Heritage Report - Planning · Heritage Report 64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill 2 trethowan architecture interiors heritage 2. Location, Context and Site An inspection of the site,

Heritage Report

regarding the heritage issues

pursuant to the proposed

Rezoning Submission

at

64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill

18 May 2017

Mark Stephenson BSc (Hons) Building Conservation and Architecture

ABN 44168657823

47 Dove Street

Richmond Victoria 3121

P O Box 221

East Melbourne Victoria 8002

Australia

Telephone 613 9421 5448

Facsimile 613 9421 5449

Mobile 0430 962 770

[email protected]

Heritage Report 64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill

trethowan architecture interiors heritage i

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Heritage Report for: 1

1.2 This Report forms part of a: 1

2. Location, Context and Site 2

2.1 Existing Buildings 4

3. History 7

3.1 Precinct 7

3.2 Industrial Context 8

3.3 Subject Site 9

4. Heritage Listings and Control 17

4.1 Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) 17

4.2 City of Yarra Planning Scheme 17

4.2.1 Heritage Overlay 17

4.2.2 Analysis Statement of Significance 18

4.4.3 Statutory Framework 18

4.3 Australian Heritage Places Inventory 18

4.4 National Trust 19

5. Significance Plan and Recommended Design Guidelines 19

5.1 Significance Plan 19

5.1.1 Buildings 1, and 3 -7 19

5.1.2 Building 2 19

5.1.3 Crossovers 21

5.1.4 Internal Courtyard 21

6. Conclusion 21

Appendix A 22

Appendix B 26


ii trethowan architecture interiors heritage


trethowan architecture interiors heritage 1

1. Introduction

1.1 Heritage Report for:

64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill.

The heritage assessment of the above site has been commissioned by the Department of Treasury and Finance.

1.2 This Report forms part of a:

Proposed rezoning of 64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill – hereafter referred to as the subject site.

The aim of this report is to support the rezoning submission as being prepared by Urbis.


2 trethowan architecture interiors heritage

2. Location, Context and Site

An inspection of the site, its interior and surroundings was undertaken on March 30, 2017. The subject site is

located at the southern boundary of Clifton Hill in an area that was formerly part of the City of Collingwood. The

subject site is bounded by Alexandra Parade to the south and Gold Street to the east with houses to the north and

a lane to the west (refer Figure 1, below). The subject site is located within the Clifton Hill Western Precinct.

Alexandra Parade has a largely industrial history; it was formerly known as Reilly Street and featured a large drain

in the middle of the street that connected to the Yarra River to the east. The Reilly Street drain encouraged the

formation of a zone of industry which extended along the Yarra towards Abbotsford and Richmond. The subject

site is located in a former zone of noxious industries such as tanneries and industries that made use of animal by-

products and used the drain for effluent removal.

Figure 1 – The subject site is indicated in red. Source: Google Maps, 2017.

Nowadays, the Collingwood and Clifton Hill area is largely residential with many factory and industrial sites having

been converted to housing. The subject site is located in a predominantly residential precinct with most buildings

dating from the Victorian period with substantial contribution from the Edwardian and inter-war eras. While the

precinct is known to have some other types of buildings such as churches, schools, shops and industrial sites

(such as the subject site), it is a largely intact, turn of the century, residential area.1

The subject site itself is a conglomeration of built structures surrounding a central courtyard (refer Figure 2 below)

that is accessed via two bluestone crossovers. Facing to Alexandra Parade there are three structures, at the

southeast end there is a large, two-storey sawtooth roofed structure of an unknown date but between 1945 and

the 1960s. To the west of this is an original 1880 factory building. These structures are internally connected at both

1 Allom Lovell & Associates, City of Yarra Heritage Review: Heritage Overlay Precincts Vol 3, 1998: 57



the ground and first floors. Adjacent to this is a single storey shed like structure which is completely open to the

internal courtyard. Opposite this is a similarly open shed building in an L-shape. A driveway and exit to Alexandra

Parade is at the southwest corner of the site between these two open sheds, utilising a bluestone pitched crossover

evident from at least 1896 (refer Figure 3, below). Finally, at the north-east of the site are three infill buildings of

two or one-storey separated from the sawtooth building by a further site entrance with bluestone pitched crossover.

Figure 2 – Map showing the various buildings and crossovers found on the subject site. Source: Google Maps, 2017.

Figure 3 – View of the subject site looking east along Alexandra Parade showing the early pitched bluestone crossover providing access

to the site. The Shot Tower is visible in the background. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

Sawtooth

building (1945-

1960)

Former

Factory

(1880) Open shed

Open shed

Two-storey

building Two-storey

building

One-storey

building



2.1 Existing Buildings

The existing buildings on site vary in age, construction and integrity. The current buildings are fitted out to suit the

site’s most recent former use as a timber and hardware merchant. Internally, there is timber racking for material

storage, and the internal courtyard is bounded by open sheds containing product storage and display. There is

currently no internal evidence of historic uses of the buildings on the site. The 1880 factory contains no remnant

machinery or equipment that could give clues to its historical use.

The original 1880 factory facing Alexandra Parade is the oldest building on the site. It is a two-storey timber-framed

structure which has been altered over time. The building’s original cladding has mainly been removed and replaced

externally with corrugated iron. Internally, the original timber frame has been left exposed revealing the locations

of original window apertures on the front and side facades. Original timber columns and roof trusses are also

evident throughout (refer Figure 4 below).

