EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
RECOMMENDATION TO THE
HERITAGE COUNCIL TO
AMEND AN EXISTING REGISTRATION
NAME
DATE REGISTERED:
VHR NUMBER:
HERITAGE OVERLAY NO:
LOCATION
CATEGORY
FILE NUMBER:
HERMES NUMBER:
DEANSIDE WOOLSHED COMPLEX (TO BE AMENDED TO DEANSIDE
HOMESTEAD COMPLEX)
5 SEPTEMBER 1990
VHR H0810
HO4
96-103 REED COURT PLUMPTON, MELTON CITY
HERITAGE PLACE (TO BE AMENDED TO HERITAGE PLACE &
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PLACE)
FOL/14/65330
992
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE HERITAGE COUNCIL:
To amend the existing registration for VHR H0810 in accordance with s.54 of the Heritage Act 1995 by:
 Modifying the extent of registration by adding some land and removing other land.
 Adding Archaeological Place to the heritage category in addition to Heritage Place.
 Adding a permit policy and permit exemptions in accordance with s.42(4) of the Act.
 Changing the name of the place to the ‘Deanside Homestead Complex’ rather than ‘Deanside
Woolshed Complex’.
Reasons for the proposed amendment:
The current extent does not include the land containing archaeological remains of the original
homestead. It is proposed to add this land. The current registration includes land to the south with no
significant cultural heritage or archaeological remains. It is proposed that this land is removed. It is
proposed to add a permit policy and permit exemptions as the existing registration has neither. It is
proposed that the name of the place is changed to the ‘Deanside Homestead Complex’ rather than
‘Deanside Woolshed Complex’ to reflect the importance of the original homestead precinct.
The existing registration documentation is provided at Attachment 1 of this report.
TIM SMITH
Executive Director
Recommendation Date: 11 September 2015
AMENDMENT REASON
This amendment has been prompted by the need to provide greater certainty to the Metropolitan Planning
Authority (MPA) in preparing a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) for the Kororoit PSP Area (PSP No.1080). The
PSP includes this registered place and it is important that all heritage features are appropriately identified in
the registration. Two site visits (December 2014 and August 2015) by Heritage Victoria staff revealed that
the following proposed amendments to the registration are appropriate:
1. Inclusion of land containing archaeological fabric
Significant archaeological remains lie the north outside the registered area, namely the remnants of the
original homestead. These remains are not currently on registered land. It is proposed that this land is
included in the registration as the homestead represents an important early stage in the development of the
site.
2. Removal of land with no cultural heritage significance
The southern section of the registered area contains no significant heritage or archaeological remains. It is
proposed that this land is removed from the registration. This land was originally included in the registration
in 1990 because it was part of the cadastral block and had no significant heritage or archaeological remains
on it at that time.
3. Adding the category ‘Archaeological Place’
This is to reflect the significant archaeological remains in the homestead precinct and the killing shed
precinct.
4. Adding Permit Exemptions
This registration currently has no permit exemptions. It is proposed to add permit exemptions to assist with
the appropriate management of the place.
5. Change of place name
It is proposed that the name of the place be changed from ‘Deanside Woolshed Complex’ to ‘Deanside
Homestead Complex’. This better reflects the registration which covers the whole of the homestead area
(including the mansion remains, woolshed, other outbuildings and archaeological remains across the site),
rather than just a complex of buildings located around the woolshed.
Note on the property name
This property was originally known as the ‘Rockbank Head Station’ from the 1850s to 1909. In 1909 the
name was changed to ‘Deanside’. The name ‘Deanside’ has been used throughout this report to reflect its
name in the Victorian Heritage Register and to avoid confusion.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
PROPOSED EXTENT OF REGISTRATION
All of the place shown hatched on Diagram 810 minus the part shown cross hatched and encompassing parts
of Lots 38 and 40 on Lodged Plan 204422 and parts of Crown Allotments 2015 Parish of Maribyrnong and
2022 Parish of Derrimut.
The extent of registration of the Deanside Woolshed Complex (Deanside Homestead Complex) on the
Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 810 including the land, all buildings,
roads, trees, landscape elements and other features.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
PROPOSED EXTENT OF REGISTRATION WITH AERIAL PHOTO
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
PROPOSED STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
What is significant?
The Deanside Homestead Complex (formerly known as the Rockbank Head Station) being the Woolshed,
Managers House, Shearers Quarters, Boundary Riders Quarters, Cookhouse, Stables, Drenching Shed and
Well; a Causeway (Ford) across Kororoit Creek; the archaeological remains of the former Mansion Precinct,
Killing Shed, Rendering Works and Store Ruin; and dry stone walls.
