NARADA HOMESTEAD

What is significant?
Narada Homestead at Anakie was built in 1862 for pastoralist John Browne, a notable early settler in the Anakie district. It was designed by the Geelong architect John Young. Joseph Watts designed extensive alterations and additions in 1873, including a second storey in bluestone with Barabool freestone dressings. It was later acquired by the prominent pastoralist F W Armytage, a son of George Armytage, a prominent Western District pioneer. F W Armytage’s main home was at Wooloomonata, near Lara, and he also had extensive holdings in NSW and Queensland. The house in 1986 was still owned by the Browne family.

Narada Homestead at Anakie was first constructed as an L-plan single storey bluestone house. After Watts’s 1873 additions it became a two storey house in a simple Italianate style, of bluestone with sandstone quoining and architraves, and with a hipped roof. It has a verandah and balcony around the house, of cast iron with unusual decoration, based on a large variety of birds and butterflies.

How is it significant?
Narada Homestead at Anakie is of architectural and historical significance to the state of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
Narada Homestead at Anakie is of architectural significance as a representative example of a Western District bluestone homestead of a simple symmetrical type, with a two storey block-like form and a two storey cast iron verandah. It is also of architectural significance as an example of the work of two prominent Geelong architects, John Young and Joseph Watts.

Narada Homestead at Anakie is of historical significance for its association with prominent local pastoralists John Browne and Frederick Armytage.
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]

Group

Farming and Grazing

Category

Homestead Complex