A HOUSE WITH A SIGNIFICANT STORY - STANLEY - PART 5 (HIGHFIELD) (7 FEBRUARY 2018)

They had high hopes, and named their 'HQ' Highfield. The house remains but the dreams of a number of 19th C British businessmen foundered in the north-west of colonial Tasmania.

So what's the story? Like so many others to be found on the Apple Isle, it is a fascinating tale of hope, endeavour, enterprise, some success and ultimate failure.

In March 1824, eleven men closely connected with trade and the textile industry in Britain got together and hatched a plan to seek land in the fledgling colony of Van Diemen's Land for the purpose of ensuring a cheap supply of fine wool to satisfy the ever increasing demands of the mills and factories of industrial England. And they did not think small. The plan involved grazing 250,000 Merino and Saxony sheep, but of course, this required the land to do so.

They must have been well connected, because on 10 March 1825, King George IV signed and affixed his seal to a Royal Charter granting 350,000 acres (143,000 ha) of land in the colony of Van Diemen's Land to a newly formed company of the same name.

Unlike companies of today, the Van Diemen's Land Company did not have a Board or a Chairman. No sir. In good old British tradition the operations of this enterprise were overseen by a Court of Directors chaired by a Governor. How typically quaint.

And believe it or not, this remained the case until 1993 when what was left of the company holdings became part of Tasman Agriculture Limited, and the majority shareholding finally rested in Australian hands. By then all that remained of the original grant in company hands was a parcel of  22,000 ha of agricultural land at Woolnorth just south-east of Cape Grim. 

I won't bore you with the rest of the tale (personal homework again for any interested) other than to note that after many various areas were settled with varying degrees of success, Edward Curr, the first 'chief agent' of the company, decided that the Circular Head district should be developed as the principle establishment of the company. Highfield was built in 1835 to house him and his family. 

I should also point out that the initial plan to grow fine wool failed utterly.....between 1831-33 thousands of imported sheep died and what wool was grown brought little revenue to the company, which then diversified their interests and endeavours.

Difficult relations between the settlers and the local aborigines, and the poor management of the convict labour force created more problems for the company, but again, that is another and long story which I invite you explore if you chose.

Like Woolmers which we had visited earlier, Highfield remains a magnificent example of what colonial life was all about. It is a 'must do' when in Stanley, so let's do it!

We stopped briefly en route at the H A Lane memorial lookout, one from which it is well argued that better views of Stanley are available than from the Nut, 

but irrespective of that, from the top of the lookout tower we certainly had magnificent views north-west out over the grazing land of North Point with Perkins Bay in the background (note the irrigated patches of green).

A touch of lens tweaking brought a close up of a typical scene of this part of the island....fat cattle munching  away on green irrigated lucerne.

In fact we passed grand herds of very healthy looking beasts (Cape Grim beef is renowned for its quality) all the way 

until we reached the driveway into the Highfield.

This led us to the large car park which is surrounded by various farm outbuildings.

Before going inside, we took a quick preliminary jaunt around this historic house, seen here from the front,

and here from the rear, with the unmistakable shape of the Nut ever present in the background.

In addition to all that is going on inside Highfield, a great deal of effort is being taken to restore the surrounding gardens. These were very much a 'work in progress' when we visited, but the results were pretty impressive for all that.

After this quick stroll in the grounds we made our way into the beautifully redecorated hallway where the 'ticket office' doorway (the green sign on the left) beckoned. For the modest sum of $12 each we were supplied with an excellent self guided tour brochure and were free to roam about as we chose. 




As you will soon see, the restoration work here has been conducted so as to include innovative ways in which to allow visitors to learn about this house, the VDL Company and the many folk who were involved one way or another in its development.

The other thing which struck us was the fact that this remains very much a work in progress. The entrance hallway and many of the rooms running off it have been fully restored, but this is not the case in other parts of the house. 

