Stroud & District Historical Society
Historic buildings of Stroud
Mrs Beryl Bowden restoring the cedar windows
Quambi School House
Quambi was built by convicts working for the Australian Agricultural Company . The building was used as a school and residence for the schoolmaster, replacing the slab hut school built in 1831. The building remained as a school until 1885 when the government school opened. It was then used as a private grammar school until 1900 when it then became a private residence.
During the period of private occupancy by the Callow family, the name ‘Quambi’ (‘place of shelter’) was first used for the building. It was owned by the Anglican Church from 1860's to 1973, the historical society purchased the building in 1974, and restored it. It was opened as a museum in 1988.
The last resident, Mrs Gladys Galvin, had lived in the house for over 40 years without electricity or proper amenities. Today it is a museum that is open to the public and enables the society to display many of the items that have been donated.
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Stroud House
Stroud House started life as a single-storey building in 1828 which formed the basis of the present two-storey building which was completed in 1832. Its original purpose was to accommodate Sir Edward Parry and subsequent commissioners when they visited the district. Further additions were made to the building in 1873. From 1882 it was used by the Bank of Australasia. Since 1926 it has remained a private residence.
The cellars beneath the house were used as the convict’s quarters, and like the rest of the building, are in amazingly good order despite their age.
Past tenants include Superintendent Blane in 1851, Philip Gidley King, Superintendent of Flocks from 1839 to 1849, and Company Surveyor Ogden in 1873.
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Extensive restoration work was carried out in 1988, as part of the Bi-centenary celebrations
Stroud Court House
The first Police Station/Court House was erected on this site by the Australian Agricultural Company in the 1840’s and was replaced by the present building in 1877. The building was completed in time to hear the case of the unsolved McAskell double murders which occurred at Booral Wharf in 1878.
The Police residence and cells were directly behind the court house and were demolished in the 1930’s.
The original court furniture has been retained, which is mostly cedar.
The court house operated as the Stroud Court of Petty Sessions from 17 October 1853 to 21 January 1977. The first elected Stroud Shire Council meeting was held at the court house in December 1906.
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