Figure 4– Internal views of the first floor of the 1880 factory. The original timber frame and truss structure is clearly evident forming one of

the two hips with original timber supporting columns and window apertures (identified in red) also evident. Source: Trethowan

Architecture, 2017.

Some evidence was found of early, possibly original, corrugated iron exterior cladding on the west façade as well

as bluestone footings (refer Figure 5 below). However, the ground floor has modern concrete and the first floor is

timber boards over original structure.

Figure 5 – Left: original corrugated iron sheet cladding to the west façade. Right: bluestone footing structure. Source: Trethowan

Architecture, 2017.

At the east side, the former external wall has been removed and the building completely connected with the

adjoining sawtooth structure at both levels to make single, large open spaces. At the north side, facing the

courtyard, there is structural evidence of a narrow structure that formerly extended back towards the rear of the



site (refer Figure 6 and the 1901 MMBW map at Figure 17 below). The building’s structure and roof form is intact

and recognisable as an 1880 structure, however very little of the original cladding and no original windows remain.

Figure 6 – Two columns and beam ends that demonstrate the location of a former narrow building extending from the rear of the 1880

factory towards the rear of the site. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

At the corner of Gold Street and Alexandra Parade sits a two-storey sawtooth building dating between 1945 and

1960. The building most recently contained office spaces and timber warehousing. There are some original internal

features remaining at the ground floor office (refer Figure 7 below).

Figure 7 – Interior views of the office areas within the sawtooth building. The left image shows a former entrance to the office from

Alexandra Parade and the right image shows timber windows and wall features. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

The building is timber framed with brick piers and a recent corrugated iron cladding. There is internal evidence of

brick footing structure beneath more recent concrete flooring. This is particularly evident at the point where this

building meets, and joins to, the 1880 factory (refer Figure 8 below). The first floor features recent timber board

flooring seen in the 1880 factory.



Figure 8 – The left image shows recent timber fitout to suit the timber merchant use. Behind this a brick structural pier is visible. The

image at the right shows brick footing structure where the sawtooth factory meets the 1880 factory. Different floor levels and adjustments

over team create a series of slopes and steps internally. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

The southwest corner of the site is occupied by a single-storey shed type structure that is open to the internal

courtyard and connects to the original Alexandra Parade site access point and pitched crossover. It is unclear

when this structure was built but it is connected to the 1880 factory with timber beams and appears to have been

used most recently for storage or warehousing. The building is timber framed with a truss roof, some brick piers

and corrugated iron cladding along Alexandra Parade (refer Figure 9 below).

Figure 9 – The left image shows the beam connection between the shed and the 1880 factory. The right image shows the timber structure

and the open layout facing the courtyard. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

At the rear of the site, facing to the courtyard, is a series of four buildings – one L-shaped open shed and three

enclosed structures all of undetermined date but likely mid to late-twentieth century (refer Figure 10 below). Internal

investigation of the three enclosed buildings was not conducted but the exterior shows a mix of one and two-storey

structures, clad in corrugated iron with some evidence of timber framing. There is some possible evidence of former

site uses within the flooring of the open shed in the form of small rail tracks and timber boards covering apparent

channels (refer Figure 11 below). These buildings retain some machinery and stock related to the site’s use as a

timber and hardware merchant. These structures appear from the exterior to have a good degree of integrity and

intactness.



Figure 10 – The left image shows the L-shaped open shed structure facing onto the courtyard. The right image shows the three enclosed

buildings of varying height and structure (the sawtooth building is to the right of the image). Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

Figure 11 – These images show the rail tracks and timber covering boards within the open shed. These provide evidence of former site

uses and building layouts. There is also some remining equipment from the recent use of the site. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

3. History

3.1 Precinct

Following European settlement of Melbourne, what is now the Clifton Hill Western Precinct was part of the City of

Collingwood which itself split from the City of Melbourne in 18502 In the early days of settlement Collingwood was

a low-lying and wet area prone to flooding and disease. Land was subsequently cheap and not preferred for

residential development; this, and the proximity to the Yarra for effluent disposal, encouraged industrial growth.3

The precinct forms part of the former East Collingwood, established in 1855 with land sales commencing in the

1860s (refer Figure 15).4 The precinct contrasts to those adjacent to it in the provision of public recreation land,5

but it compares with those same precincts in the mix of residential and industrial buildings predominantly from the

Victorian and Edwardian eras. The precinct developed its residential character during the boom years of the 1880s

and was almost fully developed by 1891.6 The subject site falls within this key development period. At that time,

2 Allom Lovell & Associates, City of Yarra Heritage Review: Heritage Overlay Precincts Vol 3, 1998: 1

3 Allom Lovell & Associates, City of Yarra Heritage Review: Thematic History Vol 1, 1998

4 Victorian Heritage Database Report for Box’s Hair Curling Works, factory & yard, former, later Provan Timber Merchant retrieved from City of Yarra Heritage Database: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/local/result_detail/98489?page=1&type=user March 16, 2017

5 Allom Lovell & Associates, City of Yarra Heritage Review: Thematic History Vol 1, 1998: 12


http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/local/result_detail/98489?page=1&type=user




industry was concentrated in the south east of the precinct fronting Alexandra Parade and Hoddle Street.7 These

industries, which also included boot makers, tanners and brewers, relied on the Reilly Street drain to dispose of

effluent into the Yarra River. Figure 12, below, shows the subject site in context of the wider precinct; it is in the

southeast fronting to Alexandra Parade.

