Mount Breckan is a grand 38-room residence, originally located on in the south-coast town of
Victor Harbor,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. It was designed by
William McMinn
William McMinn (1844–14 February 1884) was an Irish-born Australian surveyor and architect, based in Adelaide.
Early life
McMinn was born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, a son of Joseph McMinn (c. 1794 – 6 April 1874) and his wife Martha McM ...
in a
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style, and completed in 1881.
[
The house was one of the largest residences in Australia at that time, with a floor area of , sixty rooms, two cellars and a five-storey tower. It was commissioned by Alexander Hay, a prominent politician, farmer, and wealthy Rundle Street merchant, and cost £25,000 to build.][
The house was acquired by W.F. Connell, and reconstructed as the "Mount Breckan Club", a high-class guest house. By 1913 it had 38 rooms and a golf course. At the same time, 57 housing blocks on the estate were surveyed and sold. Later the Commonwealth Government bought the house for use as a rehabilitation and training facility for the ]Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
. The Bible College of South Australia
The Bible College of South Australia (BCSA), formerly known as the Adelaide Bible Institute, is an interdenominational and evangelical Bible college in Adelaide, South Australia. It offers courses accredited by the Australian College of Theology. ...
was there from 1962 to 1978.[ By 1994 the house was in poor state with signs of damp in the walls and ceiling, and had been vandalised with windows smashed, door furniture stolen, gutters rusted and leaking into the house, and graffiti in nearly every room.][
In 1996 Mount Breckan was bought and ]restored
''Restored'' is the fourth
studio album by American contemporary Christian music musician Jeremy Camp. It was released on November 16, 2004 by BEC Recordings.
Track listing
Standard release
Enhanced edition
Deluxe gold edition
Standard ...
. The main part of the building is now used as a private residence, with the remainder of the building used for accommodation and functions.[Mount Breckan]
home of the Hay Family in Victor Harbor. Flinders Ranges Research, www.southaustralianhistory.com.au. The property last sold for $2.45 million in 2015, and was on the market again in 2019.3 grand heritage-listed buildings for budding hoteliers
/ref>
References
{{reflist
External links
Photo
of Mount Breckan in 2003
Houses in South Australia
South Australian Heritage Register