She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct

The She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct is historically significant at the LOCAL level (AHC A3, A4, B2, D2). It includes some of the major walls in the Shire, in terms of length and variety of wall types; the longest dry stone wall in the Shire (3.8 kilometres); high and long all-stone walls; one of the two best surviving examples of the most common style of wall in the Shire (composite stone and post-and-wire fences); composite walls (some with remnants of early post and rail tops); and walls with different stone types, ranging from the typical Melton heavy round lava basalt, to a rare red hued wall with angled vesicular fieldstone near the She- Oak Hill scoria cone. The precinct demonstrates, in the arrangement of walled enclosures and paddocks, early farming settlement patterns of Melbourne's western plains. The cultural landscape includes four dwellings of heritage significance, ranging from substantial nineteenth century bluestone homesteads (Pinewood and Glencoe, HO 37 and HO 14), rare in the Shire; to a Federation era timber cottage (Angus Downs, HO 15); and an interwar timber bungalow (Kororoit Park Stud, HO 39). The precinct is historically significant for its association with the pioneer settler John Beaty and his family, who built (or commissioned) the construction of all but but one of the walls.

The She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct is aesthetically significant at the LOCAL level(AHC E1). The dry stone walls which cross the landscape in regular enclosure patterns, make a fundamental statement about human interaction with the volcanic landscape of which they are a part. The precinct has views of two volcanic sources: the more vertical and conical shape of She Oak Hill to the south; and the broader shape of Aitkens Hill, a 'lava shield' volcano to the north. While the most publically accessible walls are not high or dramatic, their original rural context is intact, ensuring that the walls are a prominent feature of the cultural landscape. The precinct affords beautiful pastoral views of farms, walls and wooded hills in the distance in undulating terrain, which contrasts to all the other very flat precincts. Numerous individual walls, including Walls R309 and R297 have excellent sculptural qualities and are expressive of the skilled craftsmanship of their builders.

The She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct is scientifically significant at the LOCAL level (A1, C2). The walls in the precinct demonstrate two different type of volcanic eruption points: She Oak Hill (a 'scoria hill' which emitted a more irregular vesicular stone); and Aitkens Hill (a 'lava shield' volcano which emitted a heavy round lava basalt). The walls also have potential to yield research information regarding nineteenth century rural settlement patterns and farm management, and ways of life on Melbourne's western plains. In particular they have high potential for research of mid nineteenth century wall construction techniques, and the early twentieth century modification of these for changing farming practices.

The She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct is socially significant at the LOCAL level (AHC G1). The precinct has the potential to educate the community in regard to wall construction techniques, and also nineteenth century farm management, settlement patterns, and ways of life.

Overall, the She-Oak Hill Dry Stone Wall Precinct is of LOCAL heritage significance.

Group

Farming and Grazing

Category

Stone wall