Iandra (colloquially known as Iandra Castle) is a large heritage-listed homestead south of Greenethorpe, in the Weddin Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 February 2005.
The homestead is a former Methodist Boys' home and working farmland. It was designed by an unnamed English architect, built by Edward Giles Stone, in association with Ellen Greene, the owner's wife, and was built between 1880 and 1910. The homestead is also known as The Castle and Mount Oriel homestead.
Greenethorpe is surrounded by the towns of Young ( to the south), Grenfell ( to the northwest) and Cowra ( to the northeast).
History.
The land on which Iandra stands was first taken up for pastoral purposes in 1833 by John Wood, as part of his Brundah Station. Later the eastern part of Brundah was acquired by W. R. Watt and subsequently by J. A. Mackinnon.
George Greene was born in Ireland in 1838 and emigrated to the colony from Ireland in 1842 at the age of 4 with his father William Pomeroy Greene and the entire family. His father William chartered a ship to emigrate and brought out family servants such as chauffeur, cook, maids, their families, his personal library, a pre-fabricated house and much more. William Greene's grandfather was in the English diplomatic corps and had served in India. William Greene had been in the Royal Navy and served on St.Helena where Napoleon Bonaparte was kept on house arrest. It was here that he had caught a "fever" (probably tuberculosis) and was retired from the Navy. He then acted as agent (effectively estate manager) to Lord Oriel's estate in Ireland. Lord Oriel was the last Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. Greene's doctor recommended that he move to a more warm, amenable climate.
George Greene spent his youth with his family at Woodlands near Bulla, north of Melbourne. After he married Ellen Crawford, the daughter of an Indian Army Officer, he sold his land interest and returned to England.
In 1878 George Greene returned to Australia and bought near Grenfell, New South Wales from Mackinnon, which he called Mount Oriel (named after the estate of Lord Oriel in Ireland which his father had been agentfor prior to emigrating to Australia. It was later renamed Iandra. This vast estate encompassed the majority of the parish which was to derive its name from this estate, that is, the Iandra Parish. In 1880 Greene had a brick dwelling built using bricks made on the property, the original Mount Oriel single storey homestead. This was sited on Portion 49 of the Iandra Parish of .
The purchase in 1878 by Greene represented the beginning of a new era for the area and the nation's wheat industry. Iandra became the largest and most progressive wheat property in Australia. Here George Greene pioneered his vast share-farming enterprise in 1892 that revolutionised the approach to wheat growing, whereby he supplied the land and seed and the share farmer provided the labour. By 1911, fifty share farmers had been established on , generally on share farms of each, extending across the Parish of Iandra.
The property was also at the forefront of wheat growing technology in Australia. Greene increased production by scientific use of superphosphate fertiliser, rotation between grazing and wheat fallowing. Iandra was used as the first large scale trial of Federation "rust proof" wheat developed by William Jame Farrer, and Greene was the first to grow the wheat commercially. Greene was also one of the first in New South Wales to fully fence his property with rabbit proof netting.
An ambitious scheme of land clearing, fencing and building ensued that was so successful that, before the turn of the (20th) century, the homestead and its extensive outbuildings and handsome small Gothic stone church became a showpiece which attracted flocks of visitors. Some forty houses were built on the estate for share farmers.
Greene as a member of both houses of the Parliament of New South Wales and through his connections with Lord Northcott, Governor-General of Australia (Northcott stayed at Iandra in 1908) was instrumental in securing the Grenfell branch rail line from Koonawatha to the Grenfell railway station and then to Greenethorpe/Iandra. This allowed ready access and export of grain and of goods, effectively opening up the district's production and potential. This was part of railway engineer J. J. C. Bradfield's program of branch line expansion in New South Wales.
Soon after the turn of the century, Iandra had produced the largest ever yield of wheat from a single property of 100,000 bags of wheat. The harvest saw a concentration of labour forces of a scale not previously witnessed in rural New South Wales. Five to six hundred men were engaged in various aspects of the operation. As a social enterprise, share farming at Iandra appears to have benefited workers and management alike.
In 1908 Greene began the construction of a village around the Iandra rail siding to house and improve the living conditions of his tenant farmers. This village was named Greenethorpe after its pioneer. Greenethorpe Village was based on the English manor system where a number of tenant farms were based around a single manor, in this instance the Iandra homestead. A church was built here and Greene discouraged but failed to prevent the eventual construction of a public house in the village.
George Henry Greene's son, William Pomeroy Crawford Greene registered a coat of arms in 1908 with the Ulster King of Arms in Dublin. This coat of arms had been "borne and used by his family" for some time and can be described as on a blue shield three golden stags inside a gold border. Above the shield emerging from a gold coronet the head of a stag also gold, marked with a green shamrock on the neck. Motto "Nec timeo nec sperno" (translation:"I neither fear nor despise").
In 1908-1910 Greene constructed the present 57-room two storey homestead, incorporating the original 1880 dwelling (all that appears to remain is one brick wall. It took full advantage of its elevated setting with wide district views. The Federation Romanesque homestead was a large, idiosyncratic castle-like building constructed of reinforced concrete, and became known as The Castle. The new house was designed by an English architect with influence from Greene's wife, Ellen and built by engineer Edward G Stone. Interior panelling was of oak (Quercus sp.) and the dining room of Queensland black walnut (Castanospermum australe). A fence was built around the grounds by Greene's son, Captain William C. Greene.
