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Category: Building

Building

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Tocal Homestead New South Wales

Tocal Homestead

Tocal Homestead New South Wales

Located in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, the Tocal Homestead is a historic house and associated buildings originally established in 1822 by J. P. Webber. In 1834 the property was sold to Caleb and Felix Wilson, who commissioned the homestead as a country retreat from their Sydney business.

Subsequently the farm was leased to the Reynolds family who occupied it for two generations adding many of the wooden buildings to the farm. In 1926, four siblings of the Alexander family purchased the property. The last, C.B. Alexander died in 1947, leaving all of his properties tied in a complex will which stipulated that it was to be used for destitute and homeless children. Eventually this became the Tocal Agricultural College, now run by the NSW Department of Agriculture. The college is located not far from the homestead and is now an important educator in the agricultural industry.

An additional stipulation of the will was the allowance of his two nieces Myrtle and Marguerita Curtiss be allowed to live out their lives at the homestead. This they did until 1985 when they died within five days of each other.

Getting There

Located a 15-minute drive from Maitland, the homestead is well sign posted and easy to find. During our visit, it was only open on Sundays from 10:00AM to 3:00PM, but check their website for updated times and dates.

Tocal Homestead

The tour of the homestead is self-guided, with a map and personal audio player provided at reception. This allows you to self-pace around the property, taking your time at places of interest and moving on from others. The descriptions of each room, their uses and furnishings were excellent.

Tocal Homestead
Tocal Homestead
Main entrance
Main entrance
Book collection
Book collection
Lounge room Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Lounge room
Family room
Family room
Family room
Family room
Family dining room Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Dining room
kitchen
Kitchen
Looking down the staircase
Looking down the staircase
One of he Curtiss sisters' rooms
One of he Curtiss sisters’ rooms

Alexander was keen to use new technology, installing electricity in the homestead. Not only did he purchase a generator, but also sufficient battery storage in case the generator failed.

Lister engine and generator
Lister engine and generator
Battery storage for the generator Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Battery storage for the generator

Internal Lift

Another innovation Alexander adopted was the internal lift so that the upper floor could be accessed as he aged. Unfortunately, on one night while alone in the house, one of the Curtiss sisters was trapped in the lift. She had to wait until the staff arrived in the morning to let her out.

Internal lift Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Internal lift

Farm Buildings and Equipment

Designed by architect James Blackett the largest barn has amazing internal framework for the roof is a work of art. As you walk around, you get to meet some of the animals as you walk past the pig stye and chicken run.

Near the homestead is a garage with a 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom in immaculate condition, along with the first tractor used at Tocal, a Twin City 17-28 imported from Minneapolis USA.

Bull barn Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Bull barn
Barn
The Blackett Barn
Inside the barn
Inside The Blackett Barn
Horse stables
Horse stables
Webber's cottage
Webber’s cottage
Webber's cottage
Webber’s cottage
Garage Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Garage
Pigs Tocal Homestead New South Wales
Pigs
Tocal's first tractor a Twin City 17-28
Tocal’s first tractor a Twin City 17-28
1929 Rolls Royce Phantom Tocal Homestead New South Wales
1929 Rolls Royce Phantom

Wedding Venue

The homestead is a popular wedding venue, with its wonderfully decorated rooms and gardens.

Fig tree in the homestead garden
Fig tree in the homestead garden. A favorite spot for wedding photos.

Visitors’ Centre and Cafe

At the end of the tour, we went back to reception where we ordered a Devonshire Tea. The little cafe overlooks the surrounding farmland and was very relaxing.

Devonshire Tea
Devonshire Tea
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Mount Stromlo Observatory Canberra

Laser range finding facility

Mount Stromlo Observatory Canberra

Devastated by a severe bushfire in 2003, the Mount Stromlo Observatory no longer undertakes active astronomical observations. Instead, it has become the headquarters of the ANU (Australian National University) Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Despite the destruction caused by the bushfire, the ruins of the observatory domes are worth visiting.

History

The first telescope installed at Mount Stromlo was the 9-inch Oddie Telescope (so-called because it was gifted to the Commonwealth by James Oddie, a wealthy Victorian businessman and philanthropist.). Following the Oddie’s findings that this was a suitable location for an observatory, the Commonwealth Solar Observatory was established in 1924. Up until the Second World War, its primary focus was solar and atmospheric physics.

