Poinciana House has aesthetic, historic, and social qualities valued by the community and has significant heritage value. The house is significant not just for its solid construction and gracious appearance.
The house was built for George James Gallop Warden Miles a Member of the Legislative Council representing the North Province and built for his wife, by Stone Mason John Jerred who was from Devonshire England.
The summer that she arrived was the summer that made MB the hottest town, she stayed for 12 months then left. Poinciana House has been classified by the National Trust, and is on the Register of the National Estate.
The building was constructed in 1908. By a “Stone Mason” from Devonshire England Mr John Jerred. The walls are of local stone, with precise pointing, the roof is made of corrugated galvanised iron held sitting on balast hard wood from an Indonesian ship, the roof is held down with iron cyclone battens.
The plan consists of a cruciform passage dividing the square central core into four rooms and opening out into a large lobby at the intersection of the cruciform the wide part of the cross was called the ballroom . Verandas on all sides of the central core are supported on steel columns and have concrete floors. The walk-in Pantry is classified as the “Safe House” just inside the Kitchen area. It has air vents for air circulation and is big enough for a family of 4 to be comfortable while waiting out a cyclone.
The walls within the house are all stone, rendered with limestone. The house has no windows, all glass is in the 10 doors that surround the house from each room, wallowing the light to shine in.
the Main bedroom hold’s a fire place originally from England.
Poinciana House was named for the big poinciana tree in the front yard and held the first Race Ball. Owned by the active Country Women’s Association as second owners…they rented the place out to the School, for kindy, Hawk mining, and visitors…no longer able to afford the up keep of the house they sold it in the late 80’s
Today the house is privately owned, It is NOT a Museum and the Owner’s would like their privacy respected.
