Lorne Historic House

“Kincraig” 1888, 236 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

This splendid villa designed by Geelong architect, Joseph Watt, takes a prime site with considerable panache. The verandah that sweeps around with widely-spaced, iron columns with interlocking leaf pattern lacework (“rinceau”), has fretwork ‘Chinese Chippendale’ balustrading. One can study two elements from two eras. The charming bay window and balustrade lacework were all original, not a later change as some suggest.

The house was a holiday home of Western District family, the Russells, of Barunah Plains. This estate extended over 51,000 acres of grazing land and carried merino sheep and pure shorthorn cattle that won innumerable prizes, including at the International Exhibition in London in 1899.
(From Lorne Heritage Walk pamphlet)

Kincraig in 1888

Kincraig

The Russell family stayed in Lower Kincraig for months over the summers in the 1880s. Built by Andrew Sanger in 1895,  the Russells and retinue would arrive with a cow to supply their dairy needs. Upper Kincraig on Smith Street was the servants’ quarters. The Russells chose the site as it was sheltered and warm and close to the rocks where they took crayfish and fished. All summer they bought everything on account and paid by cheque on the 1st of July. Doug Stirling’s grandfather was the unfortunate grocer.
(From minutes of the October 2023 meeting of the Lorne Historical Society)