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DOOLAN DOOLAN

Other Name DOLING DOLING Location Roger's Road STRATHKELLAR, Southern Grampians Shire File Number 35 Level Stage 2 study complete

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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Doolan Doolan (formerly Doling Doling), Roger's Road, North Hamilton was built in 1867 and developed further in 1868 for the local businessman, Henry Scott and family. Hector McLean designed the main house and a cottage that was possibly used as a gatehouse. He probably designed the surviving adjacent stables because of the quality and unusual character of their construction. The whole was a substantial villa complex set picturesquely on a hill within a broad landscape. The view had been praised by its discoverer, Major Mitchell, Surveyor General of NSW who had named the Doling Doling swamp Lake Nivelle. Lindsay Clarke, the District Surveyor had selected the land. David Laidlaw, businessman and local politician owned the property after Scott from 1874 until 1891 and then J d'A Moynan, architect and local shire engineer owned it into the early twentieth century. Laidlaw began life as a humble saddler and all the owners of Doolan Doolan have been good horsemen. Moynan was associated with the revived Hamilton Hunt, entertaining the riders at Doolan Doolan. The place makes an important pair and comparison with Correagh, the intact complex of house, garden, park, orchard and outbuildings on the adjacent hill, which enjoys the same position in the broad landscape. Correagh was the home of Cuthbert Featherstonhaugh Junior, one of the great horseman of colonial Victoria and best friend of the notorious rider and poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon. The Doolan Doolan house and gatehouse were demolished in the 1980s. The drive and an extensive garden, the park and much of the orchard survive along with the important timber stables and ancillary structures. The latter are in a ruinous condition but retain a high degree of archaeological potential while the garden, park and orchard are overgrown and incomplete.

How is it significant?
Doolan Doolan is of historical, scientific and aesthetic significance to the Southern Grampians Shire.

Why is it significant?
The Doolan Doolan complex, especially the stables, is of historical significance as an example of a lost way of life and for its associations with a succession of important figures and their families including: Lindsay Clarke, Land Surveyor, Henry Scott, businessman, David Laidlaw, businessman and local politician, and J d'A Moynan, shire engineer and architect. It is very likely that Cuthbert Featherstonhaugh and Adam Lindsay Gordon were visitors. The mature and substantial garden of exotics, which survives, is of scientific and aesthetic significance as an example of the suburban villa lifestyle, although the house and gatehouse have been demolished. Doolan Doolan is also of significance for its proximity to and relationship with its neighbour, Correagh.