History Summary
The Deanside Homestead Complex is the core part of the pastoral run known as ‘Rockbank’ originally held by
William Cross Yuille (1819-94). It was part of Yuille’s pre-emptive right of 640 acres and one of the first
pastoral properties held in the district. Yuille held the property from 1846 until it was sold in 1853 to William
John Turner Clarke (1805-1874). Known as 'Big' Clarke, he was a successful landowner with vast property
interests including the massive 40,000 acre (16,000 ha) Rockbank Estate. Deanside became the head station
of this pastoral empire on the western plains which was focused on growing wool and fattening sheep for
the Newmarket meat trade. In 1864 construction commenced on the bluestone Woolshed which was
designed by the architectural firm of Reed and Barnes. The Shearers Quarters were constructed in 1876, the
Boundary Riders Quarters in 1878, and the Cookhouse and Stables were all built in or around the same time.
During this era of development, the Managers House which was originally located near the Rockbank Inn,
was re-erected on its present site, and Clarke built the single-storey bichrome brick 17 room mansion prior
to 1875. Additions were also made to the woolshed by Reed and Barnes. On the death of WJT Clarke in 1874,
all his properties in Victoria, worth about £1,500,000, went to his eldest son, William John Clarke (18311897). In that same year, WJ Clarke, later to become Australia's first baronet, commenced building the
mansion Rupertswood (H0275) at Sunbury, becoming a leader in colonial society. Deanside remained in the
Clarke family until about 1907. The original mansion at Deanside was destroyed by fire in 1980 and the
remains were bulldozed after 1982.
Description Summary
The Deanside Homestead Complex is a substantially intact complex of agricultural buildings as well as
archaeological remains of a mansion and other farm-related structures dating from the 1860s and 70s
located in a rural landscape setting.
This site is part of the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.
How is it significant?
The Deanside Homestead Complex is of historical and archaeological significance to the State of Victoria. It
satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion A
Criterion C
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history
Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural
history.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Why is it significant?
The Deanside Homestead Complex is significant at the State level for the following reasons:
The Deanside Homestead Complex is a substantially intact complex of rural buildings dating from the 1860s
and 70s. It was developed by wealthy pastoralist WJT ‘Big’ Clarke from 1853 who purchased the property
from William Yuille. Clarke employed the noted architectural firm of Reed and Barnes to construct the
woolshed in 1864, which is among the earliest substantial bluestone woolsheds in Victoria. The homestead
complex is an important and early example of a prosperous rural holding in mid to late nineteenth-century
Victoria. This is evident in the archaeological remains of the original mansion and other structures, as well as
extant buildings including the Shearers Quarters, Boundary Riders Quarters, Managers House and Stables.
The place demonstrates the wealth generated by the Clarke family from their vast pastoral interests. The
extent of the Clarke’s holdings in north western Victoria is evoked by the remains of the mansion that was
used when the family visited from their principle residence Rupertswood at Sunbury from 1874. [Criterion
A]
The Deanside Homestead Complex is of archaeological significance because it contains foundations, deposits
and artefacts associated with the ownership and development of the property by William Yuille from 1846,
and then by wealthy pastoralist WJT Clarke and the Clarke family from 1853 to around 1907. In addition to
remains of the pre-1875 mansion, there is a grouping of bluestone ruins associated with slaughtering and
rendering activities located away from the homestead. These and other structures at the site, as well as subsurface artefacts and deposits, may contribute knowledge regarding the workings of a large pastoral estate
from the 1840s. The archaeology may also provide information about the lifestyles of people from widely
differing socio-economic backgrounds living and working in close juxtaposition on an early pastoral station.
[Criterion C]
The Deanside Homestead Complex is also significant for the following reasons, but not at the State level:
The Deanside Homestead Complex is associated with the Clarke family who established a pastoral empire in
the district through their development of the 40,000 acre (16,000 ha) Rockbank Estate. The place is believed
by older local residents to also include graves of former quarry workers who died on the property.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
PROPOSED PERMIT POLICY
DRAFT ONLY – NOT YET APPROVED BY THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
Preamble
The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to a
registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage
Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions
the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.
The extent of registration of the Deanside Homestead Complex in the Victorian Heritage Register affects
the whole place shown on Diagram 810 including the land, all buildings, roads, trees, landscape elements
and other features. Under the Heritage Act 1995 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil,
develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object
without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep
places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.
If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they
must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable
appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage
significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is
required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.
Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted.
Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor
works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate
works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time
of registration (under s.42 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).
It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the
interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.
Cultural heritage management plans
It is recommended that the Conservation Management Plan developed by Heritage Alliance (9 June 2015) is
consulted before any works are undertaken at this place to ensure that it is managed in a manner which
preserves its cultural heritage significance.
Cultural heritage significance
Overview of significance
The cultural heritage significance of the Deanside Homestead Complex derives from the relationship
between the 1860s and 1870s buildings and their landscape setting, the whole providing evidence of the
occupation and operation of the land from the earliest phases of European settlement of the Port Phillip
District (Victoria). The 1864 Woolshed in particular is valued for its rarity. The other bluestone buildings are
architecturally distinctive and have a degree of refinement. The enclosure of the homestead precinct by a
drystone walls provides an understanding of the response to the landscape by early settlers. Despite
alterations and additions over time the place has the ability to demonstrate its early configuration and uses.
The archaeological remains of the former mansion and other structures are of significance because they
contains foundations, deposits and artefacts associated with the ownership and development of the
property.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
This section identifies buildings and features at the place and attributes a level of cultural heritage
significance to them.
a)
All of the buildings and features listed here are of primary cultural heritage significance in the
context of the place. The buildings and features of cultural heritage significance are shown in red on
the diagram. The drystone walls are of primary significance but are not identified in the diagram. A
permit is required for most works or alterations. See Permit Exemptions section for specific permit
exempt activities:
Precinct 1 – Woolshed Precinct
1. Woolshed
2. Managers House
3. Shearers Quarters
4. Boundary Riders Quarters
5. Cookhouse
6. Stables
7. Drenching Shed
8. Well
9. Causeway (Ford) across Kororoit Creek.
Precinct 2 – Killing Shed Precinct
10. Killing Shed
11. Rendering Works
12. Store Ruin
Precinct 3 – Former Homestead Precinct
13. Mansion Ruins
14. Stone-lined Circular Driveway
15. Stone-lined Cistern
16. A Silo and Foundations
17. Pig Pens
General
18. All Dry Stone Walls
Land: All of the land identified in Diagram 810 is of primary cultural heritage significance.
Archaeological: Ground disturbance may affect the archaeological significance of the place and, subject to
the exemptions stated in this document, requires a permit.
8
Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
PROPOSED PERMIT EXEMPTIONS (UNDER SECTION 42 OF THE
HERITAGE ACT)
DRAFT ONLY – NOT YET APPROVED BY THE HERITAGE COUNCIL – RECOMMENDED UNDER SECTION 33 OF
THE HERITAGE ACT
It should be noted that Permit Exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42(4) of the
Heritage Act). Permit Exemptions can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.66 of the
Heritage Act).
General Condition 1
All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric
of the registered place or object.
General Condition 2
Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously
hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place
or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon
as possible.
General Condition 3
All works should be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive
Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works
suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.
General Condition 4
Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the
permit exemptions.
General Condition 5
Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant
planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.
Specific Permit Exemptions
Building Exteriors
•
Minor patching, repair and maintenance which replace like with like.
•
Removal of non-original items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials
etc and making good in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.
•
Installation or removal of non-original external fixtures and fittings such as hot water services and
taps a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.
•
Repair and removal of non-original fences and gates a manner not detrimental to the cultural
heritage significance of the place.
•
Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method in a
manner which does not affect the cultural heritage significance of the place.
•
Painting of previously painted surfaces provided that preparation or painting does not remove
evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Building interiors – Shearers Quarters, Boundary Riders Quarters, Stables, Managers House
•
All internal alterations to these buildings excluding the internal structure required to support the
building.
Building Interiors – Other Buildings
•
Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not
remove evidence of any original paint or other decorative scheme.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of non-original carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of non-original curtain tracks, rods and blinds.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors,
paintings and other wall mounted art.
•
Demolition or removal of non-original stud/partition walls, suspended ceilings or non-original wall
linings (including plasterboard, laminate and Masonite), non-original glazed screens, non-original
flush panel or part-glazed laminated doors, aluminium-framed windows, bathroom partitions and
tiling, sanitary fixtures and fittings, kitchen wall tiling and equipment, lights, built-in cupboards,
cubicle partitions, computer and office fitout and the like.
•
Removal of non-original door and window furniture including, hinges, locks, knobsets and sash lifts.
•
Removal of non-original glazing to internal timber-framed, double hung sash windows, and
replacement with clear or plain opaque glass.
