The pioneer cottage at Pallotti College has high local significance for

its associations with the district sawmilling industry and as one of the

oldest houses in the Millgrove area. Built in about 1908 by Platt Bros.

Sawmill, it became the first home in 1910 of Alf Lay, sawmiller, and his

wife. The Lays' daughter, Ina (now Mrs Saville), became one of the first

women to manage a sawmill in Victoria. The Lays were among the district

families commemorated in Millgrove's WW1 Avenue of Honour and the Yarra

Junction Cenotaph, both of which honor local men who served in the

1914-18 War.

The cottage at Pallotti College (now called Camaldoli) is set within the extensive grounds occupied by the college. Its immediate setting is a lush garden amongst blackwoods and eucalypts. The cottage was originally a two-roomed building constructed using a timber frame and vertical boards as the external cladding (not slabs). There remains some evidence within the building of this original external cladding. Internally the cottage was lined with bead-edged boards, and ply ceilings with timber straps covering the joins. Sections of these internal linings also remain.

Over the years the two-roomed cottage has been extended, the front verandah has been enclosed and another room and section of open verandah added to the front. A small verandah has also been added to the rear. Externally the building has been reclad in vertical palings and the corrugated iron roof has been replaced. Despite these changes the cottage does retain important evidence of its history and construction techniques as well as remaining a very simple small dwelling.

There are a number of other buildings at Pallotti College that are worthy of further investigation. These are also associated with the period prior to 1955/56 (when the College acquired the property). These include the Platt house opposite the cottage. Another interesting building is presently called Monserrat; it was associated with the McNamara's who owned the property prior to it being purchased by the College. Nearby, in McNamaras Road there is also a twin gabled cottage and huge oak tree apparently associated with the Lay family.

Physical Conditions: Good

Integrity: Evidence of stages