Historic home opens doors for fundraiser

Family day out set to raise funds for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

United Way Glenelg and the owners of Annesley House are excited to announce an open house and garden event in support of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The event is to be held on Sunday, February 26, from 12noon to 2pm for a tour of the historic Annesley House, and to 4pm to enjoy the beautiful gardens.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore Annesley House and learn about its history, indulge in delicious freshly cooked pizza and Italian street food, and finish with a refreshing gelato, coffee or bombolini.

Patrons can also shop for locally grown, in-season produce from Portland Community Garden or relax on the lush lawn with a glass of Italian wine, beer or a limoncello cocktail and listen to the soothing sounds of Italian jazz by Australian musician Bill Harrower and local singer Teleah Armsitead’s irresistible melodies.

“We are thrilled to be able to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and provide our community with access to free books,” said Nicole Carr, owner of Annesley House and United Way Glenelg executive officer.

This event is particularly meaningful as it honours the legacy of Sarah Wadmore, one of the previous owners of Annesley House, who was known for her compassion and dedication to helping others in need.

Admission to the event is $10 and there will be no pre-sale tickets.

For more information about Annesley House and the open house and garden event, please visit the social pages of Annesley House or contact Ms Carr at 0410 513 305.

Don’t miss this opportunity to support a great cause and enjoy a day filled with history, music, refreshments, and community.

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE - THE HISTORY OF ANNESLEY HOUSE

It was built at a time when buildings were designed to impress and displays of wealth and status in the community were all about the family home and Portland’s Annesley House perfectly encapsulates that philosophy.

Annesley House was built in 1878 for the Western Victorian seaside town’s chief medical officer, Dr Brewer and also housed his medical rooms. The respected surgeon also served as mayor of Portland, Victoria’s oldest permanent settlement dating back to 1834 when the Henty family made its home at what evolved into Victoria’s second busiest international port.

It was restored to its former glory in the early 2000s. In keeping with the emphasis on opulence that was a consistent feature in architecture of the late 1800s, Annesley House had a wow factor the minute you step inside. The formal entry hall leads to the grand staircase that is the centrepiece of the two storey residence –with its beautifully restored natural timber finish and obligatory red carpet leading directly from the front door right up to the second storey. Simplicity and elegance, while closely replicating just how it would have looked to anyone who visited Dr Brewer in the late 1800s, is a theme that permeates the restoration of each of the seven apartments. Then owner Mark Robinson, who took over the property in 2004 and set about the much needed restoration, kept the history of the house and the town very much at the forefront .

Dr Brewer’s original consulting rooms, which were situated on the ground floor, have been transformed into an apartment that can cater for up to eight people with a main bedroom and two smaller bedrooms.

The bathroom features a traditional Victorian claw foot bath, while the centrepiece of the completely renovated kitchen is the original fireplace.

In the late 1800s, Portland had already developed into a busy port and dynamic commercial precinct and a man of Dr Brewer’s standing would have often been called upon to accommodate visiting captains. That is the inspiration for the one bedroom apartment on the second story, known as the Captain’s Quarters, with the refurbishment reflecting the eclectic taste of a seafaring gentleman of the late 19th century.

There were also apartments that reflect the tastes of the ladies of the era with Rosalie’s Retreat, a one bedroom apartment named in honour of Dr Brewer’s only child. Rosalie never married and hence there were no heirs and it wasn’t hard to imagine the doctor’s daughter sitting in this room enjoying the view of the sea and wondering if a possible suitor would ever cross her path. A claw foot bath was also a feature of this apartment, which also boasted views of historic St Stephen’s Church.

In the early 1900s, the Wadmore sisters took over the mansion and that was when it was first used as an accommodation facility, emerging as a high quality guesthouse. Given the respected, entrepreneurial sisters pioneered what would become the future of the mansion, the Robinsons named the Honeymoon Suite after the Wadmore girls with the large spa a 21st century touch but the king size four poster bed was a clear throwback to the heady guesthouse days of the early 20th century.

The Baytree Suite owes its name to Mrs Luers, who took over Annesley House in the 1940s and was enamoured with the majestic Bay tree that is a feature of the property’s picturesque gardens. Mrs Luers was the daughter of a prominent politician and poet and Annesley House was literally the centre of her universe. She was passionate about her role looking after the guests of the residence and also spent a lot of time creating and maintaining the immaculate grounds. And if there was a way to talk to the guests that frequented the guesthouse in the1900s, it’s safe to say most of them would have fond memories of her playing the piano. The Baytree suite is a two bedroom apartment on the second floor and was originally Dr Brewer’s private sitting room.

Even the housekeeper’s cottage was transformed into accommodation and rather than the elegance of the mansion, it maintained a cosy feel and perfectly suits a family holiday. With the original cooking fireplace, porcelain sink and flagstones, there was no mistaking the rustic comfort of the cottage, which is at the rear of the main house, while the adjoining private courtyard was perfect for Portland’s balmy summer evenings. Not surprisingly the most breathtaking of all the rooms was the formal downstairs sitting room – it was where Dr Brewer would have received his many and varied distinguished guests. Given that architecture in the 1800s was all about making an impression, this was the room where no expense was spared in making sure anyone who visited knew they were in the home of people of great influence and wealth. That’s why the Robinsons went out of their way to incorporate as many of the period features as possible including the original high ceilings and ornate ceiling rose, the Italian marble fireplace and the gold leaf pelmets that frame the hand drawn glass windows. The conservatory part of the area has provided the opportunity to create an intimate space for reading and relaxation with again French doors leading out into the garden and courtyard areas. Annesley House has undergone another wonderful transformation under the leadership of new owner Nicole Carr and the February 26 open day is the perfect way to check out the historic building’s new look, learn about the shitory, enjoy a wonderfujla day of food and entertainment and raise some money for United Way Glenelg and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Annesley House is at 60 Julia Street, Portland.

Unexpected, playful & challenging

National exhibition set to call The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre home

Experimenta Life Forms explores the changing understandings of life in unexpected, playful and challenging ways and it is coming to Mount Gambier’s Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre this week. The official opening is this Friday at 6pm, with opening remarks by Artistic Director Jonathan Parsons and Lead Curator Lubi Thomas. Catering will be provided and the bar will be open so RSVP via riddoch@mountgambier.sa.gov.au or phone on (08)8721 2563. Philosophers have wrestled with defining life for thousands of years. Experimenta Life Forms reveals how contemporary artists are approaching this perennial question, at a time when technological change and new research findings are making definitions of ‘life’ increasingly difficult to pin down. What new life forms are emerging through technological and biological adaptation and invention? Are our definitions of life shifting because of new scientific discoveries? How do First Nation’s epistemologies influence our ways of thinking and understanding life? How are notions of our place in the web of life changing now that research is identifying sentience in animals, plant-life, and maybe soon to be found in our machines?

Experimenta Life Forms is a timely exhibition featuring a diversity of artforms including robotics, bio-art, screen-based works, installations, participatory and generative art. The exhibition showcases 26 leading Australian and international artists whose work makes significant contribution to current dialogues about the changing landscape of life as we know it.

INNOVATIVE EXHIBITION: Image

Credit : Experimenta Life Forms (2021) Plimsoll Gallery, UTAS, Hobart (TAS). Justine Emard, ‘Soul Shift’ (rear); Laura Woodward, ‘Planet’ (foreground). Photo credit: Rémi Chauvin