently from there. A stone hut was built for use as a store in1877 and the following year it was extended when a post office was established there. In 1879 Frank Wittenoom decided to build a horse paddock about twelve miles towards the Sanford River which was to become the first real homestead site. Some of the mulga fences of the horse paddock still survive today. Built of local stone quarried from a nearby creek the cottage had a thatched roof made from grass rushes sourced from the Nangarong Pool, east of Yuin. In 1890 the Post Office was transferred to this homestead site from 'Cheangwa' and in c1903 the Murgoo Post Office became a telephone exchange. Murgoo effectively became the hub of a very extensive private communication system throughout the district. Wittenoom sold Murgoo in 1891 to HM Molony and R Holmes who set about constructing brush fences, some of the remains of which are still evident. Henry Molony, member of the Roads Board and one time Chairman, bought Holmes out but died in 1903. Two years later Murgoo was purchased by the Aitkins Brothers, a family company which owned the property until 1974, when it sold to James Seaman. The Aitkins Brothers established a first class merino stud at Murgoo which was also known for the Murgoo Horse Races. The c1920 concrete block kitchen-dining building is believed to have been built by John Crothers, who later founded the Geraldton Building Company. his work can be identified by evidence of a fault in the brick mould, also evident at twin Peaks and Yuin. (Road to Murchison, pp. 163-169)

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Medium Modifications: Some verandah enclosures.

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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