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CLUANIE

Other Names

Linsfield , Former 'Linsfield', 'Lyre Bird Mound', homestead, house , Lyrebird Mound

Location

390-440 KOONWARRA-INVERLOCH ROAD, LEONGATHA SOUTH, SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE

Level

Included in Heritage Overlay

[1/2]
Cluanie
[2/2]
Cluanie

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The homestead 'Cluanie', constructed c.1894, at 440 Koonwarra-Inverloch Road, Leongatha South. It is a single storey weather board double fronted hip and valley late Victorian villa. Unusually, it has the main entry to the side (north) with only French doors of the two front rooms to the front elevation. It has perhaps the only example in the Shire of a wide ogee (bellcast) verandah to three sides, while the south side has had an added hipped wing against the side and extending beyond the rear wall of the original house. A straight roof verandah covers the rear wall of this projecting wing. The rear section of the main verandah on the north side is built in.
Other notable elements include:

Chimneys with rendered finish and mouldings.
Strongly decorated eaves frieze with paired brackets and alternating "cricket bat" and diamond plaques.
False ashlar (blocked boards) with large plinth on three sides.
Wide main panelled door with sidelights.
Margined double hung windows.
Diagonal panelled mini-orb galvanised iron ceilings.
Moulded dentils supporting the verandah gutter board.
Square stop chamfered posts with double neck moulds. The probable cast iron frieze has been removed.

How is it significant?

The homestead 'Cluanie' is of local historic and aesthetic significance to South Gippsland Shire.

Why is it significant?

Historically, it is believed to be one of the oldest homesteads in the Shire and is one of a relatively small number of rural buildings, which demonstrate the important phase of settlement and development that occurred prior to the disastrous bushfires of 1898. It is also important for its associations with the locally important Thomas and Macdonald family. (AHC criteria - A.4, D.2 and G.1)
Aesthetically, it is a notable example in the Shire of a substantial elaborate late Victorian villa, which is distinguished by its range of detail, which includes what is believed to be the only example of a lavish ogee verandah in the Shire. (AHC criteria - B.2 and E.1)

Group