The brick and weatherboard cottage fronting onto Tyers Street and facing North was built in the mid 19th century and therefore of Cultural and Historic significance to the town of Portland. It consists of a brick section, facing the street, and a collection of timber buildings behind it.
        The original cottage, dates from about 1850, has been added to up till the last building, the WC, built in the mid 1940's. This almost 100 years of building work has not been changed in that time with no modernisation taking place, apart from plumbing and electrical services which are at the end of their useful life. The outside of the buildings (except for the out-buildings, Laundry Shed and WC) are covered by a Glenelg Shire Heritage Overlay. At this stage it is not on the Heritage Victoria state register.
         My intention is to rebuild the cottage to its original condition making some allowances for modern services and use it as my main residence. To this end I am following the guidelines set out in the BURRA Charter (see 'Work on the cottage'); that is using sensitive building techniques and materials, documenting all work on the property and following a Conservation Plan I have prepared (SEE NOTE).
        I have also researched the cultural side of the cottage and come up with a considerable amount of information about past inhabitants of the cottage, notably Peter Goldsmith who lived in the cottage for most of the years between 1856 and 1909. He was a 'boatman' as a general term and worked as a 'lighterman' (ferrying cargo from anchored ships to shore) and as a fisherman. In time this information will be correlated and published, there is a brief outline in 'People of the cottage'.