As we wandered off down the hallway to the room at its far end, I was surprised to see how narrow it was. I was equally taken back by the room sizes. Highfield may have a significant place in Tasmania's history, but I would have to comment that, by the standards of the day, it is anything but 'grand'.

We followed the guide and began our tour in 'The Gallery', this small nook at the end of the long corridor with its bay widow and garden views. The guide we were following invited us to "Meet the characters who envisioned the enterprise and those who lived, loved  and worked in this house and around the estate".






We did just that, aided by the outstanding presentation which has been set up here, including portraits and text inscribed on the walls themselves. This was just so clever, logical, succinct and easy to read and follow.




Let me share a few snippets with you beginning with this take on what I've already shared earlier. One of the things our visit to Highfield, and my subsequent research, taught me is that there are many slightly different views expressed about the VDL Co story.

But one thing which I found to be consistent throughout was the theme of what I would describe as false optimism compounded by an initial failure to properly appraise the situation and the prospects of success before the venture was fully launched.

I've chosen to include only two of the important initial players in this presentation and repeat my earlier invitation to make whatever personal research efforts you would chose to fill in the gaps.












Edward Curr is central to the story of the development of the VDL Co activities in Van Diemen's Land, and like so many of those who stride the pages of Tasmanian history, he was an enigmatic character.

You will note at the bottom of this description of Curr and his activities the cross-reference to another of the rooms of the house where further information is available. This was another of the innovative presentation ideas I found to be very smart.

Like Curr, Henry Hellyer played a pivotal role in the early days of the activities of the VDL Co, and like Curr he too did not see out his days here,











but for a very different and tragic reason as his story explains.

Hellyer was a most remarkable man. This tells but a fraction of his tale, but true to my word I do not intend to expand......but I really think you should, dear readers!

We did linger in The Gallery for obvious reasons, but there comes a limit to just how much history one can absorb at one sitting. It was time to move on, 

to the Drawing Room

where apart from some of the 'first impressions' the piano standing against the wall had a history of its own.

And it was in this room that we came across another of the inventive and innovative ways in which the history of the house and its occupants is brought to visitors.

This comment, by the first Superintendent of the new estate, was etched into the drawing room's marble fireplace mantelpiece. 

Next on our list was The Study, subtitled 'The Room of Despatches', another surprisingly small room which was Curr's 'work station'.

The reference to the 'Company's poor performance' is absolutely true. Over 25 years, the investment of 60,000 pounds returned a mere 34,054!

The study desk has been arrayed with some of Curr's reports

and account ledgers, all of which demonstrate the notation that Curr was meticulous in presenting detail. I was fascinated to later discover that the bulk of the VDL Company records, much of it produced during Curr's tenure, and now resting in the Archives Office of Tasmania, weighs in at a staggering 5 tonnes. Now that's a lot of trees!

The 'stories on the walls' theme was continued in The Study, this time in an entirely different format, but equally informative.

Next on our list was The Dining Room, a room of practical size and far smaller than, for example, that we found at Woolmers Estate.

And here again, in addition to this beautiful old dining setting,

the innovative ideas of those restoring Highfield was on full display. Each of the place settings around the table included text of comments attributed to various folk who would have dined here.

These included the incredible Jorgen Jorgenson, a man who's story would have been well suited to the pages of a somewhat exaggerated period novel (which probably no one would have believed!)

but who was a real character indeed, and very much larger than life (another great read if you have the time to do so).

Here too, we found another snippet of commentary from the acerbic tongue of Mrs Adey. 

Despite the rather questionable activities and attitude of her husband in carrying out his duties as Superintendent of the Estate, I had, by now, developed a sneaking sympathy for him!

Our tour guide next invited us to descend to the cellar, and in doing so we were able to gain a close up look at the construction methods used in building Highfield,

with its slat walls



















and extensive use of hewn rock and cobblestones.

From the depths to the heights.....this challenging spiral staircase took us up to the bedrooms on the upper floor

and yet another of the narrow corridors of this home.

The master bedroom came complete with its own en suite, 

well a 19th century version at least.....a commode, wash stand, bowl and jug.

