CRANAGES COTTAGES

The Cranages Cottages site is the location of a small holiday house resort in the northern side of what is now the Grampians National Park. Some remnant structural remains exist in the area and levelled ground suggests the possible locations of former structures. While the area has been redeveloped as picnic grounds and carparks – the formation of these likely took advantage of existing levelled areas and landscaping. There is no substantial modern building in the area with the exception of a toilet block and some picnic shelters, and it appears likely that significant portions of the area have not been significantly disturbed since the demolition of the houses and associated infrastructure. As with most archaeological sites, the extent of the preservation of subsurface material remains to be tested. The cottage structures themselves are not well documented in the historical record meaning that the archaeological remains, should they survive, would be unique in their ability to provide information about the former structures and the lives of the people who inhabited them.

Historical records attest to the popularity of the Cranages Cottages or holiday houses site as a holiday destination in the Grampians through the early to mid-twentieth century, particularly with holiday makers from the Horsham area. Archaeological remains in this location are potentially associated with early tourism to the Grampians region prior to the area being declared a national park. In 1992 the Cranages Cottages site, including the then remaining cottage (Cranage’s original) was assessed as being of regional historical significance in the Land Conservation Council assessment of historical places in southwestern Victoria (1992: 83). 

It should be considered or local to regional significance under sub theme 5.7 (Catering for tourists) of Victoria's Framework of Historical Themes. 

The Cranages Cottages site it significant at the local to regional level for its potential to contain the remains of an early holiday destination or resort in what is now the Grampians National Park. The main structures of the Cranages Cottages complex were built following the construction of the Mt Victory Tourist Road in the 

1920s which opened up the Mackenzie Falls area to visitors. The complex contained a number of structures including holiday cottages, a kiosk/ tea room, tennis court, a stone camp kitchen (still standing), petrol bowser and a hydroelectric generator.