Road Trip part 3
The Historic Slater Homestead
Something we weren’t aware that existed was this find called the Slater Homestead. Attracted by a falling apart brick wall and a house that looked very old, we stopped and went in. It seemed to invite you in at least and offered tea and food.
The picturesque stone and mud brick dwelling known as ‘The Homestead’ is situated 2.5 km east of Goomalling on the Goomalling Merredin road. It was the first development in the area, built in 1856 by George Slater.
If you look for it near Goomalling, you can recognize it by this bathtub in the back under a tree.
There is also this falling apart structure in the back, John’s fish eye lens was able to capture most of it.
Except for the sounds of some birds, the place was quiet. We found a sign that said to enter in the back, so we did. What a charming place.
With inviting dishes and ready for tea and cake.
As I looked at the tables closer, I noticed a menu and a notice of Devonshire Tea…now John has been promising me such a tea outing, and it looked like this might be the day.
Still waiting and hoping to see an actual person, we decided to look inside the home of the Slaters. We found this kitchen.
A table laid out with everything so antique.
Not sure I would want to sit and scrub them, but I loved the chair and floor.
We found the bedroom, the only bedroom for the family of 12 children!
I only got a partial image of the crib. No doubt it wouldn’t pass today’s standards as it resembled a chain link fence.
The sitting room, which also had as many antique items as the kitchen!
I don’t know where 12 children went. On the floor I suppose, it’s not like it gets very cold in this area most of the year?
They had music to listen to…
…Books to read. One on this table was the BBC Handbook from 1929 and this one The Queen’s Gift Book 1915.
Well, the more accurate title is:
The Queen’s Gift Book : In aid of Queen Mary’s convalescent auxiliary hospitals, for soldiers and sailors who have lost their limbs in the war.
There was another assortment of books and the Ladies Handbook was certainly risqué for its day.
We were told later that it was impossible to get a school started all the way out where the Slaters lived so they employed their own teacher for their 12 children and built this bedroom.
George Slater, the first European settler in Goomalling, built the Slater Homestead in 1856 on a pastoral lease. He expanded his pastoral interests and bred remount horses for the Indian Army. Slater employed convicts to assist in the development of the property and engaged a school teacher to provide education for his children and others in the district, and built a school room and teacher accommodation.
From 1888, to cater for the growing number of travellers trekking to the Yilgarn goldfields, Slater Homestead became a wayside inn, providing refreshments and hay to explorers, surveyors and travellers. It was a retreat for explorer John Forrest who set out on some of his expeditions from here and was a stop off for Bayley and Ford who discovered gold in Coolgardie.
I don’t know where they put all those travelers, but I guess where there is a will there’s a way.
More information here and here.
Stay tuned for our Devonshire tea, next blog…
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