Loder House

Item details


Name of item:	Loder House
Other name/s:	Lachlan's Restaurant, Governor's Choice
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	Town House
Location:	Lat: -33.6061826343 Long: 150.8221850920
Primary address:	126 George Street, Windsor, NSW 2756
Parish:	St Matthew
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Hawkesbury
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Deerubbin

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1		DP	580752

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
126 George Street	Windsor	Hawkesbury	St Matthew	Cumberland	Primary Address
Macquarie Street	Windsor	Hawkesbury	St Matthew	Cumberland	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Department of Planning and Environment	State Government

Statement of significance:


	Loder House is a rare intact two storey brick Georgian townhouse, located in the main street of Windsor. The building has been associated with several prominent local identities including members of the Loder, Dargin, White, Richards and Holland families. The grounds of the house contain an 1830s boundary wall and an unusual square outbuilding which dates from the construction of the house.
	Date significance updated: 21 Nov 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:	Not known
Builder/Maker:	Not known
Construction years:	1834-1834
Physical description:	Grounds: The grounds contain an 1830s boundary wall and an unusual square outbuilding which dates from the time of construction of Loder House (Edds, 2015, 2). Some stone flagging survives in the rear yard. The townhouse today has frontage to the WIndsor pedestrian mall (ibid, 2015, 2). Townhouse: An 1834 two storey brick Georgian townhouse with attic and later Victorian two storey timber verandah with cast iron lacework balustrades and verandah brackets. The upper floor has five symmetrically placed French Doors with stone voussiors, opening onto the verandah, whilst the ground floor has paired windows with stone voussoirs and sills, flanking a central entrance with an arched fanlight. The main facade is of face sandstock whilst the side walls have been rendered. The 1975 National Trust (NSW) listing said that at that time the street facade was stuccoed, the remainder of the external walls face brick. The corrugated iron roof has been replaced when the building was restored. The verandah is stone flagged.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The building appears to be in excellent condition and was restored in 1975. The site has some archaeological potential, particularly in the grounds surrounding the outbuilding, whose original purpose is unclear.
	Date condition updated:01 Dec 99
Modifications and dates:	1975 - restoration works
Further information:	Although a curtilage study has been undertaken, a full conservation plan for the site does not appear to have been commissioned. This should be rectified prior to any further work taking place on the site. The pergola at the rear of the house is unsympathetic in design to the house and should be replaced when feasible. The associated outbuildings are in urgent need of stabilisation and should be assessed as soon as possible.


Current use:	not in use
Former use:	Town house residence, Bank, Restaurant, Guest house, residence

History

Historical notes:

INDIGENOUS OCCUPATION
The lower Hawkesbury was home to the Dharug people. The proximity to the Nepean River and South Creek qualifies it as a key area for food resources for indigenous groups (Proudfoot, 1987).
The Dharug and Darkinjung people called the river Deerubbin and it was a vital source of food and transport (Nichols, 2010).

NON-INDIGENOUS OCCUPATION
Governor Arthur Phillip explored the local area in search of suitable agricultural land in 1789 and discovered and named the Hawkesbury River after Baron Hawkesbury. This region played a significant role in the early development of the colony with European settlers established here by 1794. Situated on fertile floodplains and well known for its abundant agriculture, Green Hills (as it was originally called) supported the colony through desperate times. However, frequent flooding meant that the farmers along the riverbanks were often ruined.

1794: The study area covering allotments at 23 through to 39 North Street, Windsor, is located on land first alienated for European purposes in a grant made by Francis Grose of thirty acres to Samuel Wilcox, who named it Wilcox Farm. It is likely that land clearance and agricultural activities as well as some building works took place during this period and during the subsequent of occupation;

In the early 19th century: Former Wilcox Farm was incorporated into a larger holding of 1500 acres known as Peninsula Farm.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie replaced Governor Bligh, taking up duty on 1/1/1810. Under his influence the colony propsered. His vision was for a free community, working in conjunction with the penal colony. He implemented an unrivalled public works program, completing 265 public buildings, establishing new public amenities and improving existing services such as roads. Under his leadership Hawkesbury district thrived. He visited the district on his first tour and recorded in his journal on 6/12/1810: 'After dinner I chrestened the new townships...I gave the name of Windsor to the town intended to be erected in the district of the Green Hills...the township in the Richmond district I have named Richmond...' the district reminded Macquarie of those towns in England, whilst Castlereagh, Pitt Town and Wilberforce were named after English statesmen. These are often referred to as Macquarie's Five Towns. Their localities, chiefly Windsor and Richmond, became more permanent with streets, town square and public buildings.

