Addresses

At 25 Langside Road, Hamilton, Queensland 4007

Type of place

House

Period

Victorian 1860-1890

Style

Queenslander

Katanga

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This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence 'Katanga'

Katanga

Katanga Download Citation (pdf, 514.13 KB)

Addresses

At 25 Langside Road, Hamilton, Queensland 4007

Type of place

House

Period

Victorian 1860-1890

Style

Queenslander

This elegant timber and tin house was constructed in 1884 for members of the Dickson family, who were prominent in both business and politics in Brisbane and wider Queensland. Constructed in the Colonial style, which is characteristic of nineteenth century timber home construction, this attractive house makes a fine contribution to the Langside Road streetscape and reflects the residential development of Hamilton in the late nineteenth century. 

Lot plan

L5_RP42192

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Timber

People/associations

Dickson family (Occupant)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

Lot plan

L5_RP42192

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Timber

People/associations

Dickson family (Occupant)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

History

This fine nineteenth century home was built for James Robert Dickson Jr, and his wife, Cordelia, in 1884.

Dickson was one of six sons of the Honourable James Robert Dickson, an auctioneer, businessman, politician and, briefly, Queensland Premier, who built Toorak nearby in 1867. Dickson was a partner in his father’s auction business, which had premises in Queen Street, the City. 

Katanga was built on land originally owned by William Weekes, and later, John Cooksley, both prominent land speculators in the area. Dickson purchased subdivisions 41- 44 of suburban allotments 7 and 8, in 1884 – a parcel of well over an acres. Dickson was first listed in Langside Road in Post Office Directories in 1885-86, suggesting that his house was built soon after the land was purchased. 

At this time Hamilton was characterised by the coexistence of large estates bearing fine homes, and large areas of undeveloped land held by speculators. This vacant land was steadily subdivided into suburban allotments. Later, the grounds of some of the fine estates were subdivided as well, particularly after the arrival of the tramline through Hamilton to Ascot in 1899.

Katanga, constructed on vacant land subdivided by speculators, is a good example of this pattern. When Katanga was built, Hamilton and Ascot were emerging as elite residential areas populated by the wealthy and the middle class. The area offered several advantages. It was cooled by sea breezes, offered splendid views of the city and river, and was sufficiently close to the city to make commuting to work a reality for professionals, public servants, and businessmen.

It is difficult to tell when the Dicksons left the property, though evidence suggests that they sold the property sometime in 1905. By the 1920s, the land had been progressively reduced in size, but today the house remains on a somewhat larger than average block.

The house currently appears to be intact, and in well maintained condition.

Description

This timber residence is of the colonial style with a symmetrical frontage and a separately roofed encircling verandah. The main roof is steeply pitched with a short ridge and a brick chimney to the back. A decorative apron is applied to the underside of the gutter of the main roof. The verandah roof is concave in style enclosed with a row of casement windows. Both roofs are sheeted in corrugated iron and the exterior walls are timber. The front door is central to the house frontage with an arched frontispiece in the verandah roof above the entry. Style and type of the building indicates that it is from the 1880s-1905 period.

Statement of significance

Relevant assessment criteria

This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:

Historical

Criterion A

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of the city's or local area’s history

as it demonstrates the historical pattern of the construction of fine homes in the Hamilton/Ascot area during the last decades of the nineteenth century when the area was emerging as an elite suburb.

Representative

Criterion D

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class or classes of cultural places

as a fine example of a middle to upper class late nineteenth century timber and tin house.

Aesthetic

Criterion E

The place is important because of its aesthetic significance

as an elegant Colonial style late nineteenth century house that makes a fine contribution to the streetscape.

Historical association

Criterion H

The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organization of importance in the city’s or local area’s history

as a house built for the Dickson family, who were prominent in both business and politics in Brisbane and Queensland in the late nineteenth century.

References

  1. Brisbane City Council Water Supply & Sewerage Detail Plans

  2. BCC Heritage Trail – Hamilton. 3rd edition. Nd

  3. Department of Natural Resources, Certificates of Title

  4. John Oxley Library Photograph Collection

  5. Queensland Post Office Directories

Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)

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Victorian 1860-1890
Queenslander
House
At 25 Langside Road, Hamilton, Queensland 4007
At 25 Langside Road, Hamilton, Queensland 4007 L5_RP42192
Historical, Representative, Aesthetic, Historical association