At the same time, the manager's residence and stables were also constructed, reportedly to the design of the same architect. A church was also constructed on the property to the south, uphill, during Greene's ownership (in 1886). George Greene, his wife (d.1921), and their two sons were (eventually) all buried in the cemetery here.
Greene played a prominent role in rural affairs and was a member of the Young Pastures and Stock Protection Board 1881-84, being its chairman from 1885 to 1888. In 1890 he became a foundation member of the Pastoralists Union of New South Wales. Greene was the Legislative Assembly Member for Grenfell in 1889-91, 1894 and 1895–98, during which time he was able to obtain a rail link to Grenfell. In 1899 he became a Member of the Legislative Council. Greene died in 1911 and was buried at Iandra. When his widow, Ellen Greene returned to England, the property was managed by L. N. I'Anson.
By 1911 the estate consisted of 60 sharefarmers on the original .
From c. 1914, the Greene family moved back to England and their empire was broken-up for the first time by George's Cambridge-educated son and in the majority of cases the share farmers were given the option of buying the land they had been farming, generally blocks.
In 1927, following the death of Ellen Greene, Iandra and were purchased by the estate manager since 1911, Leonard Nourse I'Anson. I'Anson (1925-1949) first settled at Iandra in 1906, when he discovered the area while resting the wagonette horses at Cowra, when moving from South Australia to Victoria. Family accounts report that after riding round the district that night I'Anson said to the others "If this country can grow trees this size, I'm not going any further." This began a 70-year association of multiple generations of the I'Anson family with the Iandra estate over most of the 20th Century. The I'Anson family owned Iandra until 1956, and his grandson, Keith I'Anson (b.1925), continued to own part of the estate until 1976.
The homestead and estate during the ownership of Henry Greene and the I'Anson family played a major role in not only the establishment of the village and community, but in the social life of the community. The property was said to have generally deteriorated after the death of Leonard I'Anson in 1949 when it was managed by his sons who also had other properties to manage.
In 1956 the homestead and of the farmland were transferred to the Methodist Church for A£10,000 for use as a home for first-time male offenders from the city, as well as a dairy and an intensive poultry programme. A managerial council was formed to oversee administration of the home, comprising Greenethorpe locals from the strong Methodist community and church representatives.
1200 acres of the estate on the eastern side of the road, plus adjoining the homestead including the coachman's house, silo and water tank and several sheds were transferred to Keith I'Anson.
As part of the Church's use of the site for a detention home, a c. 1960s toilet block was constructed at the rear (west) of the main homestead, attached to a brick garden wall. The Methodist Boys Home use continued until 1974.
In 1974 and 1976 both parts of the estate were transferred to David Morris of Rylstone, a civil engineer and owner of R. S. Morris. At one time it was in a very poor state of repair. The homestead was faithfully restored by David Morris.
The widow of Morris continues to live in the house today, and the property continues to operate as a working farm. The estate now comprises approximately of the original Greene estate.
The present owners of the property open the homestead on designated weekends throughout the year when it is possible to wander through the beautifully maintained gardens. The owner's wife cares for the garden and despite the severe drought conditions, has created a very picturesque surrounding area to complement the homestead. In spring the garden features clumps of purple iris, daffodils, roses and lemon trees.
In 2007-09, two grants were awarded to prepare a conservation management plan for the homestead, and for conservation works to the homestead and gardens, Stallion Shed, Blacksmith's Shop, Hayshed, Accountant's Cottage, Gardener's Cottage and Blade Shearing Shed. In 2009, a new toilet block was erected to the south-west of the homestead, alongside the existing toilet block.
Description.
The Iandra estate of approximately comprises land of approximately :
Farm setting.
Approximately comprises land of approximately of cropping and grazing land, within which sits the main dwelling, stables, barns and yards group.
Surrounding garden and parkland.
The homestead group (stables, barns, yards, manager's residence, house and garden) sit on a rise with panoramic views of the entire district. Around the complex are shelter belts of pepper(corn) trees (Schinus molle).
The entry gates (iron, curlicued shaped panels) are flanked by white picket fencing. A long gravel drive approaches the house from Iandra Road from the gates at the north-eastern corner of the garden/parkland and ending in a parking area to the house's east. A driveway continues east/south-east of the house to the stables/garage. The main drive is lined with a double avenue of kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) and bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) trees and shrubs. A wide lawn fronts the northern (main/front) facade of the house. A smaller lawn area adjoins to the eastern, southern and western sides. The southern side is also marked by a paved courtyard between wings of the house and a rear driveway to the stables /garage block and yards beyond, further south.
A side gate further south on Iandra Road connects through an avenue of Persian lilac bushes (see below) to the rear of the house and service yard, stables/garage etc.
Another gate further south on Iandra Road leads into the Manager's residence.
Another gate further south and uphill on Iandra Road leads to the Chapel and cemetery.
The oldest remains of the Greene-era garden