Macquarie also appointed local men in positions of authority. In 1810 a group of settlers sent a letter to him congratulating him on his leadership and improvements. It was published in the Sydney Gazette with his reply. He was 'much pleased with the sentiments' of the letter and assured them that the Haweksbury would 'always be an object of the greatest interest' to him (Nichols, 2010).

In marking out the towns of Windsor and Richmond in 1810, Governor Macquarie was acting on instructions from London. All of the Governors who held office between 1789 and 1822, from Phillip to Brisbane, recieved the same Letter of Instruction regarding the disposal of the 'waste lands of the Crown' that Britain claimed as her own. This included directives for the formation of towns and thus the extension of British civilisation to its Antipodean outpost (Proudfoot 1987, 7-9).

Loder House:
Loder House was built in 1834 for George Loder Jnr., a prosperous farmer and merchant. Loder was the son of a soldier who came to Australia from India. In 1819, George Jnr., married Mary Ann Howe. They were successful in their farming pursuits, and decided to move to the township of Windsor and open a butcher's store. They commenced to build a grand townhouse shortly after establishing their business. Situated in the main street of Windsor, the house was intended as a townhouse for a large young family.

In addition to his farming activities, George Jnr had accompanied his father George Snr and his younger brother Andrew on a number of explorations of the Hunter District, discovering and exploring the Singleton District. They were given several grants of land at Singleton.

Loder died in 1834, aged 38, never having lived in his grand house. He was buried in the family vault at St Matthews Anglican Church. He left the house in trust to Mary Ann and his younger brother. In 1835 Mary Ann married her widowed brother in law Thomas Dargin II who also had a large young family and together they took up residence in the George Street house, which became known as Loder's House. Thomas Dargin died in 1843 and Mary Ann remarried in 1846 to Laban White, an auctioneer and prominent citizen of Windsor. They continued to live at Loder House until the death of White in 1873, whereupon Mary Ann went to live with relatives in Singelton, where she died in 1882.

The house was subsequently used as a branch of the Commercial Bank of New South Wales from 1874 to 1889, with the upper and rear section used as a residence for the manager. The building was purchased in 1889 by Benjamin Richards and once more became a family residence. In 1893 Richards sold the property to Daniel Holland, another prosperous merchant in the town. He and his family lived there for some years and were responsible for the handsome cast iron lacework and stone walling which replaced an earlier pallisade fence. Holland conducted a successful drapery business in Windsor but eventually left the district in 1906.

From 1923 to 1940 the building was used as a boarding house by Reginald Wilbow.

In 1955 the property was transferred to Thomas Ogden, Thomas Cragg and William John and in 1962 to Norbert Cleary who held it until 1973 when it was partially gutted by fire. It was then purchased by Pacific Investments who applied to demolish the building and redevelop the site with a modern office block. The proposal met with such strong public opposition that the Department of Planning and Environment (then) purchased the property in 1975 to ensure its conservation.

The building has been associated with several prominent local identities including members of the Loder, Dargin, White, Richards and Holland families (Edds, 2015, 2).

The building was restored under a National Estate Programme Grant by architects Fisher Lucas and leased to Hawkesbury Shire Council. Since that time, it has been sub-let to restaurant operators and was known for some years as "Lachlans's Restaurant". At present it is operated under the name "Governor's Choice".

