Brandy Hill, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Brandy Hill is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales
, Australia
. It was originally farmland but was subdivided
in the 1980s and now supports a population of almost 1,000 people living on large, primarily residential, blocks. It overlooks working farmland and offers superb views of the greater Morpeth
area, with visibility extending to Maitland
.
, the area now known as Brandy Hill was once inhabited by the Garewagal clan of the Worimi people
.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Brandy Hill was part of the "Eskdale" estate and was then part of Seaham. The foundations of colonial homes have been unearthed around Neika Close, suggesting Europeans have been living in the Brandy Hill area since at least the late-nineteenth century.
Just north of Brandy Hill is the Brandy Hill quarry, which is named after the nearby hill that is approximately 180 metres (591 ft) high. Travelling between the quarry and Raymond Terrace
meant travelling a circuitous route through the Seaham township so Brandy Hill Drive was constructed to provide a shorter and more direct route.
.
On 7 April 2000 the subdivision was formerly approved as a locality and became a suburb in its own right. The suburb is almost surrounded by Seaham.
. Common are allusions to Federation architecture
, the use of latticework
, glass brick
, columns and bullnose
verandahs. Unlike the "mega-villa" homes of the period, which sought to occupy as much of the site as possible, homes in Brandy Hill are set on acreages, allowing for additional features such as gardens.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was originally farmland but was subdivided
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
in the 1980s and now supports a population of almost 1,000 people living on large, primarily residential, blocks. It overlooks working farmland and offers superb views of the greater Morpeth
Morpeth, New South Wales
Morpeth is a suburb of the City of Maitland Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern banks of the Hunter River at the border between the City of Maitland and Port Stephens Council LGAs...
area, with visibility extending to Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
.
History
Like neighbouring SeahamSeaham, New South Wales
Seaham is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Williams River which flows into the Hunter River downstream from Seaham village at Raymond Terrace....
, the area now known as Brandy Hill was once inhabited by the Garewagal clan of the Worimi people
Worimi people
Worimi people are Indigenous Australians from the eastern Port Stephens and Great Lakes regions of coastal New South Wales, Australia. Before contact with settlers, their people extended from Port Stephens in the south to Forster/Tuncurry in the north and as far west as Gloucester...
.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Brandy Hill was part of the "Eskdale" estate and was then part of Seaham. The foundations of colonial homes have been unearthed around Neika Close, suggesting Europeans have been living in the Brandy Hill area since at least the late-nineteenth century.
Just north of Brandy Hill is the Brandy Hill quarry, which is named after the nearby hill that is approximately 180 metres (591 ft) high. Travelling between the quarry and Raymond Terrace
Raymond Terrace, New South Wales
Raymond Terrace is a town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road north of Newcastle on the Pacific Highway. Established in 1837 it is situated at the confluence of the Hunter and Williams rivers and has about 12,600 residents. It is the administrative centre of the Port...
meant travelling a circuitous route through the Seaham township so Brandy Hill Drive was constructed to provide a shorter and more direct route.
Subdivision & suburb
In the 1980s the land around Brandy Hill Drive was subdivided and renamed "Brandy Hill", after the hill, which is more than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the northern extremity of the suburb and still in Seaham, and the quarry. Brandy Hill Drive continues to be used as an access route to the quarry, which is now operated by Hanson plcHanson plc
Hanson plc is a British based international building materials company, headquartered in Maidenhead. Traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index for many years, the company was acquired by a division of German rival Heidelberg Cement in August 2007.-History:Hanson...
.
On 7 April 2000 the subdivision was formerly approved as a locality and became a suburb in its own right. The suburb is almost surrounded by Seaham.
Architecture
Development in Brandy Hill coincided with the return to the use of decorative architectural features, which characterise the building boom of the 1980s. As a result, Brandy Hill offers many examples of Postmodern architecturePostmodern architecture
Postmodern architecture began as an international style the first examples of which are generally cited as being from the 1950s, but did not become a movement until the late 1970s and continues to influence present-day architecture...
. Common are allusions to Federation architecture
Federation architecture
Federation architecture refers to the architectural style in Australia, which was prevalent from around 1890 to 1920. The period refers to the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901, when the Australian colonies collectively became the Commonwealth of Australia...
, the use of latticework
Latticework
Latticework is a framework consisting of a criss-crossed pattern of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a network...
, glass brick
Glass brick
Glass brick, also known as glass block, is an architectural element made from glass. Glass bricks provide visual obscuration while admitting light...
, columns and bullnose
Bullnose
Bullnose is a term used in building construction for rounded convex trim, particularly in ceramic tile.- Uses :Bullnose trim is used to provide a smooth, rounded edge for countertops, stair steps, building corners, Verandahs or other construction....
verandahs. Unlike the "mega-villa" homes of the period, which sought to occupy as much of the site as possible, homes in Brandy Hill are set on acreages, allowing for additional features such as gardens.