•
Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or
replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
•
Removal of non-original tiling or concrete slabs in wet areas provided there is no damage to or
alteration of original structure or fabric.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided
that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and that the central plant is
concealed, and is done in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully
concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained insitu. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should
remain in situ.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of electric clocks, public address systems, detectors, alarms,
emergency lights, exit signs, luminaires and the like on non-decorative plaster surfaces.
•
Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
•
Installation of plant within the roof space.
Maintenance and Security
•
Maintenance and replacement of plumbing and electrical services providing that the original
formation of the buildings remains unaltered, and does not have a detrimental impact on cultural
heritage significance.
•
General maintenance of buildings of primary heritage significance. Such maintenance includes the
removal of broken glass, the temporary shuttering of windows and covering of holes as long as this
work is reversible and does not have a detrimental impact on cultural heritage significance.
Landscape
•
The process of gardening, including mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead
shrubs and replanting the same species or cultivar, disease and weed control, and maintenance to
care for existing plants.
•
The removal or pruning of dead or dangerous trees to maintain safety.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Replanting of removed or dead trees and vegetation with the same plant species to conserve the
significant landscape character and values.
Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 43731996
Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Protection of Trees on Development
Sites AS 4970-2009.
Subsurface works involving the installation, removal or replacement of watering and drainage
systems or services outside the canopy edge of significant trees in accordance with AS4970 and on
the condition that works do not impact on archaeological features or deposits
Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994
Vegetation protection and management of possums and vermin.
Landscape maintenance works provided the activities do not involve the removal or destruction of
any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.
Hard Landscape Elements
•
Works to roads and pathways that are not part of the original design, and do not affect the cultural
heritage significance.
•
Minor repairs and maintenance of hard landscape elements, roads, structures, steps, paths, and
gutters, drainage and irrigation systems, edging, fences and gates.
Fire Suppression Duties
 Fire suppression and fire fighting duties provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of
any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.
 Fire suppression activities such as fuel reduction burns, and fire control line construction, provided all
significant historical and archaeological features are appropriately recognised and protected.
Note: Fire management authorities should be aware of the location, extent and significance of historical and
archaeological places when developing fire suppression and fire fighting strategies. The importance of places
listed in the Heritage Register must be considered when strategies for fire suppression and management are
being developed.
Public Safety and Security
 The erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent
unauthorised access or secure public safety which will not adversely affect significant fabric of the place
including archaeological features provided that temporary structures are removed within 30 days of
erection.
 Emergency building stabilisation (including propping) necessary to secure safety where a site feature has
been irreparably damaged or destabilised and represents a safety risk.
Note: Urgent or emergency site works are to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified specialist such as a
structural engineer, or other heritage professional.
Signage and Site Interpretation
 Signage and site interpretation activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction
of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.
 The erection of non-illuminated signage for the purpose of ensuring public safety or to assist in the
interpretation of the heritage significance of the place or object and which will not adversely affect
significant fabric including landscape or archaeological features of the place or obstruct significant views
of and from heritage values or items.
Note: Signage and site interpretation products must be located and be of a suitable size so as not to obscure
or damage significant fabric of the place, and signage and site interpretation products must be able to be
later removed without causing damage to the significant fabric of the place. The development of signage and
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
site interpretation products must be consistent in the use of format, text, logos, themes and other display
materials.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY
Melton City
HERITAGE LISTING INFORMATION
Heritage Overlay:
Other listing:
HO4 (Current VHR Registration)
Homestead Precinct land to the north is currently not in the HO.
The Shearing Shed (Woolshed Building) is listed by the National
Trust as of state significance.
HISTORY
[The following information has been taken from Ecology and Heritage Partners, Deanside Woolshed
Complex, Plumpton, Victoria: Historical Heritage Assessment, 12 February 2015, and Heritage Alliance,
Conservation Management Plan, Deanside Woolshed Complex, 9 June 2015.]
In September 1845, James Pinkerton obtained a lease for 8,444 acres of the Maribyrnong and Derrimut
Parishes. During the early years of the 1850s, this area was divided into allotments of mostly 640 acres and
auctioned by the Crown. Much of the land, including most of Pinkerton's run, was swallowed up in the
massive land purchases by William John Turner Clarke ('Big') Clarke and became part of Clarke’s Rockbank
Estate. Clarke was a successful landowner with properties in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and New
Zealand. He prospered in Victoria’s pastoral boom, and after land acquisitions in 1847 held a single property
that stretched from Sunbury to Sydney Road. The land on which Deanside is located was purchased by
Clarke in 1853.
