'William Broad Cottage' shares a special place within the history of Campbell Town but also the Midlands Highway. Originally granted to Mr William Broad on 23rd December 1839 by the Supreme Court of Van Diemen's Land; 130 High Street originally comprised of three acres, one rood and eighteen perches at an annual cost of four pounds nine shillings and eightpence, being paid over twenty years.
In 1839 when the Red Bridge across the Elizabeth River was being completed, rerouting increasingly heavy traffic between Hobart and Launceston away from the river crossing downstream, a new Staging Post / Inn was necessary and 130 High Street was re-designed from a residence cottage to a coaching stop. Coaches and drays changed horses at Campbell Town; demand for fodder (hay and grain) was high and the residences second storey was turned into a granary. There are still remnants of the internal hoist and gantry up in the roof line.
Apart from being a residence, William Broad Cottage firstly became a school, run by William Broad's two daughters. It has had an interesting and varied history, having also been a Barber's Shop, a Billiard Saloon, and several times an Antique shop and finally again a residence of the current owners who occupied the property in 1997. Nowadays, 130 High Street offers the offering:
- Three spacious bedrooms.
- Formal dining and lounge room.
- Sunroom overlooking the gardens.
- Separate kitchen area with pantry storage and upright Westinghouse stove cooktop.
The property sits on a fully fenced 0.2732Ha (0.675 acre) allotment with off-street parking and ample amount of shed storage space. The present owners had restored gardens with an English style cottage theme and planted several hundred rose bushes and over 2000 flowering bulbs. There are several very unusual Elizabethan fruit trees still growing in the gardens.
The property has a complete provenance, dating from 1837 until 1970 when paper records ceased. These documents record not only the history of this property but provide information about government appointed officials of the time and their duties. These documents are considered to be a rare collection, especially since they pertain to a single property over 150 years.
130 High Street is within walking distance of the Campbell Town central business district (High Street shopping strip) and Elizabeth River (Red Bridge). Campbell Town is the 'hub' of the central midlands area of Tasmania and features a number of artisan and antique stores in addition to the conveniences such as the district school, medical and aged care facilities, Service Tasmania, Commonwealth Bank, IGA Supermarket and rural merchandise outlets. In a short period of time, Campbell Town and the central midlands area has quickly become an affordable option for families; 'first-home' buyers or the 'tree changer' seeking a more relaxed lifestyle. Campbell Town is only a leisurely 40 minutes' drive south of Launceston and 1hr 20 minutes north of Hobart.
For a historical touch in the Midlands; why don't you consider 'William Broad Cottage' at 130 High Street, Campbell Town.
Feel free to contract Nick Hay to arrange a private inspection and or attend one of the open for inspections in the near future.
Council Rates: $1360 p/y approx.
Water Rates: $250 p/q approx.
Year Built: 1861
Land Size: 0.2732 ha (0.675 acre) approx.
House Size: 109.0 square meters (11.4 squares)
Roof Material: Galvanised Iron.
Wall Material: Stone
Zoning: 21.0 General Business.
Council: Northern Midlands Council.
Rental Estimate: $TBA per week.
The information contained herein has been supplied to us and we have no reason to doubt its accuracy, however, we cannot guarantee it. Accordingly, all interested parties should make their own enquiries to verify this information.
▶
