Victoria's Oldest Homestead - Emu Bottom

In America the first pioneers arrived in the "Mayflower". In New South Wales they talk of the "First Fleet". Victoria's first pioneers arrived on Batman's ship "Rebecca"s or with Fawkner's party in the "Enterprise". Two members of the "Enterprise" party were William Jackson and George Evans. They moved out north and settled in the area later called Sunbury. Jackson built a cottage with logs and pise. His cottage did not last but his neighbour George Evans who had settled on the rich bottom land of Emu Creek built with stone.

Emu Bottom 

Evan's homestead built in August, 1836, is the oldest existing building in Victoria. Melbourne people have known this as "Holly Green", a nostalgic name given by an owner in 1914. The new owners Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have spent the previous year restoring the homestead. The additions and alterations of later years have all been stripped away. Galvanised iron, dressed pickets, and plaster have now gone; in their place are shingles, post and rail fences and original stone walls.

We have become accustomed to seeing old buildings looking old. It is refreshing to see "Emu Bottom" looking as clean and new as it did when Evans first lived there. Instead of looking at something old, a visitor to the homestead has the experience of stepping back into the past. The rooms have been authentically furnished and care has been taken to avoid any suggestion of a museum.

The building consists of two blocks, built at different tines, set in an L shape. The walls are basalt painted white, and the roof of shingles on undressed round beans, comes down over a verandah along the front of the block. The rooms are strung out in single file along the wings with solid wooden doors. The  windows are colonial, twelve pane double hung sashes. When plaster and more recent cupboards were being stripped away a fireplace and bake oven were discovered in the bedrooms of the older wing, and a false ceiling had covered stencilled designs on the original ceiling.
Behind the building stone stables have also been restored. Here a forge has been set up to give visitors demonstrations of black-smithing.

Irvine Green writing in 1970 02 DTHS Newsletter
Image from http://www.emubottom.com.au/gallery/

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