HERITAGE CITATION REPORT

Name CONDAH VILLAGE PRECINCT Address PORTLAND-HAMILTON ROAD Significance Level Local (HENTY HIGHWAY) CONDAH Place Type Mixed Use Precinct Citation Date 2006

condah precinct.jpg

Recommended VHR No HI No PS Yes Heritage Protection

History and Historical Context

The squatting run, Lake Condah (Portland Bay No. 60) was established by George Coghill in 1843, was passed to William Smythe in 1849 and to Cecil Pybus Cooke in 1850. (B&K, 1974, p. 232) Cooke seems to have changed the name from Condon to Condah. The present site of Condah, actually at the northern end of the Lake Condah run coincides more or less with the junction of three other runs: Crawford to the west, Bassett's, a subdivision of Crawford to the north, Whittlebury to the south with Lake Condah extending to the south-east. (S&A, 1983, map) All these runs were taken up in the early 1840s.

'Cade's Inn' is clearly indicated on a map dated 1842 between Edgar's Inn at Heywood and Kent's Inn at Branxholme at a crossroads (SLV, copy of Lingham). It may have been the predecessor for the Fleece Inn . which was licensed to Robert Taylor in 1844 who 'in this prime position ... offered hospitality to the many travellers and bullock teams moving in a number of directions, and provided food and water for their animals' (Bennett, p. 17). The Fleece Inn was located on the east side of the Portland-Hamilton Road, near where the Condah public hall now stands. Other early licensees were Robert Herbertson, Robert Gage, Alexander Thompson and Charles Payne. In 1855, when the licensee was Archibald Macdonald the property comprised 14 rooms and along with other

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buildings, gardens, an orchard and other improvements, it was valued at over 3,000 pounds (Bennett, p. 18). In 1864 his licence renewal described the hotel as having three sitting rooms, six bedrooms, the bar and a kitchen as well as the family's rooms (ibid.). But by 1871 Macdonald had surrendered his licence as result of competition from the newly erected Green Hills Hotel. The Fleece Inn no longer survives.

The Green Hills Hotel, which does survive on the opposite side of the road and is still licensed, was built of stone in 1860 by John Rundell. The first owner and licensee was Alexander Anderson who died in 1864 when his widow offered the hotel for sale (Bennett, p. 18). It was described as 'having been recently erected, of stone with a slate roof. It contained three parlours and six bedrooms, one large ballroom, a bar with a cellar, a kitchen and outhouses. From 1872, Archibald Thompson Cameron leased the botel from Anderson's estate. He was a Scot who had spent time of the diggings and in Dunedin, NZ. He and his wife, Mary Isabella McCallum moved to Hamilton where they ran the Argyle Hotel and later became wine and spirit merchants (Bennett, p. 19). The hotel has had many publicans, including some women, the longest licensee being William Charles Brown from 1949 to 1980. It appears to have bad a very steady ownership. It may have ., remained in the estate of Alexander Anderson until at least 1899. Mayer M Silberberg became the licensee and hemay have purchased it then. His estate owned it from 1910 (Bennett, p. 92-3). He also owned the Branxholme Hotel in1899. Although modernised during the Interwar period, the Green Hills Hotel retains its typical inn form with a veranda set between projecting wings.

The township is mentioned in Bailliere's Victorian Gazetteer of 1865 as Green Hills, 'a small private village situated on the main road between Heywood and Branxholme ... it is more pastoral than agricultural' (Bailliere's, p. 170). The two hotels are mentioned, the population is stated to be sixty persons and there is some employment for sawyers and splitters in ' a thick forest of stringy bark' to the south. No town is shown on the 1874 Hiscock Map of the County of Norman by. Lake Condah and the Home Station of C. P. Cooke Esq., Aboriginal Protector some eight miles (l3kms) south-east of the township are indicated. Hiscock's map does show the junction of the road from Heywood to Branxholme, the modem Henty Highway with the road branching off to Coleraine. The telegraph line between Portland and Hamilton is also indicated running more or less parallel with the Henty Highway to the east. One of the first mentions of Condah is in 1888 in Victoria and Its Metropolis. (Sutherland, Vol. 2A Country Districts, p. 52) The subdivision and sale of the various surrounding squatting runs under the 18605 Land Selection Acts does not seem to have triggered any township at Condah. One property, Pleasant Banks was selected in 1866 by the Cannon family, the first of whom had arrived in Portland in 1839. In 1933 they could claim the property was still in their hands, that it was much improved and that 'the members of the Cannon family take a great interest in all local matters and are assiduous workers for the local Church of England. ' (V &R, Vol. I, pp. 68-9) Their single entry in the biographical reference boo~ Victoria and the Riverina when surrounding areas have many more, indicates how little the Land Selection Acts must have influenced the Condah area. Rather, Condah as a settlement appears to have begun with the construction of the Portland to Branxholme railway line and to have developed during the Closer Settlement period. Notwithstanding its proximity, the township and the Lake Condah Aboriginal Mission established on the run after the licence was revoked in 1867 appear to have developed separately.

