Woodlands, Killara

Woodlands (originally called Inglewood) pre-dates the development and growth of the Ku-ring-gai municipality. It lies within the boundaries of the original grant given to Ku-ring-gai pioneer, Henry Oliver (1821). It remains as one of the most substantial residential properties built prior to the 1890 subdivision of Oliver's holding.[1]

Subdivision of this original block was indicative of the development of large private land holdings into suburban allotments in anticipation of the Hornsby to St Leonards railway line which commenced operation on 1 January 1890. Edward Allyn Braham of Sydney purchased a block of four acres, two roods and twenty seven perches (1.88 hectares) on 4 October 1884 for A£500. Woodlands was built on this block of land. Braham was a gentleman's outfitter of the firm Braham and Mulch.[2][1]

At the time that Braham purchased the property the Railway Commissioners had not yet acquired part of the land for the Hornsby to St Leonards railway line. On 19 January 1889, the Railway Commissioners acquired a portion of Braham's property for the sum of £134, 17s and 6p.[1]

In December 1890, Braham sold the remainder of the property to George Munro, coinciding with the year in which the railway officially opened. Ethel Turner, her stepfather Charles Cope, mother Sarah, sisters Lilian and Rose, and brother Rex, were amongst the new residents that were attracted to Ku-ring-gai with the promise of a healthy new lifestyle, "clear of air and free from pollution". The Cope family were tenants of the then Inglewood[2] (now Woodlands) from 29 September 1891 until December 1894.[1]

During the time that Ethel Turner resided at Inglewood, she was deeply influenced by the native Australian bushland that provided a fundamental component of the setting for Seven Little Australians. The Cope family's move from Paddington to Lindfield was a pivotal part in the writing of Seven Little Australians. The isolation of the suburb of Lindfield "had an effect, like adding half a dozen hours or so to days that since leaving school had been filled to the very brim; red, lonely roads running up hill and down dale; silent bushland everywhere filled with towering gums and wattles and the songs and flittings of birds; sunrises and sunsets uninterrupted by houses - of course one wrote a book!".[3][1]

The three years spent at Lindfield (now Killara) are well documented in "The Diaries of Ethel Turner" (Philippa Poole) with references to social engagements, courtship with her future husband, Herbert Curlewis and most importantly commencement of her literary career. Turner's writing during this period was prolific. Apart from the three books written whilst living at Inglewood - Seven Little Australians (1893), The Family at Misrule (1894) and The Story of a Baby (1894), she also wrote many stories and articles that were published in the Illustrated Sydney News, The Parthenon, Tasmanian Mail, The Bulletin, Daily Telegraph and Town and Country Journal.[1]

Turner and her family worshipped at St. John's Church at Gordon, she was married in that church, and local identities referred to in her diary included the Pockley family at Killara.[4][1]

The subsequent ownership of Inglewod by Andrew J. Sievers (1895) marked a new chapter in the history of the property with significant changes to both the exterior and interior. During Sievers' ownership the Victorian Georgian style house, a classic Georgian-styled two-storey villa with attic[2] was remodelled and extended in the then more contemporary Federation Filigree style. It is likely that the house was renamed "Woodlands" during this period. Sievers returned from his tenure in Europe as Acting Consul to the Royal Swedish and Norwegian Consulate (1887) with significant ideas that added innovations to his home. Sievers' died in 1916 with ownership passing to Agnes Parkinson. Agnes Parkinson in turn sold the property after six years to John Waugh, a bachelor, for the sum of five thousand one hundred pounds. John Waugh died in 1945.[1]

Following Waugh's death, Eric B. Mills is understood to have purchased Woodlands in 1946. The property acquired by Eric Mills extended from the present day Kiamala Crescent on the north to Treatts Road on the south and encompassed the formal entry to the property from Treatts Road. The lands formerly associated with Woodlands to its north and east were subdivided and offered for auction under the title of the "Waugh Estate" on 27 November 1948. The auction by Hardie and Gorman Pty Ltd was the first on-site auction of vacant lots of land following World War II in New South Wales. The auction drew large crowds as restrictions on the sale of vacant lots in the wake of World War II had been lifted on 20 September 1948.[1]

On 14 October 1948, the land presently forming the eastern boundary of Woodlands[5] was added to the property as compensation for land resumed by Ku-ring-gai Council on the northern boundary, to allow for the extension of Kiamala Crescent to Werona Avenue. This parcel of land had previously formed a small part of the original estate. The Mills family later subdivided Woodlands on 24 September 1952, and sold the southern lot fronting Treatts Road.[6] The subsequent construction of a red brick house on this lot resulted in the loss of formal gardens and the alienation of Woodlands from Treatts Road. As a consequence the street address of "Woodlands" changed to that of the adjoining suburb of Killara. Mature palm trees still mark the former entry to Woodlands on Treatts Road.[1]

