Strathbaven Preliminary Heritage Assessment · of House, Outbuildings
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-,~ • 1 STRATHBAVEN I PRELIMINARY HERITAGE ASSESSMENT · OF HOUSE, OUTBUILDINGS, AND GROUNDS •.. • I ' for Darcy P Smith ·by Dr Robert V J Varman .I Archaeologist & Heritage Consultant. 5 March2003 .I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • I The principal areas of heritage and archaeological significance were found to be; 1. The extent of the original construction period of the house. The guiding principle is to retain and conserve all original fabric in original locations, even the remnant walls of the original . I' kitchen at the east. end of the house. However, the guidance of an archaeologist or heritage . architect qualified to assess and date building fabric will be required if a·major overhaul is I undertaken to the original portions of the house according to the Heritage Act ofNSW guidelines. The circa 1960s/1970s additions to the house have no heritage value and may be removed or redeveloped as long as the works do not endanger any fabric of the original P'?rtions of the house. ' I 2. Unknown are the locations of privy pits, ash pits, rubbish pits and wells where household rubbish was disposed of. These items were probably located to the east of the house and east end of the property. If any substantial subsurface excavation is required in these areas, the areas I should be monitored by aqualified archaeologist accordi:fig to the guidelines of the Heritage Act ofNSW (1977). ' I 3. If the 'U' -shaped accommodation buildings to the north side of the house are to be demolished, they .should be monitored as demolition proceeds by an archaeologist in case earlier structures have been incorporated in them. A thorough photographic record should be made of these I structures before demolition. 4. A small structure, item D:l9, should be assessed in detail if the area is proposed to be I redeveloped as the frame and perhaps roof appear to predate the surrounding structures . • 5. A structure next .to the main gate, item D:l7, should be assessed in detail, if the area is I proposed to be redeveloped, to detennine if the core may contain the remains of a gatehouse. · • 6. All other above-ground structures were found to have. little value in regard to the principal significance of the site. Reference should be made to the individual items listed in case there is a I specific recommendation in regard to demolition . • I 7. A number of trees were found to have significance to the Warner period of the grounds. 8. Eucalyptus trees along the banks of the Wyong River were found to have high significance in regard to the riparian values of the river. Eucalyptus trees in the north-west comer of the grounds I. and along the north boundary were found to be remnants of the pre-settlement forests. I· I I .. - J ,; - - - - - - - - - ".. ' .... -- ' . ' .. • • • . ' .. '.•' ;_ ·:_ ' .. ' > ', • . 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WanH~I~·suggestecl~.'it?-·-January, 1915 that the Erina Shire Council provide the: Shire:· Engineer ~"with a ,inoto,r. :car in;.;teact-~of being dependant on ·' • • • ··"*"' I travelling by traii1~ btit it' was~,hot unt:n·~ Jmiuary 1.921-Jhat the Council acted 111 ~ ' \''. '· . .. .- - ' the rna tter. .. ' ~ ~· , ,.: .. {~ ,, .. .- :. :· : . • I I 3 . INTRODUCTION I The aim of this report is to provide an assessment of the house, outbuildings and grounds for the purpose of determining the degree of heritage significance and archaeological potential. I The house and grounds do not face neatly to the principle compass points. The front of the house actually faces between the north and the west. Conventional compass indications have been I adopted for this report, conventional north being Boyce Avenue. I SITE LOCATION The house and grounds known as 'Strathaven', formerly 'Hakone', is located at 31 Boyce Avenue, Wyong. The property, described as Lot 42 in DP 551571, is located between Boyce :I Avenue and the north side of the Wyong River, in the part ofWyong east of the railway line. I OWNERSHIP . I The site is in the ownership ofMr Darcy P Smith of34 Toowoon Bay Road, Long Jetty, N.S.W. 2261. I • HERITAGE STATUS-STATUTORY HERITAGE CONTROLS I The site has no existing national or state heritage listing but is subject to local government . ordinances. • I The Heritage Act of New South Wales (1977) has provision for the protection of archaeological deposits or