The Portland-Condah-Branxholme-Hamilton line was constructed in 1876 by Overend and Robb and was opened in 1877. This was augmented by the branch line from Branxholme to Casterton which opened in 1884.

The station and other new buildings were constructed on the western side of the town from 1876 and came to include at least the station, now demolished, with its associated platform, the water tower and the later goods shed, since relocated. A water tower was an essential component for servicing steam trains. Interestingly, the brick tower at Condah is different from the prefabricated iron tank used at Branxholme and other western District stations.

Three churches survive in Condah including: the Anglican Church with its vicarage (both now in private ownership), the Presbyterian (or Methodist) Church and its manse and St Patrick's Catholic Church. While ten births are recorded in 1873, the first marriage is not recorded until 1877, suggesting that none of the churches was constructed until that year. The small brick Anglican Church is the oldest. Its vicarage was built in the early 1920s.

The next impetus to the fledgling township must have been the further subdivision of surrounding pastoral holdings under the Lands Purchase and Management Board, established in 1904 which became the Closer Settlement Board after the First World War. It was not without its critics and there were failures, especially because some holdings

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were too small and therefore inadequate. 'Other adverse factors were erratic land valuations, insufficient care in the selection of settlers and the weight of interest commitments on those who possessed capital.' (Raws, 1935, p. 13)

The local butter factory in Butter Factory Road was established before 1909 by the Condah Co-operative Butter and Cheese Factory Company Ltd. It was relatively late to be established, since there were already 200 factories across Victoria by 1905 whose establishment was triggered by the development of the mechanical cream separator and the improvement in refrigeration which opened up colonial and international markets. The colonial government had also provided bonuses for opening butter factories. In 1909 the Condah factory produced 165 000 Ibs of butter (75 000 kgs) valued at more than 8 500 pounds. Production varied but peaked in 1914 at 283000 Ibs (128 600 kgs), in 1918 at 350 000 Ibs (159 000 kgs), in 1922 at 360 000 Ibs (160 000 kgs) and eventually reached 678 000 Ibs (308 200) in 1933 after three increasingly good years, the time of the Great Depression. Greater production may have resulted from better road transport both from the farm to the factory and from the factory to the ports. The butter produced by the Condah factory in 1933 was worth 32 500 pounds, only 4.5% less than in 1909. The presence of the butter factory must have been an important boost to the town at the time. By comparison, the Condah factory produced about 10% less than the Port Fairy factory but nearly 60% more than the Macarthur factory in the same year. (Western District Centenary Souvenir)

The larger general store appears to have been built in the early twentieth century. It was operated by Clive 'Curly' Pettingill and his wife Daisy Emma Pettingill until relatively recently with their award to sell petrol being renewed as recently as 2001. He was born in 1916 at Hamilton and he died at the age of 83 in 2000. She was born in 1915 and died in 1984. They are buried in the Condah / Myamyn Cemetery.

References

Sutherland, Alexander, Victoria and Its Metropolis, Vol. 2A Country Districts, 1977, Today's Heritage, Melbourne. Raws, W., A Century of Land Settlement in Victoria, Lennon, 1935, MUP, Melbourne. Western District Centenary Souvenir. Spreadborough, R. and Anderson, H., Victorian Squatters, 1983, Red Rooster Press, Ascot Vale.

Relevant Historical Australian Themes

4.1: Planning urban settlements 4.1.1: Selecting township sites 4.5: Making settlements to serve rural Australia 4.6: Remembering significant phases in the development of settlements, towns and cities 6.1: Forming associations, libraries and institutes for self-education 6.2: Establishing schools 6.5: Educating people in remote places 8.6: Worshipping 8.6.1: Worshipping together 8.6.2: Maintaining religious traditions and ceremonies 8.6.4: Making places for worship

Description

Physical Description

The village of Condah is an organic rather than a planned township. It is located at the intersection of the Portland- Hamilton Road (the Henty Highway), the Condah-Hotspur Lower Road and the Condah-Coleraine Road. The village is located 45kms north-north east of Portland and 35kms south-west of Hamilton. The Portland to Hamilton railway passes through the west site of the township.