Figure 12 – Extract of Planning Scheme Map 02HO, the heritage precinct is outlined in green, the subject site in red. Source: City of Yarra

Planning Scheme.

3.2 Industrial Context

The subject site is located in a predominantly residential area. However, as noted above, it is part of a small pocket

of industrial development along Alexandra Parade that once formed a larger noxious industry zone utilising the

Reilly Street drain. However, there are some other industrial and former factory sites dotted throughout the precinct

demonstrating a broader history of residential mixed with light, small-scale industry. The sites are listed and shown

on the precinct map at Figure 13 below.

1. Provans yard, 92 Alexandra Parade 2. Shot Tower, 94 Alexandra Parade. 3. Haliburton Wool Works, 94 Alexandra Parade 4. Spry Brothers Boot Factory, 628-632 Smith Street 5. Factory, 616-622 Smith Street 6. Factory, 612-614 Smith Street 7. Clifton Hill Fire Brigade Station, 662 Smith Street 8. Factory, 1A Council Street 9. Factory, 406 Wellington Street

7 Victorian Heritage Database Report for Box’s Hair Curling Works, factory & yard, former, later Provan Timber Merchant retrieved from City

of Yarra Heritage Database: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/local/result_detail/98489?page=1&type=user March 16, 2017




10. Factory, 7 Queens Parade 11. Yates Boot Factory, later Hill, Norman and Beard Organ Factory, 2-10 Page Street 12. JM Hanson Boot Factory site, later factory, 6-8 Kent Street 13. Factory, 41 Alexander Street 14. Factory, former, 6 Anderson Street

Figure 13 – Extract of Planning Scheme Map 02HO, the subject site is indicated in red. Other industrial sites are noted in green.

Source: City of Yarra Planning Scheme.

These sites provide a broader understanding of the historical industrial context of the precinct. Although there are

other industrial buildings in the precinct, many also form the Victorian-era, the pocket of noxious industry at

Alexandra Parade represent a rare industrial streetscape being the dominant character. The Alexandra Parade

pocket also overwhelms the other industrial sites in terms of scale and significance to the precinct and to the wider

understanding of the development of industry in the municipality and the city of Melbourne as a whole.

3.3 Subject Site

The subject site has been continuously occupied as industrial premises since 1880 when George and Charles Box

constructed a large, timber factory on the site as their Box Hair Curling Works. Hair curling is the treatment of horse

hair to make it suitable for upholstery stuffing or for brushes. No doubt the Box Brothers’ were drawn to this site as

1

2

3

4 5

6

7

8

9

10

11 12

13

14



it was located in a noxious trades area with related industries such as tanneries, fellmongers and wool scourers

which made use of the Reilly Street drain.8 The Box Factory was the largest hair curling works in Melbourne.9

Figure 14 – Extract from Kearney Map 2 – Northcote, Collingwood, East Melbourne, Hawthorn, Richmond. 1855. Approximate location of

subject site indicated in red. The street layout suggested in this map did not eventuate. Source: State Library of Victoria Pictures

Collection.

8 Gary Vines and Matthew Churchward, Northern Suburbs Factory Study (Highpoint, Victoria; Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West: 1992) 52-57

9 Collingwood Historical Society, Inc, Collingwood History Walk 9 November 2013, www.collingwoodhs.org.au, accessed March 16, 2017

http://www.collingwoodhs.org.au/



Figure 15 – “Plan of subdivision of allotments in the City of Collingwood, 1851-62.” Approximate location of the subject site is indicated in

red. This plan shows an early subdivision plan of the site for residences. Source: State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.

The two maps at Figures 14 and 15 above show that the subject site was not developed by the 1860s but there

were intentions to subdivide and develop the area for residential. There is no evidence to suggest the site was

developed prior to the Box Brothers’ constructing their factory in 1880. The MMBW map of 1896 (Figure 16 below)

shows several built forms on the subject site, with the main factory building being of timber. This is the Box Brothers’

1880 building, a two-storey timber-framed factory building with a double hipped roof of timber truss construction.

This building is extant on the site today, albeit altered but still retaining its original form. There is no physical or

visual evidence of the Hair Curling Works for which the building was originally constructed.



Figure 16 – Extract of MMBW plan No 29 of Melbourne, Fitzroy and Collingwood, 1896. This map shown the factory site, indicated in red,

extending back to Noone St. Highlighted in yellow is the original two-storey timber factory building dating from 1880. The house at Number

11 Noone St, indicated in green, was occupied by the Hair Curling Works manager10. Source: State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.

By around 1901-1903 the site was also occupied by the ‘Clifton Wheel Company’ (possibly also known as the

‘Clifton Hill Wheel Manufacturing Company’).11 An article in the Argus from 1925 suggests that this site saw the

beginnings of Melbourne’s motor body building industry in 1902 with possibly Australia’s first ever motor chassis

constructed at this site for the ‘Tarrant Company’ by ‘Clifton Wheel Company’.12 It appears that the ‘Box Hair

Curling Works’ and the ‘Clifton Wheel Company’ shared the site for a time.

