WATTLE PARK HOMESTEAD
Location
85-87 SEWELLS ROAD, TARNEIT VIC 3029
Level
Heritage Inventory Site
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Statement of Significance
The property now known as Wattle Park (85-87 Sewells Road, Tarneit), was first occupied by Europeans in c.1838, when Scottish immigrants Andrew and William Forlonge established a pastoral run on the Werribee River. The Forlonge’s constructed a home station and outstation huts on their pastoral run – including a structure on land currently encompassed by this property. By 1867, Wattle Park is recorded as including a bluestone house, stables, workers huts, and a cistern; and it seems likely that the house recorded as present in 1867, is the same structure/or a modified version of the structure dating to the Forlonge’s occupation. Wattle Park functioned as a mixed-used farm (grazing and cropping) throughout the nineteenth century and has strong associations with the early development of the farming industry in the local region. The property is more broadly associated with the development of the Merino sheep industry in Victoria; due to its association with the Forlonge family who played a significant role in the development of this sheep breed.
From 1899 to 2020, the land has been occupied as a mixed-use farm (cropping and sheep grazing) by members of the Sewell family, and as such the site is historically significant at a local level as representative of land continually occupied for farming purposes. In c.1911, the Sewell family constructed a new timber house on land immediately adjacent to the former bluestone dwelling. This timber house is currently preserved at the site and has undergone only minor modifications since its original construction date. The c.1911 house is significant at a local level due to its historical associations with the Sewell family, and as a representative example of architectural form and interior decoration of early twentieth century farm dwellings.
Structures associated with the nineteenth century occupation of the site are partially preserved at Wattle Park; including, a dwelling (brick and bluestone) and a cistern (brick and bluestone). These structures hold architectural and archaeological significance as representative of nineteenth century construction methods and architectural styles. There is ‘moderate to high potential’ for archaeological features and deposits to be preserved within/and in the vicinity of these partially preserved structures. Any preserved archaeological features and/or deposits will likely be associated with the nineteenth to early-twentieth century occupation of the site for farming purposes, and are likely to be in a condition that could contribute to an understanding of the site’s historic occupation.
The site has been assessed as having ‘moderate’ archaeological potential, and ‘moderate to high’ heritage significance at a local level.
Group
Farming and Grazing
Category
Homestead Complex
