To start this short historical walk around the Old Woodhouse Manor, move through the garden until you reach the eastern gate as shown on this map.
At this location you will find a metal gate that was originally situated at the entrance to the Uralla Cub campsite at Belair.
It was relocated on this site after the pillars were discovered in the front garden of the private residence that replaced the campsite.
Also you will see a notice board that was used when scouts camped in what is now known as “The Boys Field”.
Continue from this gate in a southerly direction towards the creek.
On the post to your right near the SW corner of the garden is an image of the area when there was a lake in 1872 formed by blocking off Pumphouse Creek and Cox’s Creek intersection.
The avenue of trees seen here also may have been the original drive into the Manor House for the horse driven coaches.
Continue from here to the track that goes along Cox’s Creek and turn right.
As you walk along the track you will pass the memorial to those scouts who paid the ultimate sacrifice during our world wars.
Further along the track on your right you will come to an old gate.
This was the original entrance to the property when the scouts purchased it in 1957. It was located on Spring Gully Road along the track directly to the west of this point. It was restored in 2004 after it was located in one of the sheds on the property.
Continue west to the main path. Then turn left and cross the bridge.
The crossing of the creeks on the property has always been of concern due to the amount of water that flows down Cox’s Creek in winter. In the time that the Scouts have owned the land there has been a number of bridges across the main drive.
1966
This was the one that everyone drove over since 1957 when the Scouts first acquired the property!
1984
After flooding it was made stronger by installing pipe railings.
2006
And again rebuilt after floods in 2017.
2018
Walk south over this new bridge that has was installed in 2017 after the old bridge was damaged by flooding.
Walk to the post on the southern side of the bridge.
Return north over the bridge until you come to a path leading into the garden. Walk up this path towards the The Manor to find the next post.
How the Manor was built over time
The Manor was extended over time as the composite diagram on the post shows.
1872 view from the west
Walk further up the path towards the house and turn right at the path that runs along the front of the verandah.
Turn right and walk along the path in front of the verandah. You will come to a post that indicates where the foundation stone of the original cottage is engraved at the base.
It is very difficult to see but is marked by the paver in the garden front of the inscription. Can you see it?
Turn back west towards the carpark and walk to the gap in the wall on the right hand side. Move to the next small path to find the next marker.
Look to the upper regions of the western wall of the Manor and you will see under the eaves a window.
This window became the symbol of the Woodhouse site. From here move towards the house until you meet the diagonal path.
In order to tell the staff on the site that a meal was ready or a fire was happening, a bell hangs.
This bell was cast in London by J Warner and Sons in 1863 and this could indicate that it was specially ordered for the property.
Its ringing carried over most of the immediate area and was housed in a small bell tower.
From here walk towards the kitchen door and go around the outside of the building until you reach the steps.
Go up the steps to the main road and turn right. Just along this road on your right is the next marker.
How the place has changed over time
In 1957 when the Scouts purchased the property the Manor House had a number of stone lean-to’s. These housed a coal scullery and an external ablution block.
It is hard to see exactly where these would have been but here is a sketch of the location as it was then.
In 1984 major renovations were carried out and a new toilet block was built at the rear.
From this point walk east down the main drive until you come to some stairs leading in to the courtyard at the rear of the house.
Walk to the courtyard and then east along the path. Turn back to the house when you reach the post.
Eastern Ballroom from the fire circle
In the middle of 2019 a new fire pit and seating area was installed on the lawn area. This has proved to be very popular in winter!
Look back at the eastern face of The Manor.
Research has shown that in the early 1900’s the entry to the house was via a track that arrived at the “ballroom” door.
The old path can still be seen coming up from the creek through the tree lined drive by the steps to the east of the fire circle. The carriages used to turn around outside the ballroom.
About 1958
Here is a sketch showing the east face of the manor.
The architectural details are indicated in this diagram.
From here, walk to the eastern end of the garden either via the lawn or down the path at the side.
When the scouts first acquired the property there was a swimming pool located on the eastern lawn area.
Many events were held in the pool until it developed a leak and had to be removed.
From the end of the lawn turn south and walk in the Boys Field back to the Uralla Gate. We hope you have enjoyed this trail compiled by the Scout Social and Service Group!
