The Freeman’s Reach house, a landmark which has stood on the banks of the Hawkesbury River for 150 years, has collapsed.
The house, built on the farmlands of the Windsor flood plain, was a testament to the spirit and hard work of some of the first free settlers in Australia, after which Freeman’s Reach was named.
On Friday the 13th the grey wood gave way and become a pile of debris along with its wrought iron balcony and rusted corrugated iron roof.
The Freeman’s Reach house, a landmark which has stood on the banks of the Hawkesbury River for 150 years, has collapsed
On Friday the 13th the grey wood gave way and become a pile of debris along with its wrought iron balcony and rusted corrugated iron roof
The distinct appearance of what was known as the ‘crooked house’ was used in film clips by iconic Australian musicians Missy Higgins and Guy Sebastian and also as a backdrop for soap opera A Country Practice during its run in the 1980s.
The current owner of the house Ken Ridge told the Sunday Telegraph that he was relieved the house finally collapsed and that he was tired of people who did not know the full story suggesting the house had been neglected.
‘There are a lot of misconceptions and I find it quite disturbing, if not insulting,’ said Mr Ridge, the treasurer of the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association.
The shed at the back of the property was built around the same time and both hold historical significance
The house was used as a backdrop in video clips by Missy Higgins and Guy Sebastian
‘We reckon it’s been inundated by floodwaters about ten times in its life… It’s not still water, it’s raging torrents of water that come down the Hawkesbury River.’
One of the floods caused white ants to infest the building which further led to its structure being compromised.
Hawkesbury Museum curator Rebecca Turnbull said that during one such flood in 1867 the house was completely underwater.
In recent years the house was used as a backdrop for wedding photographers and had become a focal point for the history of the region.
‘People would often come up just to drive past it,’ Ms Turnbull said.
Iconic Australian soap opera A Country Practice used the house as an occasional filming location
Hawkesbury Museum curator Rebecca Turnbull said that during one such flood in 1867 the house was completely underwater
In recent years the house was used as a backdrop for wedding photographers and had become a focal point for the history of the region