By Cathy Jones
‘Viwa’ Burlington Road was known as the Doctor’s House. It was originally the home of Dr George Hurst and built c1883. The property was a home and surgery for more than 100 years. The map below is undated but probably mid-1880s, as it predates the school on Rochester Street. The land owned and occupied by Dr Hurst is marked on the map. Unfortunately this end of Burlington Road were rezoned for units in the late 1960s and many original homes were demolished.
If anyone has a better photo, please send it to me and I’ll add it to the page. The photo above is dated 1986 and from the Strathfield Heritage Study. The house was identified as a potential heritage item but it was demolished before heritage items were gazetted in the planning ordinance.
Strathfield Heritage 
Cathy
Thank you for your interesting post on Viwa on Burlington Road. Whilst I remember the house I sadly don’t have a photo of it. Architecturally it was very similar in style, although half the size, of the villa at 10-14 Burlington Road which was demolished c.1972. The family who lived at 10-14 later moved to Meredith Street, Homebush..
Dr George Hurst, physician, (c.1853-1922) of Viwa was the son of a Methodist Minister. The Rev. George Hurst (1816-1885) has a bio by S. G. Claughton in the Australian Dictionary of Biography online. George Jnr enrolled at Newington College, on the Parramatta River at Silverwater, in 1864. He was a very early student at Newington as the school was only founded on 16 July 1863. His exact departure from Newington is not recorded although he is at the school until at least 1870 when he is listed as a member of the Rifle Team. Alumni Sidneienses lists Hurst as graduating from the University of Sydney B.A. in 1874 and M.A. in 1882. He won a travelling scholarship at the University and then studied medicine in the UK before returning to Australia and practicing in Bathurst. Even during the years Hurst lived in Homebush, he continued to consult in Bathurst. Hurst spent the last ten years of his life in retirement in the Blue Mountains and died on 6 September 1922 at his residence, “Ecclebourne,” in Blackheath. He was survived by his wife Lilias but no children.
I have spoken to David Roberts, the archivist at Newington, and the school doesn’t have a photo of Hurst. Maybe one of your readers has a photo of both the doctor and his house.
Regards
Scott
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Scott, great information. I had done research on Hurst I was going to add but it wasn’t as good as yours. Thanks again, Cathy
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Hi Scott,
I am interested to know if you ever found a photograph of George Hurst.
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Sadly not a photo of the house or of the Dr himself.
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Thank you – have contacted Bathurst Historical Society and will let you know what they find.
Cheers, Ian Mason
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Cathy
I have located a photograph on Viwa in the SMH Tuesday, September 20, 1988. The article was about the demolition of the building but has a good image prior to the wreckers coming in. It would be great to see that photo accompanying your excellent history of this fine home.
Regards
Scott Brandon Smith
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