During the Second World War, the observatories’ workshops manufactured gun sights and other optical equipment.

Post war, the observatory commenced the study of stellar and galactic astronomy. Renamed The Commonwealth Observatory it continued these studies until 2003.

2003 Bushfire

On 18 January 2003, the devastating Canberra firestorm hit Mount Stromlo (which was surrounded by a plantation pine forest), destroying five telescopes, workshops, seven homes, and the heritage-listed administration building. The only telescope to escape the fires was the 1886 15-centimetre Farnham telescope.

The fire was so intense it melted the optical glass of some telescopes. It was decided that the observation domes and telescopes would not be rebuilt and all observations are now undertaken at the Siding Springs Observatory. However, the workshops were replaced and now produce state of the art astronomical instrumentation.

Getting There

Driving to Mount Stromlo takes around 20 minutes from Canberra, with a carpark located next to one of the burnt-out domes. The last section of road is two-lane but narrow and winding. Cyclists use this section so be careful if you need to pass them on either the uphill or downhill section.

What to See

Unfortunately, both the Visitor Centre and Cafe were closed during our visit (January 2024). However a self-guided Heritage Trail loops through the area, enabling you to see experience the area. Walking the trail takes you past all of the domes, several of which are accessible. Information boards placed throughout the observatories’ ground detail the history of the area and the devastation of the 2003 fires.

The damaged caused to the area is very sad, considering the amount of scientific work that was undertaken here. Preserving the ruins however was a great idea, as you still get a feel for what was achieved as well as the loss.

Small outreach telescopes are available for hire with a private star gazing session. Public star gazing is available from April to September each year.

Dome of the 74 inch reflector Mount Stromlo Observatory
Dome of the 74 inch reflector
Laser range finding facility Mount Stromlo Observatory
Laser range finding facility
Outreach telescopes used for public outreach and education including public stargazing nights
Outreach telescopes used for public outreach and education including public stargazing nights
The repaired dome of the Reynolds Telescope 30"
The repaired dome of the Reynolds Telescope 30″
Commonwealth Solar Observatory and observation dome Mount Stromlo Observatory
Commonwealth Solar Observatory and observation dome
Ruins of the 50" Great Melbourne Telescope
Ruins of the 50″ Great Melbourne Telescope
Inside the ruins of the Yale Colombia Telescope
Inside the ruins of the Yale Colombia Telescope
Looking out of the window in the Yale Colombia Telescope
Looking out of the window in the Yale Colombia Telescope
Inside the ruins of the Yale Colombia Telescope
Inside the ruins of the Yale Colombia Telescope
Storm Trooper mural at Mount Stromlo
Storm Trooper mural at Mount Stromlo
Man on the Moon sculpture
Man on the Moon sculpture

What Did We Think?

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Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

Deep Space Stations 43 and 46

Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

Located a 40-minute drive from the centre of Canberra, ACT Australia, the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) is an important part of NASA’s tracking network. Construction at the site in the Tidbinbilla Valley commenced in June 1963 and operations started in December 1964. Chosen due to it’s proximity to Canberra Tidbinbilla’s surrounding valley walls also shield it from stray radio signals.

Since it’s early beginnings, CDSCC has been integral to the success of the moon landings and space probes sent to the outer planets. As these probes travelled further from Earth, antennae have been upgraded and additional ones of greater diameter and therefore able to receive weaker signals added.

How to Get There

Driving is the only real option to get here, as there is no public transport. The complex has a large car park outside the front gate.

What to See

During our visit (February 2024) the visitor centre was closed so access into the site was unavailable. Despite this, the information board around the car park gave a great history of the CDSCC. Relocated near the entrance, several decommissioned tracking dishes are impressive because of their size. These dished are visible from the access road as you drive in.

Deep Space Station 43 (DSS-43)
Deep Space Station 43 (DSS-43)
Deep Space Station 46 (DSS-46) Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
Deep Space Station 46 (DSS-46)
Information Boards
Information Boards
Deep Space Stations 43 and 46 Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
Deep Space Stations 43 and 46

What Did We Think?

The setting of the huge dishes in the Australian bush is impressive and a great sight to see. Had the Visitor Centre been open the visit would have been better, but was interesting and education nonetheless. A great place to drop into, especially if you have visited Mount Stromlo or are on your way to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

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