The current house was built in the 1950s (we think) and local legend has it that it is the third house to stand in this spot (in addition to a small, derelict, wooden cottage a few hundred metres away). A neighbour told me that the original homestead was burnt down by a disgruntled female worker who threw a match in the wood pile. She was apparently later jailed for murder after another incident where she pushed a wheelchair bound man into a river.
More common knowledge around the district is that the second Burragan homestead burnt down within 12 months of being erected. The charred stumps of that building can still be seen underneath the house that stands today. A faint memory tells me I had seen an old newspaper snippet on Trove mentioning this fire, but searches to find it again this morning were fruitless.
Never the less the latest Burragan homestead is an incredibly interesting home, with 19 rooms (each with a varying pattern of retro lino), a bathroom bigger than most suburban units (and enough towel hangers for a whole shearing team), and floor to ceiling cupboards in almost every room – so deep I have to walk into them to reach things! It is a house built for a family, and yet, the previous owner was an only child with no living relatives. It is a house so large that I’m going to save photos of our inside renovations for another blog…
For now, here are some before and after shots of the outside of the house from March 2011 (when the house was mint-green, on a considerable lean, and surrounded by 50 years of junk, including 10, rusted, useless water tanks)to April 2012. Apologies that a couple of the photos are in the wrong order, but I can't figure out how to fix that.
Hint: If you click on the first photo you should be able to see them all larger in a slide-show.
MASSIVE! Now you just need to start filling it with babies! xxx
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a change. Looking great. I love older houses and their character. They are fun to renovate.
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