Leongatha South

Leongatha South offers two distinctive reasons to visit: historic residential architecture and golf. Three houses, each with different construction dates and design features, offer an architectural perspective on the area. There is also the Leongatha Golf Club, which offers a challenging round of golf in the striking bushland setting of South Gippsland. Which of these aspects interests you more can shape the focus of your stay.

Historic houses and varied architectural styles

Springdale, the former Martin residence, is located at 190 Gwyther Siding Road in Leongatha South. Harold Desbrowe Annear designed the house, which was built in 1905. Springdale has local historic and aesthetic significance for the Shire of South Gippsland and is considered a rare, possibly unique rural example of Annear’s residential architecture. Those interested in the connection between a residence, its designer and regional architectural history will find a particularly tangible point of reference here: Annear’s name and the year of construction are integral to the house’s history.

Wahroonga is located at 7855 Bass Highway and was built around 1897 by Mr Nelson. The large, asymmetrical weatherboard villa is in the Transitional style. Its defining features include projecting gables on the front and side elevations and a wraparound bullnose verandah. The description brings together several readily distinguishable elements: the asymmetrical form, gables on two sides and the verandah that encircles the house. For architecture enthusiasts, Wahroonga offers a different focus from Springdale, whose significance is particularly connected with Annear and his residential architecture.

Cluanie is located at 440 Koonwarra-Inverloch Road in Leongatha South and was built around 1894. The house is a grand, elaborately designed late Victorian villa. Its wealth of detail includes what is believed to be the Shire’s only example of an ornate ogee verandah. This carefully qualified distinction gives Cluanie its own architectural profile: the focus here is on late Victorian design and the finely detailed verandah. Together, the three houses represent different areas of interest—from a named designer to the form of a weatherboard villa and late Victorian details.

Golf in the bushland of South Gippsland

The Leongatha Golf Club is located at 855 Koonwarra-Inverloch Road in Leongatha South. The club offers golfers a challenging round in the striking bushland of South Gippsland. This makes golf a clear second travel theme alongside architecture. Those visiting Leongatha South primarily to play can use the club as a specific location to guide their search. Those more interested in architectural history, meanwhile, will find three distinct architectural points of interest in Springdale, Wahroonga and Cluanie.

When planning a trip together, you can first consider which interest should take priority: the history and design of historic residences or a challenging round of golf in a scenic setting. The houses differ in their construction dates, attributed significance and architectural features; at the club, the focus is on the round and the bushland. These specific differences can help you choose Leongatha South based on your preferred focus, without reducing the different experiences to a single theme.

More places to discover: Sunbury, Sedgwick, Redesdale, Grassdale, Coghills Creek, Nathalia, Avenel and Moolap.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.