‘Big’ Clarke established Deanside as Rockbank Estate's Head Station on the Kororoit Creek. In the early 1860s
William Francis Watson was appointed as the station manager, and work began on fencing and drainage
channels in the swampy ground at Deanside. Unfortunately many of Watson’s improvements were
destroyed by fire in 1864. William John (WJ) Clarke, who was managing the estate for his father ‘Big’ Clarke
subsequently constructed many of the bluestone buildings extant today – including the Woolshed (1864) by
architects Reed and Barnes, the Shearers Quarters (1876), Boundary Riders Quarters (1878) and the other
buildings in the Woolshed Precinct. The Woolshed, with later additions also by Reed and Barnes, is one of
the oldest woolsheds in Victoria. Apart from managers and workers cottages, there was no homestead built
on Rockbank at this time. WJ Clarke lived at Sunbury, but although ‘Big’ Clarke lived in the city, he spent a lot
of time at Rockbank. Once a fortnight he drove the few miles out there with his stock agent's two leading
salesmen, William Hudson and John Murray Peck.
In 1873, when WJ Clarke was the President of Melton Shire, he bestowed considerable personal attention on
Deanside. By 1875, many improvements had been completed and the bluestone buildings that remain today
date from the 1870s. Sepia photographs from c.1875 show that a substantial brick mansion had been
constructed about 200 metres from the Woolshed. The bichrome brickwork of the mansion is typical of a
late-19th century Victorian Boom-era construction. By 1892 the Bacchus Marsh Express reported that
Deanside had ‘thoroughly appointed … homesteading’ (23 April 1892, p. 3). Deanside was a major part of
the Clarke family’s operations, providing fattening for stock, which could then arrive at Newmarket in good
condition. Melton's Alexander Cameron also elaborated on Rockbank's two-fold advantages in his memoirs.
Firstly, 'the grass on the Keilor plains was sweet, and the property specialised in fattening wethers and
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
barren ewes for the Newmarket sales.' Secondly, Rockbank, 'being so close to Melbourne market' allowed
the drovers to 'start with the sheep in the evening and be at the market in the morning.'
After ‘Big’ Clarke’s death in 1874, his Victorian estates were left to his eldest son WJ Clarke. Whereas ‘Big’
Clarke was notorious for his parsimony, WJ Clarke was progressive and prepared to invest. WJ Clarke was
notable in his own right for his agricultural activities and made numerous improvements to Deanside. Before
leaving on his 1874-75 Grand Tour of Europe, WJ Clarke took great pains to organise the running of his huge
estates during his absence. Each manager and agent was given a program to follow and told to submit
monthly reports to him by mail. Frequent letters also went to Robert Clarke, the manager of Bolinda Vale,
and to WF Watson, in charge of Deanside. He sent them specific instructions regarding sheep, cattle,
improved grasses and the preservation of the hares. Other improvements of this era included the complex of
large dry stone wall dams across the Rockbank station and stone wall construction in the 1880s.
In 1876, a report on the property in the Australasian advised that Rockbank sheep station was 40,000 acres
in extent, and carried some 33,000 to 36,000 sheep (depending on the season), and some 800 head of cattle.
The land was 'all open plains, with scarcely any shelter for the stock'. In 1892 a newspaper correspondent
described the Mansion as a ‘commodious brick building of very elegant exterior… partaking of the dual
character of villa and mansion [with a] spacious verandah’ (Bacchus Marsh Express, 23 April 1892, p. 3).
Inside, there was ‘a wide, handsome, delightfully cool hall to the office, a large room replete with every
clerical appliance.’ The garden was described as ‘an oasis of green, gay and beautiful in a desert of scorched
up sun-whitened grass’ and had a newly planted orchard of ‘ingenious design and masterly execution.’ The
garden and orchard was well-watered by an irrigation system to withstand the vagaries of hot, dry summers,
and was fringed and shaded by introduced pine (Pinus radiata, Monterey Pine). The correspondent’s
description of a lush garden in the Mansion precinct and orchard fringed with pines is not evident today.
When WJ Clarke died in 1895, the estate passed to his eldest son Sir Rupert Clarke, who received local
pressure to make land available for small-scale farming. Large tracts of the Rockbank estate were auctioned
and smaller allotments made available for dairy and hay farming.
In 1909 the land that included the head station was reduced to 1,701 acres and sold grazier John Richmond
Smith who established a merino stud and changed the name to 'Deanside' and extended the mansion house
and possibly constructed additional infrastructure. After Smith's death, the property was acquired by Harold
Cooper, a merchant who retained it for 23 years, when it was purchased by the Campbell family in 1947. In
1963, the property, now much reduced in size, was purchased by two different company's until it was
purchased by the current owners in 1991. The Mansion was destroyed by fire in 1980 and demolished after
1982.