The 1901 map at Figure 17 below, shows the site had developed somewhat since 1896 as shown in Figure 16

above. The buildings fronting to Alexandra Parade have been extended eastward to Gold St. This new portion

aligns with the current sawtooth building.

The subject site was subdivided at some point after 1901 roughly in half (east to west), excising the rear portion to

Noone Street (refer Figure 17 below). The houses built on this land; 13-17 Noone Street and 135-145 Gold Street,

are all from the Edwardian era and dated between 1901 and 1915.13 These dates indicate that the subdivision

must have occurred either before or between 1901 and 1915.



12 Argus, Motor Body Building: New Assembling Factory, Flourishing Melbourne Industry (Wednesday 28 October, 1925): 30

13 City of Yarra Heritage Database, http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/local/search/yarra Accessed Marsh 23, 2017



http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/local/search/yarra



Figure 17 – Extract from MMBW detail plan 1216: City of Collingwood, 1901. The dotted red line indicates the approximate location of a

later subdivision creating the present-day site boundary. There are more buildings on the site at this time, to the corner of Gold Street and

Alexandra Parade, when compared with the 1896 map at Figure 16 above. Source: State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.

In 1921 the ‘Clifton Wheel Company’ became ‘AT Searll Pty Ltd’ (for former partner Arthur Theodore Searll) and it

appears that the ‘Box Hair Curling Works’ was no longer on the site by this time.14 ‘AT Searll Pty Ltd’ went into

voluntary liquidation in 1924 and the site at 62 Alexandra Parade was auctioned, advertised as “coachbuilders,

woodworking machinery, plant and stock. Also, extensive galv. iron shop buildings and land … containing over half

an acre.”15 (Refer Figure 18 below.)

14 Age, Claim for Retrospective Pay (Friday 23 December, 1921): 10

15 Argus, (Tuesday 11 March, 1924): 2



Figure 18 – Extract of Argus, 11 March 1924, page 2 Classifieds. Advertising item for the auction of the ‘Clifton Wheel Company’

premises, machinery and other equipment. Source: Trove, National Library of Australia.

The subject site was purchased by ‘David Provan and Sons Timber Merchants’. David Provan had been in the

timber business since the 1880s when he was employed at ‘John Stone & Co’., Timber Merchants of Abbotsford.

In 1903, he became partner in a new timber merchant company, ‘Mulready, Provan and Clarke’ with a yard on the

south side of Alexandra Parade near the corner of Gore Street.16 However, this site was destroyed by fire in October

1923.17 After the fire, Mulready and Clarke both decided to leave the business and Provan brought his sons Bob

and Ed on board to form ‘Provan and Sons’. The business temporarily used space with a MacRobertson Factory

on Smith Street until the site at 62 Alexandra Parade was ready.18 The business also had two hardwood yards on

Alexandra Parade, one of which at the east corner of Gold Street is still a yard today. David Provan died in 1931

and his sons Bob, Ed and Albert carried on the business before selling it to the Rosenberg family in 1966.19 The

subject site remains as ‘Provan’s Timber Merchants’, although the business has now moved nearby to the corner

of Hoddle Street and Alexandra Parade.

16 Provans Timber & Hardware, History, http://www.provans.com.au/history.ews accessed March 23, 2017

17 Argus, Timber Yards a Menace, (Tuesday 30 October, 1923): 12



http://www.provans.com.au/history.ews





Figure 19 – “Group portrait of workers outside D. Provan & Sons Pty Ltd, Timber merchants, Joinery, Mouldings....etc” Date unknown but

it is probably from after 1924 as it was at this time that the company began to use the name ‘David Provan & Sons Pty Ltd”20 This image

shows the brick piers that are evident on site today and the original timber construction of which only the framing remains today. Source:

State Library of Victoria Picture Collection.

Gary Vines and Matthew Churchward’s Northern Suburbs Factory Study attributes the 1880 factory on the subject

site as being of ‘State’ level significance.21 They inform that the factory is one of very few two-storey nineteenth

century timber framed factories in Melbourne. The Factory Study states that the only other timber framed factory

in Collingwood is the former ‘Luton Hat Works’ at 37 Queens Parade.22 The 1880 factory is, therefore, rare in both

the municipality and Victoria. Furthermore, the site is significant for its association with the distinctive nineteenth

century hair curling industry and the industrial development of the area related to the Reilly Street drain. There

were only two other hair curling factories in Melbourne, one in Kensington and another in Sunshine.23 Neither of

those factories are extant, with the subject site therefore providing rare evidence of a building type and unique

evidence of an unusual industry.


21 Vines and Churchward, Northern Suburbs Factory Study: 99-100






Figure 20 – The subject site as it is today (left) compared with the site in 1901 (right). Overall, the site is half the depth it originally was but

the central factory building, indicated in red, appears to be the same. The original crossover to Alexandra Parade for vehicular site access,

indicated in green, is also still evident today Sources: Left - Google Maps, 2017. Right – State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.

Figure 21 – “Alexandra Parade around Wellington Street, shot tower visible on left, Clifton Hill” by Alan Jordan c 1960-69. The subject site

is visible on the left in front of the shot tower and is indicated in red. The 1880 hip-roofed building is prominently visible (the external

cladding and windows are now removed but the frames are still evident) and the sawtooth building can be seen behind. Source: State

Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.