The township is widely dispersed, the precinct only including the central portion, which is relatively closely spaced. There are a range of private dwellings, former commercial buildings and religious buildings within the

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precinct. The Hotspur-Condah Lower Road which leads from the Highway to the former railway station seems to have developed as the town's commercial centre. Two stores survive as well the former Post Office and its residence and several cottages. A former bank, probably a branch of the Commercial Banking Corporation is located on the south-west corner of the Hotspur-Condah Lower Road and the Henty Highway. The former bankis of architectural significancefor its typically restrained classical architecture, unusually constructed of timberin avacant streetscape. The commercial section of thebank sits on the property boundary, with the residence, a vernacular timber residence attached at the rear. Th e residence retains many of itsoriginal external features and fixutres, such as the window hoods. The Condah Hall, a large late Victorian timber hall with an attached annexeis located on the east side Henty Highway. The hall retains its original windows and while the roof has been replaced with colourbond, has a high degree of integrity to the original form. The former Presbyterian Church and manse, located at 5113 Henty Highway are set some distance off the main road. The church is a simple late victorian timber church with a steeply pitched roof and gothic arched windows. It retains a high degree of integrity. The other major church within the precinct is St. Patricks Catholic Church, located at 28 Condah - Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - this church is located on a very large parcel of land in the centre of the present day township. The simple church is constructed of timber, with a steep gable roof and small entrance porch located at the front of the church. The original windows, which are timber framed gothic arch windows survive intact. An early fence, dating from the early twentieth century, and wire gate survive along the street frontage.

The following places within the precinct are contributory or significant

CONTRIBUTORY PLACES:

- Cottage, 8 Condah-Macarthur Rd, Condah - Former Shop, 37 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - House, 38 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - Former Post Office & Residence, 40 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - General Store, 42 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - Cottage and former Railway Goods Shed, 46 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - Former Railway Station site, Water Tower and row of Pine Trees, 66 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah

SIGNFICANT:

- Former Presbyterian Church and site of manse, 5113 Henty Hwy, Condah - Former CBC Bank, 1 Condah-Hotspur Upper Rd, Condah - St Patrick's Catholic Church, 28 Condah-Hotpur Upper Rd, Condah - Condah Public Hall, 5162 Henty Highway, Condah

Physical condition

Most of the buildings within the precinct are in fair to good condition.

Associated people

Robert Taylor, first publican of the Fleece Inn Archibald Macdonald, last publican of the Fleece Inn Alexander Anderson, first publican of the Green Hills Hotel Mayer M Silberberg, publican and some time owner of the Green Hills Hotel C. and D. E. Pettingill, owners of the General Store

Recommended Management

Protect as a Heritage Overlay area under the Glenelg Planning Scheme.

Comparative Analysis

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977 Digby Village Precinct 838 Drik Drik Village Precinct 1154 Merino Heritage Precinct

Statement of Significance

What is Significant? The village of Condah formerly called Green Hills after a nearby squatting run, takes its present name from Lake Condah. It is located at the intersection of the Portland-Hamilton Road (the Henty Highway), the Condah-Hotspur Lower Road and the Condah-Coleraine Road. It also is located at the meeting point of the three most important runs in the area in the nineteenth century - Crawford, Bassett's and Whittlebury. All these runs date from the early 1840s and by 1844 Robert Taylor had a licence for the Fleece Inn at Green Hills. The town probably grew as a result of sub-division for Selection in the late 1860s and especially from the opening of the railway in 1876. The town may also have been boosted by the establishment of the Condah Co-operative Butter and Cheese Factory Company Ltd well to the north-east of the town in 1909. The route between the pubs and the station seems to have become the de facto main street, with its stores, post office and the Catholic Church. The two other churches, Anglican and Methodist are located on the highway, beyond the precinct. There was a branch of the Commercial Banking Corporation at the south-west corner of the highway and the main street. The banking chamber and manager's residence survive. The railway station is mostly gone but the water tower and a plantation of mature pines remain and some smaller buildings which were relocated closer to the town's centre. An important part of the town's heritage value is the space between buildings. The town is widely dispersed and its form is organic rather than being planned, in contrast to most of the townships in Glenelg Shire. The general store, owned by Clive 'Curly' Pettingill and his wife Daisy Emma Pettingill, operated until his death in 2000. The town retains much of its integrity and character with little intrusion but some of the buildings are in only fair condition.

How is it Significant? The Condah Village Precinct is of historical, social and architectural significance to the Shire of Glenelg.

Why is it Significant? The Condah Village Precinct is of historic significance as a township dating from the mid 1860s, and as the focus for the pastoral properties surrounding the township from as early as 1840. The disparate arrangement of surviving structures and archaeological sites is part of what makes it significant, as it represents the early, unchanged form of small rural towns from the nineteenth century. The range of buildings which survive are interesting in that they represent the various 'boom' periods of Condah, dating primarily from the mid 1850s, the late nineteenth century, and the early twentieth century. It is of social significance as the focus for the community's education, religious life and recreation, roles that it continues to fulfil. The architectural significance of the town lies in the range of buildings constructed from local materials over a long period of time, ranging from the larger religious buildings through to the humble timber cottages which remain.

Recommendations 2006

External Paint Controls Yes Internal Alteration Controls No Tree Controls Yes Row of Pines at the former Condah Railway Station Site Fences & Outbuildings No Prohibited Uses May Be Permitted No Incorporated Plan - Aboriginal Heritage Place No

This information is provided for guidance only and does not supersede official documents, particularly the planning scheme. Planning controls should be verified by checking the relevant municipal planning scheme.

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