The Old Store Building
Restoration Project
The restoration of the building whose name we have now shortened to THE OLD STORE BUILDING, originally known as the Store, Cook’s Room and Men’s Dining Room/Kitchen, began in 1992.
The building was actually constructed in the 1850s using convict labour and was last utilised in the 1950s as a meeting place for the CWA. The building was in a very bad state of repair until restoration work began in 1992. A significant amount of the work carried out on this building has been funded by the Heritage Council of WA, as has a lot of the other building restoration work around the property.
In April 1993 the original iron from the roof was removed and some of the purlins, rafters and collar ties were replaced. The verandah posts were also replaced by bush timber cut from the property. Due to monetary constraints the original iron was then returned to the roof. This process provided much needed stability to the building, as a sound roof stops the weather getting through to the mud brick mortar in the walls.
At the same time as the roof work was being carried out, a section of the eastern back wall was pulled down and rebuilt. It was basically the back wall of the middle room and required a specialist stone mason to do an efficient job. Before this was done, that entire section of wall was crumbling and degrading at a rapid rate.
After this work was completed the building was reasonably stable. We also managed to carry out a significant amount of the joinery restoration, and repaired the windows and replaced some doors.
The inside of this building was now a major priority as, if we could not find a use for the building, we knew it would deteriorate. In March of 2003 we recommenced work, funded by the Heritage Council of WA. We were granted enough money to replace the old iron on the roof, work on the internal plastering and connect power to the building. We replaced the old iron with new galvanised short sheets.
The interior of all three rooms was almost completely replastered by an expert stonemason. This entailed a chemical analysis of the old plaster in order to attain the correct mix. The original plaster on the walls then had to be chipped off before the new plaster coating could be applied. The stonemason then applied 3 coats of a lime wash mix which gave the walls a great finish. The power was then connected and it was up to us to turn the shell of this building into ‘liveable’ quarters.
We were mistaken if we thought the hard part was over, the job list at that stage read something like this.
1. Install
septics and plumbing
2. Construct bathroom and fit out
3. Clean and seal stone floor
4. Pave front verandah
5. Flooring in main room and second bedroom
6. Install kitchen facilities
7. Install air conditioners – a major job to drill through 500mm granite
8. Furnish all rooms
9. Paint windows, doors
10. Replace shelving in main bedroom
11. Blinds to all windows
12. Seal roof, doors and windows
This job list was finally completed in May 2004.
We are extremely proud that we have managed to return this building to some of its former glory. Please enjoy your stay here, but make sure you watch your head at all times when entering through the doorways.
Contact details
Alison and Stewart
Lefroy
Phone : 08 9651 1250
Mobile : 0409 689 737
Email : walebing@wn.com.au