4. Heritage Listings and Control

4.1 Victorian Heritage Register (VHR)

The subject site is not listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, which would denote its significance at State level. However, the site is near the Shot Tower VHR H0709 (refer Figure 22 below). The Shot Tower’s significance comes from its being the largest example in Australia of a rare, distinctive building type and as evidence of an early industrial process. The Shot Tower is in very good condition and has acted as a local landmark for over a century.24

4.2 City of Yarra Planning Scheme

4.2.1 Heritage Overlay

The subject site falls within Heritage Overlay HO317 Clifton Hill Western Precinct and is ‘Contributory’ to the

precinct. The subject site is near HO85 Shot Tower which is an ‘Individually significant’ site.

Every building of cultural significance has been assessed and graded according to its heritage contribution. The

levels of significance identified in Policy 22.02 of the Yarra Planning Scheme are:

Individually Significant: The place is a heritage place in its own right. Within a Heritage Overlay applying

to an area each individually significant place is also Contributory.

Contributory: The place is a contributory element within a larger heritage place. A contributory element

could include a building, building groups and works, as well as building or landscape parts such as

chimneys, verandahs, wall openings, rooflines and paving.

Not contributory: The place is not individually significant and not contributory within the heritage place.

The subject site is variously known as the ‘Box’s Hair Curling Works, factory & yard’ and, more recently as ‘Provans

Timber Merchant’.

Figure 22 – Extract of Planning Scheme Map 02HO, the subject site is indicated in red. The shot tower can be seen to the right indicated

by HO85. Source: City of Yarra Planning Scheme.

24 Victorian Heritage Database Report for Shot Tower H0709 retrieved from http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/295 Accessed March 30, 2017

http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/295



4.2.2 Analysis Statement of Significance

The Statement of Significance for Clifton Hill Western Precinct (HO317) is reproduced at Appendix A.

The Statement of Significance notes that the main development period for the precinct is the Victoria-era with

contributions from the Edwardian and Inter-War periods. The precinct is largely residential with some industrial,

civic and religious buildings. Alexandra Parade and Hoddle Street are notable as the site of Victorian-era industrial

development. Industries including a brewery, boot factory and tanner all utilized the Reilly Street drain (Alexandra

Parade was previously known as Reilly Street). The subject site fits within both the Victorian-era development

period and the industrial development clustered along Alexandra Parade. There are few remaining industrial sites

along Alexandra Parade within the precinct with the subject site and the Shot Tower providing the bulk of the

evidence of this historical use of the area.

Contributory elements within the precinct include well preserved buildings, including one storey houses plus one

and two storey industrial buildings from the pre Second World War era. The subject site’s contributory grading is

likely due to its including a two-storey, timber-framed factory building from the Victorian era. The subject site also

includes public infrastructure, expressive of the Victorian and Edwardian-eras such as bluestone pitched road

paving, crossings, stone kerbs, and channels. There are two bluestone pitched site crossings with bluestone kerbs.

These features form part of the original development of the subject site and contribute to its significance to the

precinct.

In terms of why the precinct is significant, the statement identifies two features which are directly relevant to the

subject site. Firstly, for the precinct’s fine representation of Victorian-era life, as expressed by …the dominantly

Victorian-era building stock including churches, a State School, factories and residences. Having an industrial

building in the midst of a predominantly residential area is a key feature of Victorian-era life as evident within the

precinct. The subject site is important in demonstrating the nature of Victorian suburban life which did not isolate

homes from industry. Secondly, for the strong industrial theme, seen in the south of the area with several 19th

Century industrial buildings including former boot factories, and a carriage factory that links the area with the City’s

other creek and riverside industrial localities such as Clifton Hill East, Abbotsford and Collingwood. Therefore, the

subject site provides evidence of a broader pattern within Melbourne of industrial activities facing onto waterways

for effluent removal. The Reilly Street drain flushed out into the Yarra and Merri Creek near the site of Dight’s Falls.

The subject site is significant to the precinct by linking it to Victorian-era patterns of city development.

There are several structures on the subject site, not all of which contribute to the significance of the site or the

precinct. Only the original 1880 factory building is demonstrative of the Victorian-era industrial development of

Clifton Hill and Alexandra Parade. The site layout, particularly the original vehicle entrance locations and use of

open space between structures, also provides evidence of the original industrial use of the site.

4.4.3 Statutory Framework

Any future development of the subject site needs to be mindful of relevant heritage policies of the City of Yarra

Planning Scheme. These policies include:

• Clause 15 Built Environment and Heritage

• Clause 22.02 Development Guidelines for Sites Subject to the Heritage Overlay

• Clause 22.03 Landmarks and Tall Structures

• Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay.

Relevant sections of these policies are as outlined in Appendix B.

4.3 Australian Heritage Places Inventory

The subject site is not listed on the Australian Heritage Places Inventory



4.4 National Trust

The subject site is not classified by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

5. Significance Plan

The historical research, site visit and analysis of the Statement of Significance and statutory framework conducted

above provide an understanding of what is important about the place. The site’s original fabric, historical

development, and location in a formerly industrial area all contribute to its cultural heritage significance within the

precinct. It is this contribution that should be retained and respected with any new development of the site.

