HO35 - Wattle Grove House & Shed

The house at 117 - 125 McPherson Road is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level (AHC D.2). Although altered, it still demonstrates original design qualities of a Late Victorian style. These qualities include the hipped roof form, together with the convex profile encircling verandah. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the single storey height, horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding, corrugated profile sheet metal roof cladding, face brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops, narrow eaves with decorative timber brackets, symmetrical composition of the front facade with the timber framed doorway having a four panelled timber door and sidelights and highlights, and the flanking timber framed windows, and the other timber framed windows on the side elevations. The rear gabled addition contributes to an understanding of the historical evolution of the building. The nearby gabled, galvanised corrugated steel 2-stand shearing shed, with timber structural frame (including log posts) also contributes to the significance of the place.

The house and shed at 117 - 125 McPherson Road are historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC A4, H1). It is one of a limited number of surviving Melton Shire farms that pre-date the break-up of Melton's large Clarke, Staughton, Taylor, and Patterson pastoral estates. It is directly associated with Malcolm McPherson, long serving Shire Councillor (1894-1920) and multiple Shire President, called the 'father of municipal life' in Melton by the local press at the time of his death. The house is also a scarce surviving intact property associated with the enclave of Scottish immigrants who would appear to have been the dominant farming landholders in early Toolern Vale.

Overall, the house and shed at 53-105 McPherson Road is of LOCAL significance.

Group

Farming and Grazing

Category

Farm