Historical information

Possibly Portland Town Council.
Thomas Must, a wealthy Sydney merchant arrived in Portland in 1845. In 1855 prospect was built for Must to a design by local architect George Mathewson. The two storey home was built in expansive grounds with sweeping views of Portland Bay and the township. The stuccoed house is of Regency/Italianate style with a single storey verandah and single storey kitchen wing. In 1878 the original posted verandah was replaced by new verandah and a conservatory to a design of architect Daniel Nicholson. Nicholson had also been responsible for the design of the Assembly Rooms at the London Inn. Thomas Must was active in the Portland Community. He was a Trustee of the Port Philip Savings Bank, a Justice of the Peace, Treasurer of St. Peters Church at Bridgewater and the first Chairman of the Portland Borough Council. Prospect was Thomas Must’s home until his death in 1905. The building has been considerably altered over the years and much of the original Italianate character has been lost. Subsequent owners include B. Cunningham, G.S. Beresford (who changed the property’s name to Waterford), and long-term Liberal Senator Sir Magnus Cormack. Cormack was President of the Senate from 1971 to 1974. In 1976 the Prospect became an aged accommodation centre.

Physical description

Wooden Frame - light brown. Gold inner frame. Fawn mount. Man with long white beard and hair facing right wearing
dark jacket.

Inscriptions & markings

Front: (no inscriptions)
Back: (no inscriptions)