Torridon Homestead

Statement of Significance

Torridon is a small simple farm house constructed of hand made bricks laid in English bond. The wrap around verandah and multi light Georgian windows are distinctive features and its siting on rising ground at the head of the Capel River is picturesque. It illustrates the lives and farming practices of the early settlers and the development of the Newlands area.

Physical Description

Torridon is a single storey brick house with a hipped corrugated iron roof and a wrap around verandah in the Victorian Georgian style. The bricks are red face, laid in English bond and appear to be handmade. Original 12 light Georgian sash windows are extant where they have been protected by the verandah. The house is picturesquely sited on rising ground overlooking the head of the Capel River. The original plan comprised three adjoining rooms, typical of a number of early residential farm buildings of the mid 1800s. Some alterations occurred in 1951, possibly including verandah additions, and dated by an inscription in one of the cement quoins, “RESTORED WSLS 1951 SGYLL.” A recent hipped roof extension on the north-west corner, clad with fibre cement boards, has altered the north (front) facade.

History

Benjamin Needes (also spelt Needs), who arrived in the colony as a convict in 1851, obtained his conditional pardon in 1853. In 1854, his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children arrived in the colony, where four more were born. In 1860, he acquired 40 acres at the head of the Capel River, where he established the farm he named Springfield Farm. In 1862-71, for various periods he employed ticket-of-leave men, who may have assisted in erecting buildings and structures as he established his farm, which was one of the first in this area. In October 1874, due to ill health, he advertised Springfield Farm for sale. It comprised 160 acres of freehold land (150 had been cultivated) and a good pastoral run of about 5,000 acres. There was a ‘good substantial dwelling house’ of three rooms, ‘a good detached kitchen, cellar, storehouse, dairy, barn, and grainery, 45ft. by 18, stables, cart shed, stockyards, &c. … a good kitchen garden, with vineyard’. (Herald 7 Nov. 1874, p. 2). Lt. H. Douglas MacKenzie (also spelt McKenzie), of the McKenzies of Torridon, Scotland, purchased Springfield Farm and renamed it Torridon. In 1875, the Needes left for England, and McKenzie and his wife took up residence at Torridon, where their son was born on Christmas Day. In 1875-76, McKenzie continued to develop Torridon. He made a notable contribution to agriculture in the South West with his ‘extensive and valuable importation of grass seeds’ by placing a large portion of the consignment at the disposal of the public, enabling many settlers ‘to procure good seed at a moderate price’ (Inquirer 13 Dec. 1876). By 1877, when the McKenzies departed the colony, the buildings at Torridon, ‘nearly all new, and most complete’, included a brick house, adjoining kitchen and dairy, a building comprising storerooms, meat room, tool-house etc., a barn with granary, cattle and cart shed, and stables adjoined by a hay shed. There was also a two room cottage, fowl houses and pig-sties, slaughter-yards, fruit trees and a vineyard. Torridon was leased for various periods, before William Owen Mitchell (b. India, 1829, arr. 1838, d. 1914) leased it from c. 1882. He took up a further area, referred to as the ‘new land’ that became known as ‘Newlands’, and gave its name to the district. His son, Valentine, farmed at Torridon until he acquired an adjacent property. Hugh Brockman took over Torridon by about 1900-02, and established a renowned horse stud at the property before World War I. In 1907, photos show the homestead and various views of the property. In 1936, buildings at Torridon included a cottage, a large timber weatherboard house, stables, dairy and shearing shed. Some works were done in 1951, probably including verandah additions. A cement quoin bears the inscription “RESTORED WSLS 1951 SGYLL.” Recent alterations at the north-west corner of the building include an extension in fibre cement boards with aluminium windows. Through various ownerships Torridon has continued to be farmed, including under the well-known Fry family of Crendon.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate. Alterations and additions in 1951 and c. 2005

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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