The house and remnant grounds of Woodlands (Ingelwood) have remained in the ownership of the Mills family and at the time of preparing this information (2006), William J. Mills was the listed owner. Mrs Patricia Mills the wife of Eric B. Mills had an interest in Ethel Turner and wrote an article about her in "Descent" the genealogical magazine in 1967.[1]

Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood, Inglenook[2]) is situated on approximately 2,113-square-metre (22,740 sq ft) corner block (formed of 2 lots) bound by Kiamala Crescent to the north and Werona Avenue to the west. The house occupies a central position on the site with evidence of the original tennis court adjacent to the western side of the house. The original entrance (Treatts Road) is marked by two palm trees, subdivision of the property has altered the original front (southern) boundary.[1]

In its original form (c. 1880) the house was a two-storey square brick building reminiscent of the Victorian Georgian style ('a classic Georgian-styled two-storey villa with attic'.[2] The bricks were coated with stucco and marked to give the appearance of ashlar masonry. A paint scrape on one of the external walls suggests that the original stuccoed brickwork was painted a pale red colour. The family that has owned the property since 1946 has advised that the masonry was painted a grey colour when they first purchased it.[1]

It was originally approached from what was Treatt's Road, Lindfield.[2] The later subdivision of the property to the south fronting Treatt's Road has had a negative impact on the aesthetic attributes and landmark qualities of Woodlands. The carriage loop was originally accessed with a driveway from Treatts Road as evidenced by two Canary Island palm trees (Phoenix canariensis) on the road which once flanked this driveway entry.[9][10][1]

In its present form Woodlands retains the original footprint of the Victorian house with extensive renovations to the external facade of the property and some modifications to the interior in the Federation Filigree style. The Federation Filigree overlay is evident in the timber verandahs extending along the full length of the western side and approximately one third of the eastern perimeter. Midway on the eastern wall is a timber and glass addition which houses the sunroom. Central to the front of the house is a two-storey bay with gable roof, flanked either side by a timber verandah. French doors on both upper and lower storeys are symmetrically aligned to the right and left of the front door. Each French door has adjoining timber shutters. The external brick walls are rendered and painted white. The roof is made of slate tile.[1]

Entry into Woodlands is reached by an ascending series of sandstone steps flanked by sandstone step walls. The panelled front door is inset with a stained glass bird motif within a leadlight frame. Australian fauna motifs are repeated throughout - on the interior door leading to the rear of the house, and in a grand stained glass window above the cedar staircase.[1]

The garden retains much of its early layout and fabric, with mature trees including the relatively rare Queensland lacebark (Brachychiton discolor), Illawarra flame (B.acerifolium) and two mature eucalypts (likely to be Sydney blue gum, E.saligna) on the nature strip / (Werona Avenue) street providing and retaining a sympathetic "bushland" or "rural" setting. The tennis court formerly west of the house has been removed, although evidence of it remains. The existing half carriage loop with its central planting in front (south) of the house may be original features. These are now accessed from Werona Avenue. Access in Ethel Turner's time would have been from Treatts Road which is now subdivided off to form a separate allotment. The rear garden facing Kiamala Crescent was subdivided off in the 1950s (part of it in the 1940s). A mature cocks-comb coral tree (Erythrina christa-galli), some eucalypts and a wooden paling fence face this rear address. Another tennis court was made in the north-east of the house in the 1950s when Kiamala Crescent and Werona Avenue works necessitated removal of the earlier court.[1]

As at 13 July 2006, the c. 1884 Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood) is of State heritage significance for its historic association with the acclaimed Australian children's author Ethel Turner (1870 - 1958) whose most famous literary work Seven Little Australians was written during Turner's occupancy of the property.[1]

Ethel Turner lived at Woodlands with her family from September 1891 to December 1894. During this period she wrote three books: her first and most famous children's novel 'Seven Little Australians'; its sequel The Family at Misrule; and The Story of a Baby. Seven Little Australians and its sequel were strongly influenced by the social and domestic environment of Woodlands and its natural surroundings creating a provocative portrayal of children and Australian identity in the late 19th century.[1]

Seven Little Australians has been in print for well over 100 years. It has sold over several million copies in the English language. It has been translated into at least 13 languages, performed as a stage play and been made into a film, a BBC television series in 1953, a 10 episode television series for the ABC in 1973 and a musical in 1988.[1]