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Architect name: Reed and Barnes are known to be the architects of the Woolshed.
Construction started date: 1864
Construction ended date: 1864
VICTORIAN HISTORICAL THEMES
02
Peopling Victoria’s places and landscapes
2.5
Migrating and making a home
2.7
Promoting settlement
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
04
Transforming and managing land and natural resources
4.3
Grazing and raising livestock
4.4
Farming
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Deanside Homestead Complex is a substantially intact complex of agricultural buildings as well as
archaeological remains of a mansion and other farm-related structures dating from the 1860s and 70s
located in a rural landscape setting. It includes the following:
Precinct 1 – Woolshed Precinct
1. Woolshed (bluestone with timber and iron roof)
The Woolshed was designed by prominent architects Reed and Barnes, and is probably the earliest of the
intact buildings. It was built in 1864 and is a 16-stand shearing shed. The building was extended by WJ Clarke
in the 1880s and includes the skillion-roofed aisles on the northern and southern sides. The buttresses of the
original building’s external walls are still visible under the additions. The western end includes original
timber sheep pens and the sub-floor structure on timber piles is still evident. The current owners completed
extensive renovations to the building, including replacement of the timber flooring (from the MasseyFerguson building), replacement of the galvanised iron roof sheeting and some of the rafters and joists,
refurbishment of the entry way and ramp, and installation of all the interior fittings including the wool press
and shearing stands. The date ‘1899’ is inscribed on the front of the Woolshed and it is possible that further
works were completed on the building in this year.
2. Managers House (bluestone)
The Managers House was originally located near the Rockbank Inn and was re-erected on its present site at
about the same time as the other buildings in this precinct were being constructed (1870s). It’s possible that
extensions were added to the building. The south-west wall of the building has large, rough stones joined by
untidy mortar whilst the south-east facade has smaller stones which were placed more neatly and pointed.
3. Shearers Quarters (bluestone)
The bluestone Shearers Quarters were constructed in 1876. Its exterior is substantially intact. The brick
chimneys were restored with the configuration extrapolated from early photographs. The windows are
replacements with the design copied from Exford Homestead on the Werribee River.
4. Boundary Riders Quarters (bluestone)
The bluestone Boundary Riders Quarters were constructed in 1878 and is a long narrow building. The
structure has three timber doors and six timber framed windows which are all exposed to the elements as
there are no verandahs on the building.
5. Cookhouse (bluestone, ruinous)
The Cookhouse consists of a bluestone, two-roomed hut in a dilapidated condition with most walls partially
collapsed. The substantial brick hearth in the eastern wall is still intact but the brick chimney has largely
collapsed.
6. Stables (bluestone)
The restored bluestone Stables building overlooks Kororoit Creek. It retains the majority of features of the
original structure including the roughstone wall construction displaying different periods of construction and
bluestone flagging and cobbling. Some of the walls required repair as a result of deliberate damage caused
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
by a previous owner. All internal fittings and tack have been installed by the current owners. A timber
framework that has been erected at the north west corner of the building is not original.
7. Drenching Shed (timber with corrugated metal roof, ruinous)
Approximately 30 metres south of the Woolshed is the remains of a Drenching Shed. It consists of a brick
lined rectangular subsurface tank, measuring approximately 6 x 1 metre and 1 metre deep. It is enclosed by
a hardwood post and rail enclosure with a timber and corrugated iron hipped rood. The main section of the
roof was blown off in high winds.
8. Well (bluestone)
In the centre of the precinct is a large circular bluestone well or underground tank, approximately 6m in
diameter and 8-10m deep.
9. Causeway (ford) across Kororoit Creek
The remains of the original causeway, albeit altered substantially, is still present on the western side of
Kororoit Creek.
Precinct 2 – Killing Shed Precinct (All ruinous)
10. Killing Shed
This structure is the ruins of a small bluestone building that has been interpreted as a slaughterhouse
because of the presence of a shaped bluestone drainage channel in the flagstone floor that drains through a
small opening in the south west wall to the creek embankment. It is located adjacent to what is likely to be a
rendering works. The building measures approximately 12 x 7 metres oriented north west to south east
along the edge of the creek gully. Two walls are largely intact and two have collapsed. The south west wall,
overlooking the creek, has a gable at one end (although partially collapsed) to a height of 3 metres. The
eastern end slopes in what appears to be a skillion roofline. The wall at the eastern end is much lower
(approximately 1.5 metres high).
