Historic tour to raise money
Stawell Hospital Auxiliary will lead an Historic Homestead Tour in Stawell district later this month, offering patrons a chance to explore significant buildings in the area.
The tour will be on May 27 from 9.30am to 4.30pm and include Kirkella at Campbells Bridge, Sycamores at Concongella, North Woodlands at Tulkara and Oban, now Stawell RSL.
Auxiliary chairwoman Merrilyne Middleton said the four homesteads involved in the tour went a long way in representing the history of the region.
“We will be picked up by buses and toured around to the homesteads, one of which is now the Stawell RSL where we will have a two-course lunch,” she said.
“One of the homes, Kirkella, is significant at a state level. The stables at this property were built in the 1890s and are in beautiful condition. There is also a timber cricket pavilion that was built at the same time where the Australian and English cricket teams were hosted several times between 1884 and 1907.
“We imagine these two facts alone will appeal to horse lovers and cricket fans.”
Ms Middleton said Sycamores was ‘gorgeous and of local significance’.
“Its landscape has many plantings from the late 19th century. It was built by W. H. Osmond MLC, a mining magnate engaged in smelting who built the house as his headquarters where he planted an orange grove,” she said.
“North Woodlands Homestead in Tulkara was built about 1909 and still has many of its original features.
“It is thought that the land upon which the home has been situated might have originally formed part of the larger Woodlands Homestead.
“Oban was a private residence. It was the only real mansion built by any of the citizens made rich through gold in the 19th Century.”
The auxiliary will donate money raised from the tour to Stawell Regional Health to buy a specialised fridge for its oncology unit.
Tickets are available from Stawell Regional Health, Stawell Library and online at www.trybooking.com.