Arms of Australia Inn

Item details


Name of item:	Arms of Australia Inn
Other name/s:	Mountaineer
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Inn/Tavern
Primary address:	127 Great Western Highway, Emu Plains, NSW 2750
Local govt. area:	Penrith

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
127 Great Western Highway	Emu Plains	Penrith			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	Completed around 1840, the former Arms of Australia Inn is one of 3 inns in the town that is unique in the locality. The built form and roadside location of the building evokes a mid-nineteenth century colonial era roadside inn, and demonstrates the development of Emu Plains as the principal coaching town west of Sydney. Given its strategic location at the crossing of the Nepean River and Blue Mountains, the rarity of type, and standing structure and finishes, it has the potential to reveal new information about colonial era inns. The building is one of a number of structures in Emu Plains erected over the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century that demonstrates the pattern of a village settlement at this important location at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
	Date significance updated: 25 Feb 05
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1819-1841
Physical description:	The item is a former coach inn on the Great Western Highway. The building is a long, narrow and low structure of two bays in brick masonry and one bay in random rubble with a hipped roof that continues over the front verandah. At the rear is an attached skillion service wing. The roofs are covered in timber shingles. The road facing façade has a row of three door openings each with a pair of flanking multiple paned (8 over 8) sash windows. The building retains a row of four brick chimneys located at the rear side of the building. The building is set close to the road with a large allotment. Some of the museum’s exhibits are stored at the rear of the property in the open and under cover. Located in this area is a slab barn, a typical rural windmill for pumping water, and a modern brick building. The whole site is enclosed by a high chain wire fence and public access is limited to set times. In recent years the historic buildings have been renovated and reconstructed. All of the joinery has been replicated to reflect the original.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Excellent
	Date condition updated:25 Feb 05
Modifications and dates:	Acquired by Council and declared a museum in 1976, recently restored.
Further information:	Listing includes principal building only and its curtilage.


Current use:	Museum
Former use:	Inn.

History

Historical notes:

The first section of this building is believed to have been built in 1819 and extended in 1826. In 1837 it was licenced as the Mountaineer by John Strange. By 1841 the inn was known as the Arms of Australia licensed by John Mortimer intermittently until 1848. From 1867 the building was the private home of Thomas Ellison and remained in ownership by the family until 1969. The building was renovated in 1976 by Penrith City Council.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Push westward-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Rural villages-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Tourism and recreation-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The building demonstrates the development of Emu Plains as the principal coaching town west of Sydney. This historic association is revealed in the plan form of the building and its location on the Great Western Highway. The building is strategically located at the crossing of the Nepean River and at the start of the road over the Blue Mountains.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The building is an example of a mid-nineteenth century colonial era roadside inn.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	The building's original historic use is unusual and the site has the potential to reveal new information about colonial era inns.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The inn is one of three extant colonial era inns in Emu Plains and is one of a group of like buildings in the town that is unique in the region. The use of timber roof shingles is rare and demonstrates early 19th century roofing practices.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The building is one of a number of structures in Emu Plains erected over the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century that demonstrates the pattern of a village settlement at this important location at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
Integrity/Intactness:	Fair (restored and reconstructed)
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number
Local Environmental Plan	Arms of Australia Inn	EP-13	20 Dec 91	180
Local Environmental Plan	Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010	327	22 Sep 10
Heritage study		2260327	01 Nov 07
Heritage study	Arms of Australia Inn	EP-13	01 Apr 87

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Penrith Heritage Study Review	2005	EP-13	Paul Davies Pty. Ltd.	Paul Davies Pty Ltd	Yes
Heritage Study City of Penrith	1987	EP-13	Fox & Associates		No

References, internet links & images

None

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	2260327

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