''Raheen'' is a heritage-listed

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

located at 94 Studley Park Road in the

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

suburb of

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is a ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia. Built in the 1870s, its name means "little fort" in

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

. Listed on the

Victorian Heritage Register The Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) lists places deemed to be of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 2017. The Minister for Planning is the responsible Minister. H ...

on 14 July 1982, ''Raheen'' is owned by members of the

Pratt family The Pratt family is made up of the descendants of the Mormon pioneer brothers, Parley Parker Pratt and his brother Orson Pratt, whose father was Jared Pratt (1769–1839). It has many members in Utah, and other parts of the U.S. There are many ...

and is the principal Australian residence for

Anthony Pratt Anthony Pratt may refer to: * Anthony Pratt (businessman) Anthony Joseph Pratt (born 11 April 1960 in Melbourne, Victoria), an Australian businessman and billionaire, is the Executive Chairman of Visy Industries and Pratt Industries in America, ...

History

The first section of ''Raheen'' was commenced in 1870 with an extension added in 1884. It was designed by William Salway and built for Edward Latham of the Carlton Brewery. Sir Henry Wrixon, prominent Melbourne barrister and solicitor, later owned and resided at the property. ''Raheen'' was constructed as a two-storey house in the Italianate style with a four-storey tower over the entrance and single-storey extension. It was designed in an asymmetric and arcaded form, and is built of red brick with cement render. The property retains its garden layout, including an Italianate garden, outbuildings, fence and gates, and internal features including the original stairwell, library, ballroom and cast iron tower stairs. In 1917 ''Raheen'' was purchased by the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin Rite metropolitan archdiocese in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was eleva ...

and became the official residence of Archbishop

Daniel Mannix Daniel Patrick Mannix (4 March 1864 – 6 November 1963) was an Irish-born Catholic bishop. Mannix was the Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years and one of the most influential public figures in 20th-century Australia. Early years and Maynoo ...

, as well as four other

Roman Catholic Archbishops of Melbourne Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

. In 1981 the Church sold the property and it again reverted to a private residence. It was purchased in 1981 by the Australian businessman Richard Pratt and his family. Pratt and his wife, Jeanne, extensively renovated the house and gardens, including the addition of a new wing designed by Glen Murcutt. The house and gardens are occasionally opened for charitable events. Subsequent to Pratt's death in 2009, his son, Anthony, in 2016 initiated renovations to ''Raheen''. Prior to the renovations, ''Raheen'' was assessed as having an approximate value of 100 million.

Historical significance

''Raheen'' is of historic and architectural significance to the State of Victoria. ''Raheen'' is of historic importance because of its association with Melbourne's elite businessmen through Latham and Wrixon, and illustrates not only the importance of the brewery business and the legal profession in nineteenth century Melbourne, but also the importance of a residence in indicating success and status in society. The house is of historic importance through its association with the Catholic Church and illustrates the status sought by church hierarchy for Melbourne's Catholics and the Church prior to the mid-twentieth century. It is also historically important because of its association with Archbishop Dr Daniel Mannix who played a significant role within the Melbourne Archdiocese, as also in Melbourne politics particularly during the conscription debates of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. ''Raheen'' is architecturally important in exhibiting an unusual integration of features in the combination of red brick and cement rendering. The house is architecturally important in exhibiting good design and aesthetic characteristics of the Italianate style, as well as in internal features and garden design.

References

{{Reflist Houses in Victoria (state) Houses in Melbourne Italianate architecture in Melbourne Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne Buildings and structures completed in the 1870s 1870s establishments in Australia Buildings and structures in the City of Boroondara

History

Historical significance

See also

References