Gundayne House

Item details


Name of item:	Gundayne House
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	House
Location:	Lat: -32.4742877383 Long: 151.9609704560
Primary address:	The Bucketts Way, Booral, NSW 2425
Parish:	Booral
County:	Gloucester
Local govt. area:	Mid-Coast
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Karuah

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1	DP	47370
PART LOT	1	DP	632812
PART LOT	1	DP	632812
PART LOT	PT370	DP	95044

Boundary:

Including the residence, outhouse and schoolhouse together known as Gundayn House (refer Schedule "A").

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
The Bucketts Way	Booral	Mid-Coast	Booral	Gloucester	Primary Address
Millbrook Road	Booral	Mid-Coast	Booral	Gloucester	Alternate Address

Statement of significance:


	Gundayne House is significant as an example of a mid-nineteenth century house, with its rural setting, its detailing in the local idiom and its association with other nearby heritage items such as The Gables and Booral Wharf. It is noteworthy for its simple Georgian detailing, relatively intact interior, a scenic rural setting with significant outbuildings (remains of weatherboard schoolroom, underground well and weatherboard church). It is one of the few buildings which serve as a reminders of the establishment of Booral as an Australian Agricultural (AA) Company town. Gundayne House is prominently located on the southern approach to the township of Booral (Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council, 28 November 1983)
	Date significance updated: 06 Jul 10
	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


Builder/Maker:	Sam Carnell, mason
Physical description:	Gundayne is part of a larger group of significant buildings including Booral House, the former wharf remains, St.Barnabas Church and cemetery and the Booral School group (Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council, 28 November 1983). Garden: Remnants of the original garden layout and mature plantings, including two large specimens of magniflora still remain (ibid, 1983). House: Gundayne is a two storey residence of symmmetrical design, built in approximately 1860 on land purchased from the Australian Agricultural Company. It is prominently located on the southern approach to the township to Booral. The land visually associated with the residence is bounded by the main road to the west, a lane to the south and a creek to the east and north and is approximately four hectares in area. Constructed of brick, the walls of the house are covered with stucco and lime/ The windows throughout are of 12 or 16 panes. The hipped roof of the house is of corrugated iron as is the roof of the front verandah. Of particular interest are the tapered timber columns of the front verandah which are typical of the Stroud district. Further Stroud features can be seen in the squared patera and tapering pilasters of the ground floor fire places. All the joinery in the house is of cedar (ibid, 1983). Outbuildings: Located at the rear of Gundayne House is a small rubble building which possibly predates the main house. Approximately 200 metres from the house is a small timber school house which dates from the 1890s (ibid, 1983). A former church structure was on the property, but deteriorated and fell down (Rea, pers.comm., 10/8/2016).
Modifications and dates:	External walls were refinished ion rough cast in the 1960s.


Current use:	Residence
Former use:	Residence

History

Historical notes:

The district owes its early origins to the Australian Agricultural (A.A.) Company which was set up in London in December 1824. It received a grant of 1 million acres in NSW and subsequently set up its first colony at Carrington on the northern shores of Port Stephens in January 1826. The Australian Agricultural Company was responsible for the development of the region and the town of Stroud was established in 1827. The township of Booral, developed as an agricultural service town within the company's most important crop growing areas.

The land was purchased in 1851 by John Lowry Esq. from the A.A. Company. The first known owner was Henry Skillman.

Probable date of construction c1860. Stone mason was Sam Carnell who was also stone mason of St Johns Church of England Raymond Terrace.

In 1981 Great Lakes Shire Council received an application for subdivision of land for the purpose of purchasing and restoring Gundayne House. To safeguard the satisfactory restoration of the house, Great Lakes Shire Council nominated Gundayne House for protection under the Heritage Act in 1981.

An Interim Conservation Order was placed on the residence together with the outhouse and schoolhouse adjacent to it and its site on 23 April 1982.

In 1982 the original property was subdivided to excise the house and grounds subject of the Interim Heritage Order from the remainder of the property under an application approved under the Heritage Act 1977.

A Permanent Conservation Order was placed over Gundayne House on 25 May 1984.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	Clearing land for farming-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	Associations with the Australian Agricultural Company, estd.1824-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	Cropping-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Agisting and fattening stock for slaughter-
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.	Living on the land-
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.	Housing farming families-
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.	Adapted heritage building or structure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Early land grants-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Sub-division of large estates-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Illustrates early ownership and occupancy of land within the Hunter Region-
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	Subdivision of rural estates-
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 John Lowry Esq., Australian Agricultural Company-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with John Skillman, farmer-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Gundayne House is significant as an example of a mid-nineteenth century house, with its rural setting, its detailing in the local idiom and its association with other nearby heritage items such as The Gables and Booral Wharf. It is one of the few buildings which serve as a reminders of the establishment of Booral as an agricultural company town. (Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council 28 November 1983)
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	It is noteworthy for its simple Georgian detailing, relatively intact interior, a scenic rural setting with significant outbuildings (remains of weatherboard schoolroom, underground well and weatherboard church). Gundayne House is prominently located on the southern approach to the township of Booral. (Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council 28 November 1983)
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.

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	00309	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former	00309	25 May 84	84	2762
Local Environmental Plan		19 Nov 99	130	10772
Register of the National Estate	1996	13 Dec 96	146	8347

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written		1983	Branch Managers Report to the Heritage Council 28/11/1983

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045595
File number:	S90/04296 & HC 32801

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