Mountain House

Item details


Name of item:	Mountain House
Other name/s:	Wingen Public School
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	House
Location:	Lat: -31.8903476242 Long: 150.8791282000
Primary address:	Raglan Street, Wingen, NSW 2337
Parish:	Wingen
County:	Brisbane
Local govt. area:	Upper Hunter
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Wanaruah

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	4	14	DP	759098

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Raglan Street	Wingen	Upper Hunter	Wingen	Brisbane	Primary Address
Vernon Street	Wingen	Upper Hunter	Wingen	Brisbane	Alternate Address
Petwynn Street	Wingen	Upper Hunter	Wingen	Brisbane	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	Private

Statement of significance:


	Mountain House is a single storey Colonial style building, built in 1882 to the design of the Department of Education architect, William Kemp. (Heritage Office File)
	Date significance updated: 03 Oct 00
	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


Designer/Maker:	William Kemp (Department of Education Architect)
Physical description:	Site and grounds: Mountain House stands beside the New England Highway in the village of Wingen between Scone and Murrurundi. A mature hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) is beside the house (Stuart Read, observation from photo). House: It is a single storey painted brick structure with a corrugated iron roof and front verandah both of which are of hipped form. Its past use is evidenced by the two entrance doors at the front elevation, being for the schoolroom and teachers residence respectively. Outbuildings: Kitchen Block: Behind the main building is a brick kitchen block which was once linked to the main building by a breezeway. This has been sympathetically extended by the present owner to provide additional accommodation. Garage and Storage Shed: Beyond the kitchen block is a recent hipped roofed garage and storage shed which compliments the adjacent structures (Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council 24/1/1984).


Current use:	Residence
Former use:	School room, teachers residence

History

Historical notes:

The building was designed in 1882 by the Department of Education Architect, William Kemp and was built by Mr J Johnstone at the cost of 1185 pounds. It consisted of a schoolroom and teachers residence. This use is evidenced by the two entrance doors at the front for the schoolroom and the teachers residence respectively. Behind the main building is a brick kitchen block which was once linked to the main building by a breezeway.

In 1980 the owner of the property Mr B Laurie applied for financial assistance to help restore Mountain House. The application was unsuccessful as the significance of the house had not been established. In 1983 Mr Laurie again applied for funding and nominated Mountain View House for a Permanent Conservation Order. The owner was also concerned that future road widen proposals may affect the property.

To ensure conservation work done by the owners was not comrponised in the future and in recognition of its historic, architectural and social value a Permanent Conservation Order was placed over the property on 22 March 1985.

It was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Gardens-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Introduce cultural planting-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Special tree or trees-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	(none)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Accommodating workers in workers' housing-
6. Educating-Educating	Education-Activities associated with teaching and learning by children and adults, formally and informally.	Public (primary) schooling-
6. Educating-Educating	Education-Activities associated with teaching and learning by children and adults, formally and informally.	Public education-
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 - colonial homestead-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with William James Hale McQuade Jr., merchant-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Mountain House is a single storey Colonial style building, built in 1882 to the design of the Department of Education architect, William Kemp. (Heritage Office File)
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.

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 Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	00311	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former	00311	22 Mar 85	58	1309
Heritage study		06 Jul 10
National Trust of Australia register	5773

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written		1984	Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council 24/1/1984

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:	5045374
File number:	S90/05971 & HC 32324

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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