As we saw on the main bed and found here on a bedroom wall, apparel of the day was laid out or hung in these rooms, 

clothes which included one set which would have been worn by one of the family children.

I've not included any photos of the large adjacent children's dormitory but it had to be big......Mrs Curr gave birth to 15 children.........so I should not have been surprised to discover that this section of the house included a dedicated games room. Here this table inlaid with 'snakes and ladders' just goes to show that 'everything old is new again'.

And finally, in respect of the master bedroom, how is this for a room with a view?

Down the spiral stair case we went, and this time we popped into the kitchen, where as you can see the restoration work has yet to be completed (note the shotgun high on the wall over the cupboard....no locks needed in those days).

Various artifacts were still being installed here, but I did find a couple which brought back a flood of memories (and provide a sad commentary on your scribe's age!) This is a 'Separater' which, when cranked at speed, would separate out the cream from the milk. I know. That used to always be my job during visits to my uncle's farm in the mid north of South Australia (circa mid 1950's)

Right next to it was another device with which I was also completely familiar.

And it came with instructions, something with which I was very much at home, because again, I was the 'handle' man. I must say at this point that it was utterly fascinating to watch my aunty work the developing butter with the paddles, or 'butter pats' as we called them. You can see a set resting on the circular gadget in the previous photo.

But enough of this self-indulgent reminiscence.....time to move on. The kitchen area was the last part of the interior we had to explore. From here we wandered out into the rear courtyard

and on to the outbuildings, all solid stone and strong, the first of which was the estate chapel and school,

seen here from the car park area. Note the equally strong stone walls which still stand in this part of the grounds. These, like Woolmers again, were built to repel attacks from the local Aborigines who were more than a little peeved about the fact that the Europeans were 'stealing' huge tracts of their traditional lands. 

The VDL Company espoused and proclaimed an enlightened attitude towards the original inhabitants, but the truth was far different. The on-going contest for grazing lands resulted in many violent deaths and some massacres, and although quite a number of white settlers were killed it was far from an even contest, with the inevitable result.

But here, safe within the walls at Highfield, Sunday services in this most austere of chapels were a mandatory part of the week's programme for all, masters and servants alike, consistent with the attitudes of the day. And during the week the much smaller upper floor was used as the estate school house.

Aside from everything else, good and bad, Highfield was noted for it fine horses. The large stables

housed many well made individual stalls which remain very well preserved to this day.

I was fascinated by the flagstone floors, where the large stones from which they were made were of all different shapes and sizes, laid like an over sized jigsaw puzzle. Given that these must have all been hand dressed, I could not work out why they were not all made the same size and shape. It remains a mystery.  

As could be expected, the out buildings included a cart shed and implement store, but here at Highfield there were also the Pig Sties and Boiling House......the word 'noisome' sprang immediately to mind!

Before we left Highfield, we had one more stop to make, 

one which provides all who visit with a salutary reminder that even the rich and successful were not shielded from personal tragedy.

And so, on that rather sad note we made our way back to the Cruiser and took our leave of Highfield, driving back to Stanley along Green Hills Road, past the old post and rail fences and the ruins of yet another estate outbuilding. 

Although Highfield now lies on a tourist ring route in and out of Stanley, and is entered from its northern side, this was not always so.

If you look closely at the very bottom of my last photo of Highfield (taken some days previously from the chairlift) you can make out the standing stone pillars of the original estate entrance gates, and, to the right, a few fellow tourists en route to make the visit we had just completed.

What a house and what a story, one which my presentation here touches on but briefly. 

So let me conclude as I began with the comment that any investigation of the genesis, development and demise of the Van Diemen's Land Company is nothing short of a saga of the effects of the British industrial revolution on its colonies. It is a story of exploitation, endeavour and enterprise, but also one of patronage, poor planning, and personal enmity and suspicion in high places. 

I could not help but reflect on just what this company might have achieved with a cast of different players on the historical stage of north-west Tasmania.