‘Quisiana’ 81 Homebush Road Strathfield

‘Quisiana’ (or sometimes known as ‘Berelle’) is one of Strathfield’s most prominent Victorian Italianate houses. This heritage listed property was built in c.1893 and is located at 81 Homebush Road Strathfield. The featured image was an advertisement for the Strathfield Park Estate in 1914, which featured a photo of ‘Quisiana’ to demonstrate the quality housing in Strathfield of this period.

The house is located on the Bushy Hill Estate, a c.1880 subdivision of the larger 1867 Redmire

Estate. The house  was built c.1893 for its owner railway contractor Thomas Tate.  In 1896, Tate moved to Western Australia and leased the house to various occupants. One of the more prominent occupants was George Hindmarsh MLA (1861-1916).  Hindmarsh was Member for the State electorate of Rous from 1905 to 1913. During Hindmarsh’s occupancy from c.1909-1911, the house was renamed ‘Berelle’.

By 1917, ownership of ‘Berelle’ transferred to Professor James Douglas Stewart (1869-1955).  Stewart was the owner of ‘Berelle’ until at least 1948.  Stewart was the first Professor of Veterinary Science at Sydney University and received many honours in the course of his professional career.  His biography is detailed at http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/stewart-james-douglas-8666

References

‘Bushy Hill’ subdivision poster.

NSW Department of Lands, Valuation Lists of Municipality of Strathfield

Radi, Spearritt & Hinton, Biographical Register of the New South Wales Parliament 1901-1970, ANU Press, 1979

‘Auction Sales’, Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 12 December 1896

Sands Sydney Directory, published until 1932 by John Sands.