11. Rendering Works
This small rectangular feature (a rendering oven) consists of regular bluestone foundations measuring
approximately 2.5 x 1.8 metres with a 500 x 400 mm inlet or draw hole in the south west wall, which is the
most intact wall of the structure. The oven is most probably a heating device or base for a stove or iron pot
for rendering waste from the nearby slaughter house to make products such as lard, soap or tallow.
Rendering was a common 19th century activity and due to the hot and harsh process involved (heating in
cooker), and the odour generated, the location of the works is important. Above the opening, there is an
engraving that appears to say ‘50 / 1880’ although weathering has obscured the writing. This may indicate
that the oven was built in 1880 during WJ Clarke’s period of improvement at Deanside.
12. Store Ruin
This consists of bluestone foundations and low-level footings of a simple two-roomed building, which may
have been used for storing products created at the rendering works.
Precinct 3 – Former Homestead Precinct (All ruinous)
13. Mansion Ruins
At the centre of this precinct are the archaeological remains of the former homestead/mansion built by WJ
Clarke. It was built prior to 1875 and the extant remains includes bricks and bluestone blocks. This building
was destroyed by fire in 1980 and demolished after 1982. There is some evidence that the remains of the
building’s foundations and possibly a cellar may be extant.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
14. Stone-lined Circular Driveway
A Circular Driveway is evident leading from the gate gap in the western boundary wall to the location of the
Mansion ruins. The inside edge is lined with stone. There is no lining visible around the outer edge. The
southern arm is also not visible.
15. Stone-lined Cistern
This is located in the north western corner of the homestead precinct and appears to be substantially intact.
It comprises remnants of a domed surface of stone.
16. A Silo and Foundations
The remains of a Silo are present just east of the boilers. The tank has fallen over, but the Foundations are
present.
17. Pig Pens
A series of at least three Pig Pens, built principally of dry stone walling is located at the south eastern corner
of the site. The eastern end appears to have been built from brick with a rounded concrete capping and a
concrete trough or drain followed the inside edge of the brick wall. The central pen is the most intact, whilst
the other two are indicated by the remains of the lower courses of the stone walls.
General
18. All Dry Stone Walls
The Dry Stone Walls on the property include a notable wall approximately 1.2 m high following the western
and northern boundaries of the homestead precinct area. This wall has been refurbished by the current
owners, but they advise that the wall was relatively intact when they arrived and the current wall follows the
original specifications. It is an all-stone double wall (no associated fence) with a gap for a gate in the western
boundary from the cobbled access track to the circular driveway. This wall is more substantial than most of
the other walls and is likely to have been built as an impressive entranceway for the mansion, whilst others a
purely for stock management.
OBJECTS AND INTERIORS
NA
LANDSCAPES, TREES & GARDENS
Little remains of the original plantings and they have not been maintained. There is some documentary
evidence that there was a garden and orchard in the Mansion precinct which were well-watered by an
irrigation system and fringed and shaded by introduced pine (Pinus radiata, Monterey Pine) and sugar gums.
This is no longer evident today.
ARCHAEOLOGY
Woolshed Precinct
This precinct contains no known notable archaeology, although there is the potential for the sub-floor
spaces to contain lost or discarded objects.
Homestead Precinct
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
This precinct contains remains of a mid- to late-Victorian bichromate brick residence. Historical photographs
show the residence was built prior to 1875; photographs from 1982 show the mansion was ruinous at that
time after destruction by fire. This precinct also contains a circular driveway, cistern, silo and pig pens. The
Homestead Precinct has the potential to contain historical archaeology remains, including artefacts, that
relate to the construction, use and disturbance of the site. The remains include garden features,
foundations, a cistern and a possible cesspit.
Killing Shed Precinct
This precinct contains three ruinous structures which are likely to relate to the butchering and processing of
livestock. The precinct contains ground level remains of three ruinous structures, and has the potential to
contain sub-surface remains including foundations and artefacts associated with the use of this part of the
site.
INTEGRITY/INTACTNESS
Intactness – This place retains a substantial amount of its significant fabric particularly in the Woolshed
Precinct. (August 2015)
Integrity –The complex is relatively intact and the history of Deanside can be easily read through the
buildings, ruinous structures, archaeology and landscape. (August 2015)
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
CONDITION
The condition of the place varies considerably across buildings and structures.