features ('environmental heritage') relating to the European settlement of New South Wales which are fifty years or older. Sections 139- 145 disallow the excavation or removal of I relics or actions likely to endanger relics. I There are other statutory controls: The National Parks and Wildlife Service requires the discovery or suspected discovery of Aboriginal relics should be immediately reported to the Service and to the appropriate local I Aboriginal authority. · The National Trust of Australia (New South Wales) Register has no direct statutory status but the Trust may seek the use of the Heritage Act ofNew South Wales or the planning powers oflocal I government authorities to ensure the protection of classified and recorded listings on its Register. The site has protection under the local government ordinances but it is a requirement for development consent that sites with known heritage potential should be referred to the Heritage I Council ofNew South Wales for assessment • I I I • I • - - - - - - --- - - - - ---• - - I . ·. •' _.,__ --~-- ....... c- ~- --- ~ • "' .. - o_ •• ·. ' ' ' ~. •, . • : '~.--' ~ /' • ' ;< ',_- ---·_:: "_;.- ' . .. '· • ' • .' ! • -· • . • ' ' -. ;; ·' .. - ~ '' ·, '- ·" -.{_ • ' .. ' • ' • . -~ ' ' . - ·-· ' • • l •. • • 0 .. • • j. :•' l .' . ''-- ., • ' i 'i -·-. ; . ~ . - •.- i .. ' ----~. • t • ' -, ' '· - -"'" • -~'• ~.- ~- ' ' ''• •' "" .' . ' -·-" .. • ,.., --/ ... ;t~---'"· ' ',,-' ' • . -' - ~ '·,' . l' I ~· '; . ' •' ' .. ' ' 'I• '• ' -- ·-~~ ' .· .. ' -l1-. • ' He made several trips to Japan and named this elegant structure after Hakone, the villa which is now part of the Strathavon complex on the • northern bank of the Wyong River, is probably the finest home ever seen in Hako~e (pronounced Har·k<rnee, with the accent on the second syllable), a the Wyong Shire. beautiful park that he saw there. He named a road at Warnervale after the same place. • It was built in 1912·13- as the private residence of Albert Hamlyn Photo.: Levitt Hunt, Turramurra. Warner after whom Warnervale and Warner Avenue were named. 65 • ' • ·----·-~~J I I 5 SITE HISTORY I The Strathavmi property was originally part of the Alison and Wyong Estates. of which Albert Hamlyn Warner purchased some 12,000 acres on or by 20 November 1903. ' I A. H. Warner came from a well-to-do family. His grandfather owned a silk hat factory in England and his father was brought to Australia by John Hordem (Anthony Hordem's fame) as a silk expert. Warner was involved in many undertakings including, a plumbing and gas fitting business by the 1880s and, a lime burning business in St Peters by 1902. He might best be I described as an investor .. He was a contractor and had a block of six shops built in Oxford Street Sydney which he leased out to tenants. He also purchased a string of21 bakeries (Shadier's). Warner had interests in land subdivisions at Bondi, Camden and later the Wyong area. He lived at I several prestigious addresses around Sydney over the years such as 'Rockleigh'. at Point Piper and 'Leffington' at Grosvenor Street, Woollahra. He built 'St Ithome' a mansion at Point Piper for his ·family residence, replete with coachhouse, servants' quarters, salt water swimming baths and a I tennis court. The residence included a ballroom with three reception rooms displaying oriental works of art which Warner had collected on his travels to Japan, China and the Far Eastin general. His interest in the Orient had significance in the development of the Wyong property. I . Warner's serious interest in the Wyong area commenced with the purchase of vast tracts of land around Wyong and Warnervale. He spent weekends at Wyong and gradually spent more and . 1· .. more time in the area, at first living at 'The Camp' in Warner Avenue. Warner decided to build himself a permanent home at Wyong, 'sell his Point Piper mansion and I shift with his family to his newly constructed residence around 1913, a year before World War I. The house was constructed as a private residence during the years 1912-1913 on the north side of a picturesque bend on the Wyong River. Warner, influenced by Japanese art and architecture, I. nanied his new mansion 'Hakone' after a park that greatly impressed him on one of his Japanese visits. The interplay of roof lines and the appearance of a pagoda-like central widows ' walk are reminiscent of Japanese architecture but also fall within the idiom of the (then) current Federation I style of architecture. · Interestingly,