Woodlands is one of the earlier substantial Ku-ring-gai residences pre-dating the Hornsby to St Leonards railway line which opened in 1890. The two storey late Victorian Georgian style house demonstrates many aspects of the Federation Filigree style having been remodelled during the Federation period. It provides a rare example of the layering of the Victorian and Federation era styles in domestic architecture.[1]

Woodlands was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 13 October 2006 having satisfied the following criteria.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood) is of Local heritage significance as one of the oldest surviving examples of architecture in the Lindfield/Killara area. It is an excellent surviving example of pre-railway settlement within the Ku-ring-gai municipality. The significance of the property is derived from it being one of few examples of a large residence in Ku-ring-gai, occupied by a businessman (Edward Allyn Braham, merchant), prior to the coming of the railway. The advent of the railway attracted many businessmen to the Ku-ring-gai municipality with the promise of a healthy new lifestyle, 'clear of air and free from the pollution from an inadequate Sydney sewerage system.'[13][1]

The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.

State Significance: Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood) is of State and local heritage significance for its association with the acclaimed Australian children's author Ethel Turner (1870 - 1958) whose most famous literary work Seven Little Australians was written during Turner's occupancy of the property.[1]

Ethel Turner lived at Inglewood with her family from September 1894 to December 1896. During this period she wrote three books: her first and most famous children's novel 'Seven Little Australians'; its sequel The Family at Misrule; and The Story of a Baby.[1]

Seven Little Australians has been in print for over 100 years. It has sold over two million copies in the English language. It has been translated into at least 11 languages, performed as a stage play, and been made into a film, a BBC television series in 1953, and a 10 episode television series for the ABC in 1973.[1]

The novel and its sequel were strongly influenced by the social and domestic environment of Woodlands and its natural surroundings to create a provocative portrayal of children in late 19th century Australia.[1]

Ethel Turner published 42 books during her lifetime. Of the four houses occupied by Ethel Turner during her writing career (1894 - 1928), only "Woodlands" remains. Although there have been changes to the house both externally and internally, the Drawing Room and the bedroom where Turner wrote her most famous book remain.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood) is aesthetically distinctive and has landmark qualities at the Local level. Although altered from its original fabric, it continues to represent a good example of Federation architecture and fittings. The interior of the property boasts a stained glass window on the rear wall which provides a magnificent backdrop to the hall and cedar staircase.[1]

Gardens surrounding the property of Woodlands evoke a past synonymous with nineteenth century gardens as described in Ethel Turner's literature. The property occupies a landmark position high on the ridges of the Hornsby plateau within the Ku-ring-gai municipality.[1]

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

Local Significance: Ethel Turner is widely known as Australia's most significant children's author. The NSW Premier's Literary Awards have included an Ethel Turner Prize for young people's literature since 1979. Ethel Turner is also commemorated by a plaque on Writer's Walk on Sydney's foreshore. In the suburb of Lindfield, the local bushland reserve is called "Seven Little Australians" Park in commemoration of her most famous book. In addition the library of Lindfield Public School is named the Ethel Turner Library in her honour.[1]

'Seven Little Australians' is the only Australian children's book to have remained continuously in print since its first publication in 1894. Its translation in 1895 marked it as the first Australian children's publication to have received payment in foreign currency. There have been over forty different editions in ten languages, and its story has been told in the form of stage plays and films. The television serial titled "Seven Little Australians" made in 1973 continues to be shown on television as recently as 2005.[1]

The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Local Significance: The underground water tank which supplied the bathroom, laundry and kitchen with hot running water is of local heritage technical significance and merits full investigation and further research. It is situated on the eastern side of the property approximately two metres from the enclosed verandah.[1]

The site is likely to yield technological and archaeological relics.[1]

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Local Significance: "Woodlands" (formerly known as 'Inglewood') is a locally rare example of pre-railway settlement in the Ku-ring-gai locality.[1]

Written evidence states that A. J. Sievers installed an underground water system to supply the bathroom, laundry and kitchen with hot running water which may be a rare surviving example of this technology. Further investigation is required to determine the extent of its importance.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.

Local Significance: Woodlands (formerly known as Inglewood) is locally significant as an example of the substantial residential properties which pre-dated the development of the railway and the suburb of Lindfield/Killara. In addition it demonstrates a layering of the Federation architectural style over a mid Victorian building that in its original presentation was not dissimilar to the c.1880 "Grandview" at Pymble.[1]

• Australian residential architectural styles
• Media related to Woodlands, Killara at Wikimedia Commons