5.1 Significance Plan

To illustrate those important aspects of the site and to assist with how best to manage those heritage aspects, the

following significance plan has been produced and utilises its own site specific levels of significance (gradings)

which are defined below:

Significant – Original material / space related to the 1880 construction date. The material / space

makes an essential contribution to the understanding of the overall cultural heritage significance and

physical attributes of the site. These elements contribute to the significance of the wider heritage

precinct, as defined by the Statement of Significance, because they are either of the main Victorian-

era development period, or they demonstrate its strong industrial theme.

Contributory – An original supporting feature that contributes to the understanding of the overall

cultural heritage significance and physical attributes of the site. These elements also contribute to the

significance of the wider heritage precinct, as defined by the Statement of Significance, because they

are of the main Victorian-era development period.

Non-contributory – An altered original element or a non-original space / element that does not

contribute to the understanding of the overall cultural significance of the site or the wider heritage

precinct. The space / element is not from the main development period and / or does not contribute

to an understanding of the site’s industrial character within the precinct.

An analysis of what parts of the site are graded and what is important about them, are discussed below. An

appropriate course of action has also been identified.

5.1.1 Buildings 1, and 3 -7

These post-war buildings are ‘non-contributory’ to the site or the wider heritage precinct as they are not from the main development period; although they do provide evidence of the industrial nature of the site. The industrial character is demonstrated by the hard street interface with no setbacks, and through the massing, scale and heights. It is noted that Building 4 does have remnant rail tracks embedded within the floor and could be from the 1880s but no evidence has been found to confirm this. These buildings can be demolished, subject to appropriate replacement buildings being proposed.

5.1.2 Building 2

The 1880’s ‘Box Hair Curling Works’ building’s is ‘significant’ to the site and therefore retains its ‘contributory’ value to the wider heritage precinct. The building incorporates wall, bluestone footings, window apertures, first floor and roof structures. Evidence of early corrugated iron cladding is also evident. The form of the building and its timber frame fabric is physical and visual evidence of a rare building type and demonstrates the former industrial character



of the area. This building should be retained to maintain the significance of the subject site and a sensitive adaptive re-use proposal developed.

Figure 23 – Significance Plan that identifies the gradings of those aspects on the subject site. Source: Trethowan Architecture, 2017.

Significant

Contributory

Non-Contributory



5.1.3 Crossovers

Crossovers to both Gold Street and Alexandra Parade are contributory to the site and feature original pitched

bluestone and in their original location. These crossovers should be retained and sensitively incorporated into any

redevelopment proposal.

5.1.4 Internal Courtyard

The internal courtyard has been an open, central area at the site from its original development in 1880. Therefore,

the courtyard space itself is contributory as a remnant of the Victorian-era and as it demonstrates the industrial

character of the site. An aspect of the courtyard should be retained and sensitively incorporated into any

redevelopment proposal.

6. Conclusion

Following investigation, analysis and understanding of the subject site, its context and confirming its contribution

to the Clifton Hill Western Precinct (HO317), it has been determined that the 1880s building is a significant

component and the crossovers and courtyards are contributory features that should be considered in any proposed

redevelopment of the site.



Appendix A

Statement of Significance

The Clifton Hill Western Precinct has the following Statement of Significance:25

What is significant?

Survey

Following the establishment of the East Collingwood Council in 1855, The East Collingwood Local

Committee successfully sought permission for East Collingwood to annex what is now Clifton Hill. East

Collingwood wanted to extend East Collingwood's north south streets (Smith, Wellington and Hoddle)

northwards to the Heidelberg Road (today's Queens Parade) to tap the traffic and trade coming from

country areas such as Heidelberg; to gain access to the quarrying area for street making materials;

and for space to erect public buildings, such as a town hall and market.

Distinguished naturalist and engineer, Clement Hodgkinson, as Victorian Assistant-Commissioner of

Crown Lands and Survey 1861-74, was responsible for the government subdivisions of Carlton (south

of Princes St, 1860), North Carlton, North Fitzroy and Clifton Hill (1865-9), Hotham Hill (1866), South

and North Parkville (1868-9). Under his supervision, suburban planning employed the cost-efficient grid

system used by Hoddle. Hodgkinson's predecessor.

The P. M. Goldbrick's 1864 Plan of Allotments in the Boroughs of East Collingwood and Fitzroy shows

the distinctive geometric forms of Darling Gardens and Mayor's Park in Clifton Hill and Edinburgh

Gardens in North Fitzroy. (35) The streets of Clifton Hill, North Fitzroy and North Carlton, as setout by

the Colonial Government, were broader and better ordered than those created privately in Richmond,

South Fitzroy and Collingwood, with the added distinction of the curved street forms in Fitzroy North.

Sale of land commenced in the 1860s with ample reserves for public purposes, the Darling Gardens

and Mayors Park, a Market Reserve in Smith Street extending from Alexandra Parade to Council

Street, a Public Baths Reserve in Smith Street from Council Street to Hodgkinson Street, a School

Reserve in Gold Street and five Church Reserves throughout the area. By way of contrast, all the land

sold in East Clifton Hill between 1871-1874 had no provision for public reserves.

Early Residential Development

In the three years from the first land sales in 1864 only six houses were built and in the next five years

to 1872, 58 houses, four commercial premises (Queens Parade) and one industrial building (in Hoddle

Street) were built. Early residential concentrations were at the west end of Alexandra Parade and the

west end of Hodgkinson and Council Streets. These were near the horse drawn omnibuses to

Northcote along Smith Street and Queens Parade (started in 1869) and employment opportunities at

the Collingwood Gas Works in Smith Street, opened in 1861.

