Cato Park, including Rotunda, 9-11 Victoria Street, STAWELL
9-11 Victoria Street STAWELL, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
Cato Park was formed in the early twentieth century by the efforts of the Stawell Progress Association from the former tailings dam of the Victoria Crushing Company and on land once occupied by the St George Mine. The work was assisted by the donations of Mr. E. Simmons and Mr. Frederick Cato. The lake was once home to Stawell Olympic swimming pool and retains plantings and the 1916 kiosk building. The gate dates from 1957 and includes items donated by Whelan the Wrecker including the coat of arms.
Cato Park, 9-11 Victoria Street, Stawell is aesthetically significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates qualities of a community developed recreation area including the lake, grassed surrounds, plantings of trees and shrubs, including Canary island Palms, firs, wattles and eucalypts. The park also retains the 1916 kiosk structure which demonstrates Federation design qualities including the hexagonal shape, steeply pitched roof clad in corrugated steel, decorative gables, walls clad to half height in weatherboards, decorative timber diagonal cross decoration and timber eaves finials. The two entries are marked by pointed arched doorways.
Cato Park, 9-11 Victoria Street, Stawell is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with mining in Stawell including the St. George Mine and the Victorian Crushing Battery. The lake was formed from the battery's tailing dam. Cato park is also associated with the Stawell progress Association who proposed, partly funded and carried out the beautification of the site including the formation of the lake, the forming of the grassed surrounds, the kiosk building and the gate. Cato park is also a memorial to a number of Stawell benefactors including Mr. E. Simmons, Frederick J Cato and Mr. P. Whelan. The park was also the site of the Stawell swimming pool from 1958 to 1988.
Cato Park, 9-11 Victoria Street, Stawell is socially significant at a LOCAL level. The park is recognised by members of the Stawell community for its continuing recreational values.
Overall, Cato Park, 9-11 Victoria Street, Stawell is of LOCAL significance.
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Cato Park, including Rotunda, 9-11 Victoria Street, STAWELL - Physical Description 1
Cato Park is a large, approximately 9 acre ( approximately 3.6 hectares) site. The gently sloping land contains a large free form lake. The grassed surrounds of the lake are planted with a variety of trees and shrubs including canary Island palms, firs and eucalypts. The Park is marked by the sign erected in 1957 by the Progress Association. This consists of two square posts supporting a triangular pediment framed in square section steel enclosing some wrought iron scrolls and the coat of arms. Below this is a board with "Cato park: in wrought iron letters flanked by two sections of cast iron frieze work. The entrance gate was painted a dull red brown with the coat of arms picked out in red, blue and white.
Nearby is the refurbished kiosk building of 1916. The kiosk structure demonstrates Federation design qualities including the hexagonal shape, steeply pitched roof clad in corrugated steel, decorative gables, walls clad to half height in weatherboards, decorative timber diagonal cross decoration and timber eaves finials. The two entries are marked by pointed arched doorways.
The building was painted in cream and green when refurbished in 1991. Early photographs show a deeper colour scheme, a frieze of timber work at the edge of the eaves and a central finial. There are two similar shaped rotundas in the park which were erected by the Council in 1992. Nearby is a rock with a metal plaque explaining the naming of the park, erected in 1982.
Heritage Study and Grading
Northern Grampians - Shire of Northern Grampians - Stage 2 Heritage Study
Author: Wendy Jacobs, Vicki Johnson, David Rowe, Phil Taylor
Year: 2004
Grading: Local
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HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCHVictorian Heritage Register H2177
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CENTRAL PARKVictorian Heritage Register H2284
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COMMONWEALTH MEMORIALVictorian Heritage Register H1943
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