This building stands on an impressive site near the top of Coonans Hill. It’s believed to have been pre-fabricated and imported by Edward De Carle in 1852 and first erected near Nicholson St and Merri Creek in East Brunswick. The house was later dismantled and re- erected for Mr Alan Strange to its current site.
The social impact of the Victorian Gold Rush created a trend for importing pre-fabricated houses. Sydney Road and surrounds experienced rapid population growth creating pressure on local infrastructure and housing. A shortage of local building materials and labour created opportunities for enterprising business men to import pre-fabricated houses made from wood, papier-mâché and later corrugated iron. The majority of homes imported were smaller basic dwellings but
Lyndhurst Hall represents an example of a larger model. It’s a double story wooden structure imported from Switzerland and originally intended for erection on Lieutenant Governor La Trobe’s land in Jolimont. The Governor was educated in Switzerland forming an interesting historical link to the home.
In addition the building has been used as a private residence for over 30 years and in 2011 underwent a major restoration. Perhaps someone may have more information on what the building was used for in decades earlier.
A local building in my area.
I grew up on Woodlands Avenue and we often jumped the fence and played in the grounds of “Mr Strange’s” house. We were never sure if anyone was in the building but the kitchen block and stables were pretty much derelict back in the 60s. The ingorund water storage was of interest as we could on see the top of a concrete dome which we assumed hid a huge building or even an alien spacecraft underground. I certainly remember “The Dairy” which was on the south side of the property. We used to buy milk, cream and butter there, maybe bread and other things too(?), but that was demolished when new people bought the Hall.
My mother tells us that her mother in law, who used to live in Moonee Ponds, would often recount stories of putting her two boys (my father and uncle) in the pram and take them down to Moreland Rd to watch the carriages, and at night with their lanterns, travel up the long drive to the Hall. They always knew when there was a ball or some other glamourous events. Mum recently said that she thought the servants lived in a house off Pascoe Vale Road near Moreland Road. I do remember some magnificent trees on the property but they were cut down maybe in the 80s(?)