Program Guidelines
History
The story of the building and occupation of Billilla reveals the ease with which immigrants of humble origins could achieve considerable social status in nineteenth-century Australia. The owner of the first house on the site, Robert Wright, and the Weatherly family who subsequently owned and renamed it Billilla, were both fortunate in the mining booms that were so much a part of Australia's nineteenth-century economy.Billilla was purchased by William Weatherly, a pastoralist from the Darling River area in western New South Wales in 1888. He named the property Billilla after his holding in that area and occupied the residence as his town house. Billilla remained in the possession of his family until purchased by the Brighton City Council in 1973.
Billilla was extensively remodelled at the turn of the century. The alterations and extensions to the building were carried out in Art Nouveau style. This is especially evident in the curved linear columned entrance, where the capitals have ornate carvings in contrast to the walls, which are mostly free from ornament. Inside the house, an elaborate motif of young gum leaves can be seen repeated on the ceilings of the drawing rooms. Architects engaged by the Weatherlys drew up a variety of plans for the remodelling of Billilla. However, these plans were not followed explicitly. Today, Billilla is a conglomeration of designs based on the original residence erected by Robert Wright.
William Weatherly died in 1914. He was survived by his wife, Jeanne, who lived in the house until her death in 1933. Their daughter, Violet, maintained the house with a reduced staff until she died in 1972. On 4 April 1973, the former Brighton City Council acquired the property on behalf of the citizens of Brighton. This was done under a terms contract and is now transferred in full ownership, reserved for Public Purposes. Bayside City Council now owns Billilla.
Day Studios
At the rear of Billilla are the servants' quarters, a collection of 4 stand-alone buildings: a butler’s cottage, meat store, maid’s pantry and servants' quarters. Of these building, the servants' quarters, which comprise three separate rooms, has been converted into day studios. The fourth is the coach house. These four residencies are available and are offered to successful applicants for 12 months from July to June annually. The successful artists are able to furnish the space according to their own requirements (at their own cost). The in-kind value of the space is approximately $8,000 ($5,700 rental and $2,300 utility costs).Resident artists will have exclusive use of one of four designated out house studios. All studios have 24 hour access, power, lighting and ample natural light, with two studios having a private sink. Two studios are 3.5 metres by 3.5 metres; whilst the third studio is 9 metres by 2.5 metres.
Coach house – sculpture studio
The fourth studio is in the coach house and measures 5.27 metres wide by 5.41 metres long. The coach house includes use of the secure yard. Special conditions for the coach house studio are that the use of the Secure Yard is accepted, but use of the Store (behind the coach house) is excluded. Special conditions for the coach house studio include:
- Hot work (welding, oxy cutting etc) and metal cutting, grinding or polishing is not
permitted within the room. - Hot work is also not permitted within 3 metres of the outbuildings.
- The sculptor should prepare and provide appropriate JSAs, risk assessments and
OH&S plans for any work that involves heavy material. - All materials are to be stored within this allocated space and not outside
the building.
Page last updated: 12 Jan 2012