Amenity protection

Members of the public, including councils and organised pressure groups, wrote annually in relation to

crown land reserves. In 1862-62 a petition from the 'Municipal District of East Collingwood' was





presented to the Legislative Assembly citing the good work of the local Vigilance Committee towards

improving Clifton Hill (36).

The level of community involvement engaged in 'articulating public interest priorities' can be gauged by

the level and nature of the correspondence of which there was a great deal (37). Demands for public

parks, recreation areas, sporting grounds and botanic gardens increased (38).

More recently, The House of the Gentle Bunyip, constructed in three phases by two families between

1867 and the 1920s was the subject of controversy in the late 1990s when the local community

successfully saved the building from demolition, after staging a picket lasting over 400 days.

Early public gardens

Preparations for planting the two Reserves (Darling Gardens and Mayors Park) proceeded with an

application made in 1864 to Dr. Mueller FRS, Botanical Gardens Melbourne, for an assortment of trees,

plants and shrubs and a liberal supply of Victorian Hakea, for the planting of Darling Gardens. (39)

Many significant trees in Mayors Park and Darling Gardens have been identified as significant,

including elm groups, cotton and Canary Island palms, and oaks (40). The National Trust of Australia

(Vic) has identified a Quercus ilex and Ulmusproceraas significant trees in the Darling Gardens.

Trees

The 1897 MMBW Record Plan 29 shows that Hoddle Street had a double avenue of trees in Clifton

Hill, Wellington Street was fully planted both sides with street trees from one end to the other, and

Noone Street had trees at the east end. North Terrace had ten trees planted by local identity, George

Langridge, MLA and former Mayor.

Boom era

During the metropolitan boom of 1881-91, the population of Collingwood increased by half, from 23,829

to 35,070, and the number of dwellings rose from nearly 5,000 to 7,000, mostly reflecting the

development of Clifton Hill. (41) The character of the area, as later described in Victoria and its

Metropolis, was of a residential suburb '... that has of late years been extensively built on with a good

class of houses and numerous handsome shops. It has an elevated position, and commands an

excellent view of the metropolis'. (42) Local politicians and business figures (such as George

Langridge) promoted development and aided in home ownership via building societies.

By the end of the boom in 1891, West Clifton Hill was almost fully developed. The 1897 MMBW record

plan shows few vacant blocks. Most of this development took place between 1881 and 1891, more

quickly and more completely than in East Clifton Hill, North Fitzroy or North Carlton, the other

government planned suburbs. This growth was due to Clifton Hill's closer proximity to employment and

commerce in the south, with industries in Collingwood and Abbotsford being within walking distance of

Clifton Hill, and aided by cable trams running along Queens Parade and down Smith Street.

Victorian-era industrial development

Industries such as the Clifton Hill Brewery, Ridgeway's Tannery and Stacey's Boot Factory, continued

to be located in the south east of the area fronting Alexandra Parade and Hoddle Street, adjacent to

the former Reilly Street drain that was essential for effluent disposal. There was also Richard Hodgson's

distinctive shot manufacturer's tower.

Post Boom



The early years of the 20th century saw some reinvigoration of industry after the financial trials of the

1890s. Comparatively little residential development took place after the Boom, except for development

in two small subdivisions of the original Crown allotments in streets around the Darling Gardens.

Main development period

The main development period evident in the heritage overlay is that of the Victorian-era with a

substantial contribution from the Edwardian-period. There is also a contribution from some well

preserved inter-war buildings and individually significant places of all eras.

Contributory elements

Contributory buildings are typically (but not exclusively) detached and attached Victorian-era and

Edwardian era mainly one-storey houses having:

• Expressed pitched gabled or hipped roofs, with some facade parapets;

• Mainly one storey wall heights but with some two storey house rows;

• Weatherboard, face brick (red, bichrome and polychrome), or stucco walls;

• Corrugated iron roof cladding, Marseilles pattern terra-cotta tiles, with some slate roofing;

• Chimneys of either stucco finish (with moulded caps) or of matching face brickwork with corbelled capping courses;

• Typically with post-supported verandah elements facing the street, setout on two levels as required with castiron detailing;

• Less than 40% of the street wall face comprised with openings such as windows and doors; and

• Front gardens, originally bordered by typically timber picket front fences of around 1m height; and

• Corner shops and residences with display windows and zero boundary setbacks.

And

• Well preserved buildings, including one storey houses plus one and two storey industrial buildings from the pre Second World War era

• The Darling Gardens as a typical Victorian-era Garden Square, with mature exotic formally arranged planting;

• Significant and mature park, street and private tree plantings (including plane, oak and elm trees, palms in Mayors Park, and National Trust of Australia (Vic) significant trees);

• Provision of public and church reserves in the town plan; and

• Public infrastructure, expressive of the Victorian and Edwardian-eras such as bluestone pitched road paving, crossings, stone kerbs, and channels, and asphalt paved footpaths.

How is it significant?

HO317 Clifton Hill Western Heritage Overlay Area is aesthetically, socially and historically significant

to the City of Yarra (National Estate Register[NER] Criteria E1, A4)

Why is it significant?

