Dwelling 27 Stonebridge Drive
Description
The dwelling, which is built into the hill, is constructed of bluestone rubble (rendered and painted), with rendered (painted) quoins, and is set over a substantial basement. The basement walling is constructed of square dressed bluestone with red brick quoins. The hipped roof incorporates a concave corrugated galvanised iron clad verandah, which encircles the building. The rear verandah flooring is constructed of slate slabs, and the side and front verandah flooring is timber framed with floorboards laid to cross fall away from the building. The cast iron enrichment to balustrading, spandrels and friezework is not likely to be original. The external form of the dwelling has altered little from the original although a portion of the front façade has been modified.
The dwelling was restored in 1988 through funding from a joint venture project between the Commonwealth Government as part of the Australian Bicentennial, and the former City of Happy Valley council. Subsequent restorations have apparently been undertaken internally in which all of the original ceilings and red gum beams have been replaced due to their deteriorated condition. It is reported that the internal well in the basement still exists.
There is also a stable and barn outbuilding on the property, which no longer warrants inclusion in the listing due to its low integrity. The groomsmen's quarters, recorded in the 1988 Heritage Review, were demolished in 2005.
History
The dwelling was constructed circa 1870 by builder Threadgold.
Christian Sauerbier first took up land in the Happy Valley area in the early 1850's. He is noted in the 1856 Clarendon District Council Rate Assessment Books as holding Sections 790, 792, 476, 256, 504, 495, 798, 280, 281, 279 and 278.Section 792 contained a cottage and garden, while a hut had been erected on Section 495. the area named "Aberfoyle Park" acknowledges a member of the Sauerbier family, John Christian Sauerbier, son of Christian Sauerbier, who changed his name to John Chris Aberfoyle in September 1917.
Photo(s) courtesy of: Bruce Harry and Associates (2007) and City of Onkaparinga Libraries.