Woolshed Precinct
Overall in fair to good condition. The Cookhouse is ruinous and in poor condition. (August 2015)
Homestead Precinct
Archaeological ruins mostly subsurface in fair condition, with a high level of potential to contain significant
archaeological deposits. (August 2015)
Killing Shed Precinct
Archaeological ruins in fair condition, with a high level of potential to contain significant archaeological
deposits. (August 2015)
KEY REFERENCES USED TO PREPARE ASSESSMENT
Ecology and Heritage Partners, Deanside Woolshed Complex, Plumpton, Victoria: Historical Heritage
Assessment, HV No. 4451, 12 February 2015.
Heritage Alliance, Conservation Management Plan, Deanside Woolshed Complex, 9 June 2015.
National Estate Register Listing Documentation, 20 June 2011.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
ADDITIONAL IMAGES
Woolshed Precinct – Northwest elevation of the Woolshed. (Image source: Heritage Alliance, Conservation
Management Plan, 2015)
Woolshed Precinct – Interior of Woolshed
Woolshed Precinct – Southwestern elevation of Managers House (Image source: Heritage Alliance,
Conservation Management Plan, 2015)
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Woolshed Precinct – Southeastern elevation of the Shearers Quarters (Image source: Heritage Alliance,
Conservation Management Plan, 2015)
Woolshed Precinct – Southeastern elevation of the Boundary Riders Quarters (Image source: Heritage
Alliance, Conservation Management Plan, 2015)
Woolshed Precinct – Southeastern elevation of the Stables (Image source: Heritage Alliance, Conservation
Management Plan, 2015)
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Woolshed Precinct – Southwestern elevation of the Cookhouse (Image source: Heritage Alliance,
Conservation Management Plan, 2015)
Woolshed Precinct – Inside of the Well (Image source: Heritage Alliance, Conservation Management Plan,
2015)
Killing shed precinct – The Killing shed
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Killing shed precinct – Inscription on exterior wall of Killing shed ‘BC’ (possibly the builder).
Killing shed precinct – Rendering works
Killing shed precinct – Inscription on Rendering works ‘BC 1880’ (possibly the builder and construction date).
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Killing shed precinct – Store ruins
Homestead Precinct – Hoffman brick at Mansion site (Image source: Ecology and Heritage Partners,
Historical Heritage Assessment, 2015).
Homestead Precinct – Stone lining on the inside edge of the circular driveway (Image source: Ecology and
Heritage Partners, Historical Heritage Assessment, 2015).
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Homestead Precinct – Stone-domed cistern (Image source: Ecology and Heritage Partners, Historical
Heritage Assessment, 2015).
Extract from a photograph of Deanside the Head Station of ‘Rockbank’ c.1875 looking east across Kororoit
Creek (Image source: Ecology and Heritage Partners, Historical Heritage Assessment, 2015).
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
Photos of the former Mansion with circular driveway. The Mansion was destroyed by fire in 1980 and
demolished after 1982. (Image source: State Library of Victoria, Photographer: John T Collins, 5 October
1982,).
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
ATTACHMENT 1
EXISTING REGISTRATION DETAILS
TO BE SUPERSEDED BY THE FOREGOING RECOMMENDATION
EXISTING EXTENT OF REGISTRATION
AMENDMENT OF REGISTER OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Historic Building No. 810:
Deanside Woolshed Complex, Reed Court, Rockbank.
(To the extent of all the buildings and all the land shown hatched on the attached map, being Lot 38 and part
of Lot 40 on Plan of Subdivision No. 204422C, Parish of Maribyrnong, County of Bourke, which is included in
the Register Books Certificates of Title Volume 9724 Folio 873 and Volume 9724 Folio 875.)
[Victoria Government Gazette No. G35 3 September 1990 p.2699]
EXISTING EXTENT OF REGISTRATION DIAGRAM
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992
EXISTING STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE




Deanside Woolshed Complex at Rockbank, located on the outskirts of Melbourne, is situated within the
Rockbank pastoral run originally held by WC Yuille in the period 1846-1853.
The woolshed was designed for WJT Clarke by the architectural firm of Reed and Barnes with tenders
being called in 1864 and is an interesting example of their rural/industrial work.
The woolshed and nearby associated bluestone buildings form a complex indicative of the wealth and
solidity of the Clarke family in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
It is among the earliest substantial bluestone woolsheds in Victoria and, together with the Shearers
quarters, Boundary Riders hut, manager's house, cookhouse, stables and remains of a two-roomed hut,
form a substantially intact complex of rural buildings in close proximity to Melbourne, despite the
dilapidated state of most of the buildings.
EXISTING PERMIT POLICY
None.
EXISTING PERMIT EXEMPTIONS
None.
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Name: Deanside Woolshed Complex
VHR number: VHR H0810
Hermes number: 992