The 1880s two-storey building on this site, formerly The Leasowes, has

high local significance as a remaining example of a 19 century rural

retreat and holiday house built for Edward Charsley, a Melbourne

barrister, who entertained guests there and bred racehorses, and later,

as the home in the 1890s of Edward Quinn, grazier, and his family. From

the mid-1960s, it has been the Auxilium College, a seminary run by a

Catholic religious order to train young men for the Salesian priesthood,

and a retreat centre for school, parish and other groups.

Auxilium College comprises a collection of buildings set within an extensive, semi-rural property. The buildings on the site are generally on a small scale, constructed from timber although a number of corrugated iron sheds are included. The main building is a substantial two storey former house and is set within a landscaped garden including mature pines, palms and peppercorn trees.

The rectangular plan building has an asymmetrical facade, with a recessed return verandah on ground floor level, and an overhung first floor. The first floor appears to date from a later period.

The ground floor is stylistically different from the upper level. It is constructed from timber, which is overlaid with a grid of timber strapping. The elevated verandah floor has been concreted, although it is likely to have been lined originally with timber boards. The base of the building is constructed from regularly shaped blocks of granite, which extend to form the base of the verandah pillars, and are crowned with brick piers. Decorative timber fretwork and turned timber pilasters adorn the solid pillars, which are connected by a simple timber balustrade. The verandah roof is lined with narrow timber boards and the windows are timber framed, double hung, with stained glass highlights adjacent to the front entrance.

The upper level of the seminary building appears to date from the turn of the century and is built in the 'Old English' style. This includes asymmetrical massing with projecting gable ended bays and intersecting corrugated iron gable roofs edged with decorative timber bargeboards. The walls are clad with imitation half-timbering and panels of textured render. The windows are casements.

The house is surrounded to the south and west by several recent, single storey additions, constructed in a similar style to the upper floor, using half-timbering and panels of textured render, as well as timber-lined, flat roofed extensions.

Physical Conditions: Good

Integrity: Altered