Was it folly, Alfred Langhorne’s dream to build here? This stately bluestone beauty before you, the Altona Homestead, stands as a testament to his vision. Originally called Laverton Homestead, it was built in the mid-1840s by Alfred and his wife Sarah. Imagine, the first homestead to grace the shores of Port Phillip Bay! Alfred Langhorne was a man of ambition. Arriving in Australia at a young age, he drove cattle, traded wool, and even helped establish the Bank of Victoria. Yet, it seems, his heart belonged here, on the windswept plains of his Laverton run. The original timber construction was replaced with sturdy bluestone brought all the way from Tasmania after the devastating Black Thursday bushfires of 1851. The homestead grew over the years, eventually boasting a drawing-room, dining room, six bedrooms, and even servants’ quarters. The property prospered, eventually spanning a vast 13,000 acres. But life, like the tides that lapped at the shore, has its ebbs and flows. After a period in London, Alfred returned to find his beloved homestead in disrepair. He sold it in 1874 and, sadly, passed away that same year. Today, the Altona Homestead is a portal to the past. Here, within these walls, the stories of early settlers like Alfred come alive, whispering tales of hardship, resilience, and the enduring allure of this beautiful land.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to