Type House Completed 1910 Phone +61 429 455 409 Structural system Reinforced concrete | Opened 1910 Construction started 1908 | |
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Address 870 Iandra Rd, Greenethorpe NSW 2809, Australia Similar Lambing Flat Chinese, Cowra Japanese Garden a, Weddin Mountains National, Australia's World Peace Bell, Wyangala Dam | ||
Iandra castle
Iandra (colloquially known as Iandra Castle) is a large homestead 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of Greenethorpe, New South Wales in the Weddin Shire, surrounded by the townships of Cowra (41 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast), Grenfell (29 kilometres (18 mi) to the northwest) and Young (26 kilometres (16 mi) to the south). It has a New South Wales heritage listing.
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Iandra castle the henry lawson festival
History and description
Built between 1908 and 1910 in the Federation Romanesque style by the pioneering engineer Edward Giles Stone, Iandra is a significant Australian example of early reinforced concrete construction. The homestead, with the surrounding agricultural property is a rare example in Australia of the manorial system, "the likes of which may not exist elsewhere in the state or nation".
The dwelling along with the surrounding stables, church and residences were listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2005.
Although Iandra is colloquially known as a castle, Iandra is not a castle. A castle is a fortified building designed for the defence of territories in warfare, and also used to solidify rule in a region during peace time. Iandra is styled on a traditional English stately home, and to call it a castle is technically incorrect. The most correct name for Iandra is probably the one given to it by its first owner George Greene, which is Mount Oriel Homestead.
The main dwelling in the Iandra homestead is an ornate mansion built from reinforced concrete in the Federation Romanesque style with Tudor influences. Consisting of 57 rooms on two storeys, it is referred to locally as "The Castle" in reference to its striking design and its semi-feudal role in the community. The homestead, built by pioneering engineer, Edward Giles Stone, also includes a blacksmith, manager's residence, stables, and a small Gothic chapel.
Iandra also remains one of few tangible places that embody the iconic, optimistic image of Australia as "the lucky country", which can still be appreciated in the surviving, grand, Edwardian estate, where a European immigrant bought undeveloped land in the middle of rural NSW, created his own replica European empire and made himself "Lord of the Manor" out of little except his own ambition, vision, enterprise, determination and the riches of the land.