THE entire structure was almost lost. Although constructed from seemingly impregnable sandstone, the two story mansion was in state of ruin when the Russell family bought Jimbour House and the surrounding property in 1923.
The slate roof was in bad repair and leaked in many places. Many of the ceilings, both upstairs and down, had either collapsed in or were in a dangerous condition. Birds had even began roosting in the upstairs areas, entering through broken windows.
The structure looked like settling down to slow decay and ignoble dissolution, as had happened to many of the old homesteads from the settlement era.
But enter the Russell family. After generations of hard work, determination and a massive financial commitment, Jimbour House has been returned to its former glory.
Today the heritage-listed home with its magnificent gardens are a impressive Queensland landmark and the pride of the Western Downs region.
The imposing building House is the centrepiece of Jimbour Station, a holding dating back to in 1841 when Irishman Henry Dennis settled in the area and took up the Jimbour run on behalf of the first owner, Richard Scougall, who had come to Australia from Scotland in 1832. He established a flock of 11,000 sheep and 700 cattle, making it the first fully stocked station on the Darling Downs.
In 1844 Thomas Bell purchased Jimbour with sheep, cattle and all improvements for the sum of 3200 pounds sterling.
Today in the stewardship of the third generation of the Russell family, Jimbour Station comprises of 4532 hectares (11,200 acres) of mountain coolibah/basalt ridges, undulating down to self-mulching black soil creek flats, including 1200ha of cultivation.
The cattle and grain property is managed by Karl Graham, who took on the role when his father Don retired in 1991. Karl’s son represents the third generation of the Graham family working at Jimbour.
The property has more than 3230ha of grazing country supporting 700 breeding cattle, including an F1 Wagyu breeding program. With bought in stock, more than 700 cattle are turned off a year.
Today’s modern agricultural enterprise is a far cry from the 1900s. The first structure was a primitive hut built by Henry Dennis, followed by a residence constructed by Richard Scougall.
It was a wooden slab house which was burnt down in 1867. After the fire the Bells built a new residence in stone. This was a two-storey building, built principally of blue stone and cedar. It was finished in 1870 and was occupied by the family until the present Jimbour House was completed. The lower storey of this original blue stone house still stands at the back of the main House and now serves as staff quarters.
The work of building the present Jimbour House, a lofty and handsome sandstone mansion of two stories, was started late in 1874.
Although no plans have ever been found, according to the Jimbour House website it seems likely that the architect was Richard Suter, of the firm of Suter and Voysey.
Suter’s works included major buildings on the Darling Downs including Talgai and (possibly) Glengallan, as well as extensions for the Queensland Club of which Joshua Peter Bell served as president.
Today the heritage-listed home with its magnificent gardens are a impressive Queensland landmark and the pride of the Western Downs region.
Cedar was obtained from the Bunya Mountains and brought down to Cattle Creek, where it was prepared for use in the building. Other timbers used include spotted gum, blue gum, ironbark, bunya, cypress, hoop pine, and some satin wood.
The stone and sand were sourced from Bunjinnie, about 10km from Jimbour House. The roof slates were imported from Ireland.
Building operations lasted two years. There were about 10 stonemasons, nine carpenters and sufficient labourers to keep the skilled workmen occupied. The total number of workers employed in quarrying, timber getting, carting and handling other raw materials was about 200.
In 1877 Joshua Peter and his family took up residence in the new house, which had taken two years to build.
The cost of the building was about £30,000 – a significant sum when it is realised that the skilled tradesmen were paid only £3 /10 a week and labourers only took home £1 for a dawn to dark work effort.
The furniture was largely constructed on the property out of cedar then obtainable in the Bunya Mountains.
Jimbour was modern in its day and the designers strove for comfort and convenience. Gas and water were laid on. The gas was generated from coal won from a mine on the property and water was pumped to the top of a 12m tower by the first windmill erected in Queensland.
There was quite a little town at the station homestead – a church, school, butcher, blacksmith, a general store, men’s quarters and housing for married employees. Once 200 people lived and worked on the property, with 45 shepherds tending an incredible 300,000 sheep.
Most of these buildings were taken away or demolished after the resumption of Jimbour by the Crown in 1907-11.
From that time, with the coming of the railway, the village was moved to its present location 2km from the House. Some of the movable buildings were acquired by some of the new settlers.
Three of these buildings still remain and are in use today: the Station Store, the Chapel and the Water Tower. The Bell Family Monument also remains.
There were originally 24 rooms in the house. The area of the floor space in the building is about 23,000 square metres. Kitchen and staff facilities were made available in the old bluestone house which had constituted the second original homestead, with a covered way for communication between the two buildings.
The house is designed on a lavish scale. The rooms are spacious and the ceilings high. Those in the main rooms were richly decorated by heavy cornices and there were elaborate gas chandeliers.
A veranda, which runs practically the whole length of the building in front, is a feature of the architecture. Lofty stone pillars in the colonial style form a picturesque colonade and wide, semi-circular stone steps lead down to the garden. On the other side all the rooms open on to long, wide corridors, which run the full length of the building, both upstairs and downstairs. In the middle of each corridor is a fireplace and there is a fireplace in nearly every room.
Interestingly, the station was registered under the name Gimba or Jimba, which was thought to be an Aboriginal word for ‘good pastures’. Over time the name evolved into Jimbour, reflecting a common English pronunciation.
Jimbour House opens its doors under Big Skies
JIMBOUR House will again be opening its doors for tours in 2019.
Regarded as one of Australia’s most gracious working homesteads, the heritage-listed home built in 1876 is a private residence, only open to the public only special occasions.
The tours, which take about an hour, will run from Sunday, April 28 to Sunday, May 5 (with the exception of Saturday, May 4). Four tours are scheduled for each day.
Tours can be booked at www.bigskiesevents.com.au or contact Paul Wilson, 0402 919 506, from Big Sky Events. Booking are essential.
Set on the stunning Jimbour Plains, Big Skies is an annual event celebrating the sights, tastes and unique experiences that the region has to offer.
Thousands of festival goers visit the region for a week of extraordinary events including camp oven dinners, a cinema under the stars, beautiful local produce, and a concert with some of Australia’s greatest rock legends.
Outside of the Blue Skies festival, visitors are also welcome to tour Jimbour House’s grounds and magnificent gardens, which are open daily tear round for a donation upon entry.
The Living History Walk does not provide access to Jimbour House, but shares the sights, sounds and historical plaques that bring a rich and colourful heritage to life.