Historical information

Painted from the home (or front) paddock which ran south to the creek. The paddock was used for the cultivation of lucerne and maize crops in the lower regions while closer to the house where Ainwick Crescent is now situated, it was a burgeoning market garden for the cultivation of all varieties of vegetables.
The large pines beyond, sheltered the farmyard on the west of Gardenia Road. That complex can be partly glimpsed on the left of the painting.
This is a directly painted watercolour relying on the use of white paper and transparencies to impart a feeling of morning light. The figure is the artist's mother for whom the picture was painted.
Provenance: Augusta Borrack (nee Ziebell) Collection, John Borrack Collection

Significance

These two paintings by acclaimed Victorian artist John Borrack, a direct descendant of the Ziebell family through his mother Augusta, hold substantial artistic, historical, and familial significance for Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum and the broader Westgarthtown narrative.

Borrack, recognised as one of Australia’s leading landscape painters, is known for his sensitive, precise and atmospheric depictions of place. His professional standing and artistic skill considerably elevate the cultural value of these works.

The paintings depict Ziebell’s Farmhouse and the associated outbuildings on the opposite side of Gardenia Road, capturing the rural character of the property prior to subdivision and suburban encroachment. They function as accurate visual records of the farm’s earlier setting and the self-sufficient lifestyle.

Their documentary value is amplified by Borrack’s own reflections: he explained that he made the original sketches in the 1950s and later, in the 1970s, “decided to make a positive record of what the farm looked like”, developing these paintings from those earlier drawings. One work shows the farmhouse and milking shed as seen from the cemetery: the other captures the view from the front garden toward the former vegetable garden.

Their provenance deepens their significance. As works created by a Ziebell descendant who consciously sought to record his family heritage, the paintings embody intergenerational memory, personal connection, and the enduring legacy of the Ziebell family within Victoria’s cultural landscape.

They enrich the museum’s interpretive capacity, offering rare artistic insight into the historic farmstead and contributing meaningfully to the preservation and understanding of Westgarthtown’s heritage.

Physical description

Watercolour painting, depicting Ziebell's Farmhouse from the south (Thomastown and Mernda). Painting is mounted in a gold frame with cream board.

Inscriptions & markings

Artist signature: John Borrack; Last Days at Ziebells "The Pines" Thomastown, 'Pro mea matre hanc picturan feci (In Memoria)'