A Permanent Conservation Order was made over the property in 1978 by the Minister for Planning and Environment under advice from the Heritage Council of NSW and the order was gazetted on 14th December 1979. This covered the land, the house, the brick outbuilding and boundary fence and it was only the 3rd made in New South Wales under the Heritage Act 1977.

The lessees of the building believe that the building is haunted, and claim to have regularly seen the ghosts of a man, woman and occasionally a small child, believed to be members of the Loder Family. The ghosts are a significant attraction for the restaurant.

The building has been used in recent time as a restaurant - The Linden - for many years it was used as a book shop prior to the restaurant use. Post restaurant it has been used as a private residence and boarding house (Baiada, 2015, pers.comm.).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Keeping cafes and restaurants-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Banking-
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.	Residential-
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.	gentlemen's residences-
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 for merchants and dealers-
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.	Town Houses-
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 single people in boarding houses-
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.	Bank residence-
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	Townships-
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	Housing-
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	Changing land uses - from rural to suburban-
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	Demonstrating Governor Macquarie's town and landscape planning-
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	Early Sydney Street-
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	19th century suburban developments-
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 the social life of a rural community-
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	Impact of railways on suburban development-
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	Garden suburbs-
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	Artists settlement and networks-
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	main street-
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 private towns-
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 towns in response to topography-
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	Beautifying towns and villages-
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 structures to emphasise their important roles-
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.	Building in response to climate - bushfires-
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 - Colonial-
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 Georgian-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Country estates - visiting, enjoying-
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.	Ways of life 1788-1850-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Wealthy pastoralists homes in the city-
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, adapting and renovating homes for changing conditions-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with George Loder Jr., farmer, merchant-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Mary Anne Loder / Dargin / White (nee Howe), merchant and farmers' wife-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Loder House is of high regional historical significance for its association with the Loder Family, an early prominent Windsor family, and for its association with the development of the town of Windsor in relation to both its residential and commercial development.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The building has been associated with several prominent local identities including members of the Loder, Dargin, White, Richards and Holland families (Edds, 2015, 2).
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Loder House has high regional and state aesthetic significance as a rare surviving two storey Georgian townhouse. It is one of few such intact houses in the Windsor district and makes a fine contribution to the main streetscape of Windsor.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Loder House has high regional social significance for its association with an early prominent Windsor family and also through its commercial use as a bank during the mid-nineteenth century.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	Loder House has high technical/research significance for its demonstration of early nineteenth century building techniques and the pattern of domestic life at this time.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Very few large Georgian town houses survive in the Sydney region, and this is one of the more intact.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Loder House represents the residential development of the first towns ('Macquarie Towns') beyond Sydney and Parramatta.
Integrity/Intactness:	The house is substantially intact, despite it nearly being burnt down.
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:


	Ongoing conservation of the original fabric as required.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
CMP-Endorse	Conservation Plan submitted for endorsement	Loder House - Conservation Management Plan - Clive Lucas, Stapleton and Partners Pty Ltd.	1 stamped copy retained in NSW HO, 1 stamped copy returned to PlanningNSW	Nov 20 2001
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		00003	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00003	14 Dec 79	178	6349
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register			11 Feb 99
Local Environmental Plan			18 Dec 89
National Trust of Australia register	Classified		01 Feb 75
Register of the National Estate			21 Mar 78

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Heritage Study of the Shire of Hawkesbury	1987	466	Lester Tropman & Ass., with Helen Proudfoot & Meredith Walker	Meredith Walker	Yes
Heritage Study of the North Western Sector of Sydney	1984	H/W-50	Howard Tanner & Associates Pty Ltd	Howard Tanner	Yes
s.170 Register DUAP	1999		Paul Davies Pty Ltd		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Tourism	Hawkesbury Tourism	2007	Loder House	View detail
Written	Nichols, Michelle (Local Studies Librarian)	2010	Macquarie and the Hawkesbury District
Written	Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners, Architects	1989	Loder House Curtilage Study
Written	not known	1978	National Estate Programme 1977/78: Loder House Windsor

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:	5045756
File number:	EF14/4706; S91/6858; H99/55

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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