Glengallan Homestead & Heritage Centre

Glengallan Homestead & Heritage Centre

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Posted 2013-12-13 by Susan J Bowesfollow


"Glengallan", even the name conjures up an expectation of grandeur and the Homestead, certainly delivers. Glengallan Homestead can be located at 18515 New England Highway close to Warwick. It is now run by the Glengallan Homestead Trust Limited and donations for its upkeep and continual restoration can be dropped in a box in the café at the gates of the Estate.

John Deuchar came to Australia in 1839 to work as a stockman. He arrived on the Darling Downs in 1840 working on the Condamine as a stockman and later as manager of Goomburra, Rosenthal and South Toolburra Stations. He entered into a partnership with Charles Marshall of Glengallan and established the Canning Downs leases. He became the managing partner of Glengallan and Mr Marshall lived mainly in England.

He married Eliza Lee in 1857 and whilst on honeymoon in Scotland and Europe, he purchased prime merinos to breed when he returned home. The Homestead was built from white stone that was quarried on the property and cost around £12,000.

Unfortunately, what was a vision in stock breeding and a lifestyle that supported that did not prepare him for years of drought, rural depression and debts. The partnership with Marshall was dissolved and in 1870 Deuchar was broke. He retired to Warwick where he died at the age of 50 in 1872 leaving his wife, (2) daughters and (6) sons.



Later owners of Glengallan Station and Homestead were the Slades and the Gillespies. The homestead was unoccupied for a period of approximately 70 years becoming derelict and many items of furniture were sold.

An interesting thing about Glengallan is that the Homestead appears to be not finished and the plans were never found. When you visit, you will notice that the door from the main living room is not an outside door and has weathered on the outside quite considerably due to this fact. The back of the homestead looks like a bed half-made or chopped in half as if there was to be an extension of the homestead. However as no plans have been found, one can only guess what Deuchar had in mind.

The grandeur of the front of Glengallan Homestead can never be taken away from what may or may not have been. The high verandah's gets a breeze so strong that becomes almost cold, even on a summer's day. Standing on the verandah, looking down on the countryside below, one can really understand how John Deuchar must have felt as Lord over such a prestigious station. The wrought iron on the verandah and building structure is a sight to behold, absolutely beautiful.

Numerous articles can be read on Trove (example, The Central Queensland Herald Rockhampton, Qld: 1930 - 1956, Thursday 5 May 1938, page 14), which relate to the life of John Deuchar, the man, a proficient horseman, stock breeder and a respected pioneer of the Darling Downs.



After much restoration, Glengallan Homestead Trust Limited opened their doors to the public in 2002. Markets are held in the grounds on the first Sunday of each new Season.

My visit to Glengallan was a truly moving experience. Australia may be young, however we have the endurance of the hardship of our land and the pioneers who were willing to take the challenge to forge prosperity into what we know as our future.

Only around 1 hour and 44 minutes from Brisbane, this magnificent Homestead is well worth a Sunday drive and the Guides of the Trust are more than happy to relate the history of Glengallan to all who wish to listen.

#day_trips
#historic_houses
#history
#things_to_see
#tourist_attractions
#tours
%wngoldcoast
198989 - 2023-06-16 04:45:11

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