ROSEHILL DAIRY FARM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

The Rosehill farm site shows a rare intact example of a nineteenth century dairy farm and cheese processing facility. Any archaeological deposits, features and artefacts relating to the nineteenth century phases of occupation have to potential to contain information about the residential life in the nineteenth-century Bellarine Peninsula, the nineteenth century cheese making process and the composition of dairy farms in the region. The ruinous structures that are present on the site have the potential to contain sub-floor deposits and there is potential for nineteenth century wash closet deposits to be intact.  

The site is of local historical and archaeological significance.  

The site is of historical significance as the site has been occupied as a farm and residence since the c.1840s. The site is associated with J Birkett who is a prominent businessperson around the Portarlington Area at the time. The site was also occupied by Edwin Collins who had a very successful cheese making business on the site for approximately 15 years. The Collins Dairy farm was famous for making a cheddar like cheese that won multiple colonial awards.  

The site has the potential to contain archaeological information relating to the initial occupation phase by Birkett and information about the colonial cheese making process. Archaeological material relating to both [and later] phases of occupation is likely to be present, and it is possible that the demolition/ remodeling of the existing ruins will exposure further archaeological features and deposits related to the historical occupation. The age of the earliest occupation, and absence of broad-scale modern construction having taking place on the property allows for the likelihood of features such as wash closets/ cesspits and former industrial structures to be present on the property.