Berrilea

Item details


Name of item:	Berrilea
Other name/s:	Berrilee, Tabratong
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	House
Location:	Lat: -33.2815664755 Long: 149.0900505900
Primary address:	29 Summer Street, Orange, NSW 2800
Parish:	Orange
County:	Wellington
Local govt. area:	Orange
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Orange

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
PART LOT	100		DP	1185280

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
29 Summer Street	Orange	Orange	Orange	Wellington	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Uniting Church in Australia, The	Religious Organisation	17 May 99

Description


Designer/Maker:	John Job (J. J.) Copeman
Builder/Maker:	J H Gain
Physical description:	Site and Garden A large formal (Edwardian) peaceful shadowy garden with large trees. Includes stables at rear (now a double garage). Curtilage is the lot boundary (NTA, 1983). House: The house is a particularly fine example of Edwardian architecture with wide wooden vernadahs, external lacework (NTA, 1983, excellent external detailing. Being located in the main street of the town, opposite Cook Park, it is a key domestic architectural element in the townscape of Orange. Its location, landscape setting and high architectural quality indicate its importance (ibid, 1983). It was designed by J J Copeman and built by J H Gain in 1902. It is of tuckpointed Flemish bond brick with a hipped slate roof, moulded chimneys and projecting roughcast gable. The verandah to three sides has cast iron corinthian columns and excellent decorative cast iron brackets and valances. It has a straight-pitched iron roof and a gabled portico above the main door. Windows have moulded brackets and there is a rendered string course at sill height. The front door has leadlighting, and three french doors open onto the verandah. Other than a few alterations such as the 1930s bathroom and the fireplaces in the drawing room and dining room, the interior layout and detail remain in sustantially original condition (ibid, 1983). Stables: The stables at the rear (now a double garage) are of plain brick like the house with a timber extension at the back. They are in fair condition (ibid, 1983). Tank stand: A tankstand on very high piers is attahced to the stables - it is still used in drought (ibid, 1983). Building Material: Flemish bond brick, tuckpointing, slate roof, cast iron, leadlighting, timber
Modifications and dates:	1983 - Berrilea cottage bequeathed to the Uniting Church. Wontama Village Nursing Home has been operating on parts of hte site since 1967 (CPH, 2012).
Further information:	LEP - state significant


Current use:	residence
Former use:	Aboriginal land, town lot

History

Historical notes:

The house was designed by J J Copeman and built by J H Gain for Mrs Robert Frost in1902.

Being located in the main street of the town, opposite Cook Park, it is a key domestic architectural element in the townscape of Orange. Its location, landscape setting and high architectural quality indicate its importance.

The term 'villa' was first used in England in the 17th century, partly from the Latin and Italian 'country house, farm', perhaps derived from the stem of vicus (village). The villa was a country mansion or residence, together with a farm, farm-buildings, or other house attached, built or occupied by a person of some position and wealth. It was taken to include a country seat or estate and later a residence in the country or in the neighbourhood of a town, usually standing in its own grounds. From this is was approporiated by the middleof the 18th century to mean a residence of a superior type, in the suburbs of a town or in a residential district, such as that occupied by a person of the middle class, and also a small, better-class dwelling house, usually detached or semi-detached. The term 'villa garden' was used in the context of Hobart and Sydney residences in the 1830s, and if near the coast or harbour, the appellation 'marine villa' was often applied. Australian origins probably date from the grant conditions applied to Sydney's Woolloomooloo Hill (1827, under Governor Darling), which obligated the construction of villas fulfilling certain conditions... 'with garden like domain, and external offices for stables and domestic economy' (John Buonarotti Papworth, 1825, quoted in James Broadbent's 1997 book, 'The Australian Colonial House'). Many gardens of 19th century villas followed Gardenesque conventions, with garden ornaments often complementing the architecture of the house. The term had acquired such widespread usage by the 1850s that when Jane Loudon issued a new editiion of her husband (John Claudius Loudon)'s 'Suburban Gardener and Villa Companion' (1838) she merely entitled the revised work 'The Villa Gardener' (1850). This coincided with a growing period of suburbanisation in Australia with consequent fostering of the nursery trade... By the 1880s, descriptions of Australian villas implied sufficient room for a lawn on two or three fronts of the residence...(Aitken, 2002, 619-20).

The house was first owned by Robert Frost (a major local brick-maker), and eventually was bought by P C Weston, whose daughter Miss F Weston left it to the church for use in association with the adjacent Wontoma Private Hospital (NTA, 1983). Its bathroom was modified in the 1930s (ibid, 1983).

Miss Weston became a patient in the nursing home in 1980 until her death on 14 December 1981 (CPH, 2012).

In 1983 Berrilea cottage bequeathed to the Uniting Church. The church's Wontama Village Nursing Home has been operating on parts of hte site since 1967 (CPH, 2012). The home (cottage) was initially considered for self-contained flats, but in May 1987 it became the Wontama Day Care Centre and incorporated the administration office. 24 self-contained units called 'Carinya' (Happy home)') were opened in 1991 (ibid, 2012). 1990 plans of the Wontama site show the proposed use of Berrilea as a day therapy centre, a use which did not eventuate at the location of the former stables (ibid, 2012). Another plan from 1990 approved by the Heritage Council was for demolition ofthe former tack room at the north of the stables to construct the Wontama Workshop (ibid, 2012).

Orange City Council listed Berrilea on its Local Environmental Plan in 2011 as an item of state heritage significance (ibid, 2012).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
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	Creating landmark structures and places in urban settings-
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	Developing suburbia-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Federation Arts and Crafts-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - Federation period-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - 20th century interwar-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - 20th century post WW2-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Interior design styles and periods - Edwardian-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Designing in an exemplary architectural style-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1900-1950-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1950-2000-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ornamental Garden-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in suburbia-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Valuing women's contributions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in a new house-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Gardening-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with J.J. (John Job) Copeman, architect-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with J.H. Gain, builder-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Robert Frost, brick maker-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with P.C. Weston-

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00361	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00361	29 Mar 85	63
Local Environmental Plan			12 May 00	57
Potential Heritage Item	H		17 May 02
Heritage study		317
National Trust of Australia register	NTA (NSW) Country Register	4621	25 Jul 83

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Orange Heritage Study	1986	317	Orange City Council		No

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Aitken, Richard	2002	'Villa Garden' (entry)	View detail
Written	City Plan Heritage	2012	Conservation Management Plan - "Berrilea" - Wontama Village Nursing Home, 27 Summer Street, Orange
Written	R Maroney	1998	Orange City heritage Trail

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

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5001228
File number:	S90/03560 & HC 32994

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

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