Clifton Hill Western Heritage Overlay Area annexed by East Collingwood Council in 1855 and

substantially developed by World War One is significant:

• As an expression, in the history of its creation as part of Collingwood East, of the aspirations of tradesmen of the Collingwood Slope for improved urban development and the provision of public facilities;



• For the role of local politicians and business figures in social, physical and industrial improvement and home ownership in the area;

• As the focus of community sentiment and resident protest from its initial development in the 1860s, from the actions of the Victorian-era Vigilance Committee to the preservation movements of the 20thCentury, specifically the House of the Gentle Bunyip conservation campaign;

• For the distinctive street and allotment layout created under Government surveyor, Clement Hodgkinson (43), and the liberal allowance for garden squares and reserves for a market, public baths, a school, a recreation reserve and five churches, contrasting with private surveys in the City of Yarra;

• For Hoddle's provision of boulevards (Hoddle Street and Queen's Parade) skilfully merged with wide streets on a north south grid, with unusual five way intersections and triangular public spaces at each end of Queen's Parade;

• For the unique series of vistas from the crest of the hill at the end of Hoddle street that includes views of significant landmarks like the shot tower, spires of St. Johns and the former Wesleyan Church, Town Hall towers at Collingwood and Fitzroy, the Exhibition Buildings, and long vistas to the Kew hill and Studley Park, plus those to and from the Darling Gardens;

• For the area's fine representation of Victorian-era life, as expressed by the street and public reserves, along with the dominantly Victorian-era building stock including churches, a State school, factories, early houses, a large number of late Victorian terrace houses, attached and free standing, and key house designs such as 12 North Terrace.

• For its focus on a representative and intact example of a residential garden square (Darling Gardens) based on British and European precedents, with associated significant trees;

• For the mature, largely exotic trees, including those planted by George David Langridge, MLA and former Mayor, bluestone kerbs, gutters, drains, channelling, and laneways from the area's major period of development;

• For the strong industrial theme, seen in the south of the area with several 19th Century industrial buildings including former boot factories, and a carriage factory, that links the area with the City's other creek and riverside industrial localities such as Clifton Hill East, Abbotsford and Collingwood;

• For well preserved Edwardian housing estates and individual houses as complements to the dominant Victorian-era residences; and

• For good examples of the Californian Bungalow style and other well preserved interwar houses



Appendix B

Relevant heritage policies of the City of Yarra Planning Scheme as listed in:

• Clause 15 Built Environment and Heritage

• Clause 22.02 Development Guidelines for Sites Subject to the Heritage Overlay

• Clause 22.03 Landmarks and Tall Structures

• Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay.

Clause 15

• Planning should ensure all new land use and development appropriately responds to its landscape, valued built form and cultural context, and protect places and sites with significant heritage, architectural, aesthetic, scientific and cultural value.

• New development should respect, but not simply copy, historic precedents and create a worthy legacy for future generations.

• Provide for the conservation and enhancement of those places which are of, aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, cultural, scientific, or social significance, or otherwise of special cultural value.

• Encourage appropriate development that respects places with identified heritage values and creates a worthy legacy for future generations.

• Retain those elements that contribute to the importance of the heritage place.

• Encourage the conservation and restoration of contributory elements.

• Ensure an appropriate setting and context for heritage places is maintained or enhanced.

• Support adaptive reuse of heritage buildings whose use has become redundant.

Clause 22.02

• To conserve Yarra’s natural and cultural heritage.

• To conserve the historic fabric and maintain the integrity of places of cultural heritage significance.

• To retain significant view lines to, and vistas of, heritage places.

• To preserve the scale and pattern of streetscapes in heritage places.

• To encourage the preservation, maintenance, restoration and where appropriate, reconstruction of heritage places.

• To ensure the adaptation of heritage places is consistent with the principles of good conservation practice.

• To ensure that additions and new works to a heritage place respect the significance of the place.

• To encourage the retention of ‘individually significant’ and ‘contributory’ heritage places.

• Encourage the design of new development and alterations and additions to a heritage place or a contributory element to a heritage place to:

• Respect the pattern, rhythm, orientation to the street, spatial characteristics, fenestration, roof form, materials and heritage character of the surrounding historic streetscape.

• Be articulated and massed to correspond with the prevailing building form of the heritage place or contributory elements to the heritage place.

• Be visually recessive and not dominate the heritage place.

• Be distinguishable from the original historic fabric.

• Not remove, cover, damage or change original historic fabric.

• Not obscure views of principle façades.

• Consider the architectural integrity and context of the heritage place or contributory element.

• Encourage new building and additions on a site with frontages to two streets, being either a corner site or a site with dual street frontages, to respect the built form and character of the heritage place and adjoining or adjacent contributory elements to the heritage place.

Clause 22.03

• New buildings within the vicinity of the following landmarks should be designed to ensure the landmarks remain as the principal built reference:



• Shot tower, Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill

Clause 43.01

• To conserve and enhance heritage places of natural or cultural significance.

• To conserve and enhance those elements which contribute to the significance of heritage places.

• To ensure that development does not adversely affect the significance of heritage places.

Documents

Heritage Report - Planning · Heritage Report 64 Alexandra Parade, Clifton Hill 2 trethowan architecture interiors heritage 2. Location, Context and Site An inspection of the site,