Cumloden Villa was constructed in 1873 or 1874 for John David McHaffie, the Phillip Island squatting pioneer, as his town house.
Location: on the south side of Alma Rd, encompassing the properties either side of Wilgah St.
Cumloden Villa was constructed in 1873 or 1874 for John David McHaffie, the Phillip Island squatting pioneer, as his town house. We know this approximate date because the site was owned by McHaffie but was vacant when the St Kilda surveyor, John Vardy produced his plans of the Borough in 1873. However by August 1874, someone at Cumloden was advertising a reward for a lost water-dog in the Argus. Following the death of his wife Georgianna, McHaffie sold the house in May 1888.
From 1891-1905 it was the home of Cumloden College, under the direction of W. Martin Burn. For more details see Cumloden College.
From 1906 to 1920 Cumloden was leased to the Anglican Church for the St John's Theological College. In 1920 the property was sold for subdivision. Subequently the Wilgah Street was constructed through the centre of the site and the land sold off as building sites. The main house was eventually demolished for a block of flats in the late 1960s.
| MMDB Entry: | 4590 |
The below image shows the grounds in May 1900, from MMBW detail plan #1419.
[La Trobe Library Map Collection, State Library of Victoria]
St Kilda East,Victoria
Australia 3183
Cumloden was on a long narrow block alongside Wilgah Avenue after the land was subdivided. It was demolished and is now 3 blocks of flats amidst 1920's bungalow style buildings. We do not have an image of the building.