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Old Neutral Junction Homestead
Permanent Declaration
Place
The Old Homestead is an early two-roomed pastoral station house that was initially an independent structure but was recently added to with a dwelling on the northern side and a kitchen on the western side. Also on the northern side is a verandah that now forms a passageway between the early house and recent house. On the southern side is a verandah that has been fully enclosed with cgi sheeting. It is possible that there was a third verandah to the west, which was later removed to make way for a recent concrete brick kitchen.

The floor of the interior and verandahs consists of large flagstones whilst the roof consists of low-pitched cgi sheeting that lacks a ceiling liner. The walls and framework of the two early rooms and southern verandah are of horizontal drop slab split mulga construction and the door frames and uprights are of heavy bush timber. On the verandahs the early bush timber window frames have been replaced by sawn timber and early windows replaced by glass louvres. The framework of the verandah passage between the early and recent houses is of sawn timber.
The Old Neutral Junction Homestead is of heritage significance to the Territory owing to its architectural and social values.

The Homestead was constructed prior to 1922. It is a good example and one of the few remaining, of a type of vernacular building technique common in Central Australia until the 1940s. This was the use of horizontal drop slab panels with mortised uprights of bush timber.

The Homestead was associated with an important phase in the development of the pastoral industry in Australia. The area was included within the holdings of the Barrow Creek Pastoral Company in the early 1880s and was one of the first stocked. The fortune of the Neutral Junction area reflected that of the majority of the industry during the drought of the 1880s and 1890s. Consolidation of licences and leases into one Pastoral Lease by the early 1960s and ownership by Bill Petrick and his family since that time, led to improvements in developments on the station. The Old Neutral Junction Homestead is associated with the history of the Station since it was built, and it has continued to fulfil a useful function.

The building is also significant as it is associated with Bill Petrick who was an important figure in Central Australia in the mining and pastoral industry as well as a representative in the Legislative Council and prominent in the racing fraternity.
07/03/1995
24/05/1995
24/05/1995
Comment sought
30/01/2001
24/02/2001
14/02/2001
H95/0015
Historic
Further Reading
Pearce, H. 1985. Homesteads in Central Australia: survey and documentation for a register. Unpublished report prepared for the National Trust of Australia (NT).

Part NT Portion 3375 designated NT Portion 6058(A). On Neutral Junction Station near Barrow Creek.
Photo
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewOld Neutral Junction Homestead.jpgOld Neutral junction Homestead20/SEP/07
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Scan
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewInstrument.pdf - 11/FEB/09
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Further Information
   
no data found
Approximate Location
   
LAIS KeyStreet NumberStreet NameSuburbLocation CodeLot NumberLTO PlanPartTenure
000 03375 21985STUARTDAVENPORT0003375 - - PPL
000 06058 0 DAVENPORT0006058 - - V
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Status Explanations
   

Nomination Period - a nomination has been accepted by Heritage Branch, but has not yet been accepted by the Heritage Council; OR a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council but the place/object has not yet been subject to a heritage assessment.

Assessment Period - a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council and the place/object is in the process of being assessed.

Consultation Period - Heritage assessment has been completed and s24 of the Act has been instigated, ie comment has been sought on a proposal to declare the place/object.

Recommendation Period - the Heritage Council has made a recommendation to declare the place/object and the Minister's final decision is awaited.

Not Recommended - a decision has been made by the Heritage Council not to recommend to the Minister that a place/object be declared

Declared - the Minister has made a decision to declare the place/object

Refused - the Minister has refused to declare the place/object