"The bungalow”, Templestowe

At Templestowe, Unwim and Mahoney Streets meet right on the bank of the Yarra. At this corner stood "The Bungalow", the home of the Honorable Richard Davies Ireland and until it was demolished this year, the oldest house in Templestowe Village.

Ireland became famous as a barrister in the 1850's. He had come to Australia, in 1852 at the age of 26, from Galway in Ireland and the following year was called to the Victorian Bar. When the Eureka stockade prisoners were brought to trial, Richard Ireland offered his services to defend them. His successful handling of the case brought him fame and a steady stream of clients with high fees. Another result of the trial was his election to the Legislative Assembly as the representative for Castlemaine. The next year Ireland was appointed Solicitor General and in 1859 when a member of the Legislative Council, he became Attorney General. He retired from politics in 1863 when the government was defeated.

Richard Ireland

In 1866, Richard Ireland gave up his St. Kilda house to make Templestowe his permanent home. For a few years "The Bungalow" was a centre of social life, but by the 70's the fortune he had accrued from legal fees had dwindled away and the gay parties were a thing of the past. In 1877 when Richard Davies Ireland died, his death passed unnoticed.

The house on the edge of the Yarra continued its colourful existence.

In the 90's, it became a gymnasium. Local contests in its boxing ring were popular in a community which consisted of many people of Irish descent.

"The Bungalow" was built soon after 1862. It was a weatherboard house with a high pitched hipped roof. The front verandah had been built in, leaving the house with the appearance of a large white marquee tent. One link with the past that remained till the house was demolished was a post at the rear. Here Ireland used to tie up his horse after driving out from town in his buggy.

Irvine Green writing in 1969 11 DTHS Newsletter.