Nangunia Station, Berrigan, NSW, Australia

Historic Nangunia Station at Berrigan NSW was built in 1907 and is rich in local history and originally part of a 100 000 ha, 19th century squatter’s license. The landmark cropping and grazing property of the Southern Riverina is dominated by the large stately station homestead that stands out as a working farm of 1803 ha (4456 Ac) It includes large workshops and machinery sheds with grain silos for 6500 tonnes of storage capacity. Nangunia Station is approached from a long gravel driveway with stands of native and exotic trees and an avenue of mature weeping Peppercorns (Schinus Molle) that grace the homestead.

Property History

Notable colonial architect John North Kelly designed the large majestic and stately station homestead and quarter-masters building in the Victorian architectural style with an Edwardian influence. Nangunia’s 19th century squatter’s license was granted to Emmanuel Gorman the first mayor of the Berrigan Shire and a key proponent of federation who built the homestead in 1907. A copy of the original plans are still available and pleasingly, built faithfully to what resembles the current homestead layout today.

Architectural Features

Gorman, built the homestead of pressed red triple brickwork fired on the property with locally milled Murray Pine flooring throughout. It features hipped corrugated iron rooves and innovative cast-iron verandah geometry that encircle the homestead on three sides. The verandah’s have cast‐iron serpentine posts and lacework that give Nungunia it’s unique appearance.  The front elevation is characterised by deep low sweeping bull-nose verandahs that interconnect with the main roof forms. Tall rendered and heavily oxidised chimneys extend high above the central raised roof of the billiard hall beyond and help define the homesteads’ grand scale.

A curved and pedimented entry portico is axial to the main elevation. However, the arched entrance hall with tessellated English floor tiles is unexpectedly off-set from this. Internally, the homestead has 4.2m high decorative pressed metal ceilings and deep cornices that define a grand gentleman’s residence. Period features include 10 ornate timber and Carrara marble fireplaces and lead lighting. The homestead  has also an attractive quarter-masters building with verandahs on bush posts and a subterranean wine cellar.

Special Comments from Chris Wilmar, Architect

Nangunia Station and Equity Park immediately to the west are rich in local history and mentioned in the Ned Kelly saga. The black trackers followed the tracks of legendary bush ranger Edward Ned Kelly (1855-1880) and his gang along the western boundary of Nangunia. Before losing them, they turned westwards onto Barooga Station and re-crossed the Murray River on their way back from robbing the Bank of New South Wales at Jerilderie. The Berrigan Historical Society, reveal, that, it was EJ Gorman’s mother who acted as the midwife when Ned Kelly was born in June 1855 at the Kelly’s property at Beveridge central Victoria.

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