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CRANLANA
62 AND 62A CLENDON ROAD TOORAK, STONNINGTON CITY
CRANLANA
62 AND 62A CLENDON ROAD TOORAK, STONNINGTON CITY
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Victorian Heritage Register
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The property known as Cranlana was developed by the businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer and his wife Dame Merlyn Myer. Russian-born Myer came to Australia in 1899 and was to found Australia's premier department store chain. The first residence at Cranlana was erected in about 1903 and was purchased in 1921 by Sidney Myer who substantially remodelled it between 1929-1930 to designs prepared by HW and FP Tomkins, architects. Further alterations were made between 1937 and 1940 and again in 1982 after a fire upstairs. Sidney Myer resided at Cranlana until his death in 1934. Dame Merlyn Myer also resided there until her death in 1982. Cranlana continues to be owned and maintained by the Myer family.
In 1932 additional land was purchased on the north side, which enabled the construction of the sunken formal garden which, along with the front fence and gateway were designed by Desbrowe Annear who adopted the Italianate style. The landscape design has strong axial lines involving the main driveway, front door and windows of the residence and the garden, and pathways, and their relationship is a vital component of the design. These axial lines are highlighted by imported Italian marble statues, ornate urns, garden ornaments, paving and steps, and planting. The decorative wrought iron gates incorporating the Myer shield were hand wrought by Caslake's, Melbourne's premier iron founders of the period. After Annear's death in 1933 the garden was completed under the supervision of Yuncken, Freeman and Freeman by early 1934. A further scheme to the front entrance was prepared in 1937 by Yuncken, Freeman, Freeman and Griffith, and renovations in 1938 followed the general style of these plans.
How is it significant?
Cranlana is of social, aesthetic, cultural and architectural importance to the State of Victoria.
Cranlana is socially and culturally significant for its associations with, and development by, the Myer family, one of Victoria's best known families. It is important for its associations with Sidney Myer, the founder of the Myer Emporium and his wife Dame Merlyn Myer both famous for their philanthropy, and particularly for the continuation and expansion of both the commercial association and philanthropic tradition by their descendants.
Why is it significant?
Cranlana is of exceptional aesthetic and architectural importance in possessing a landscape design of outstanding quality making a masterly use of the site. The major significant attributes of this outstanding landscape design are: the spatial relationship of the residence within the landscape, the sunken formal garden which is the finest example of its type in Victoria, the lawns and open spaces, the plantings with their excellent use of deciduous and evergreen specimen trees, colourful shrubs, clipped conifers and hedges, row of Italian Cypress, the water features, statues and ornaments, the changes of level, the gateway, the drive and turning circle with its central Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), and the planting along the south side of the driveway.
The formal axial driveway culminating in a roundabout leading to the main house links the two major sections of the ornamental garden and the residence. The western garden with its older tree plantings and open lawns provide an important balance and visual link to the sunken garden to the north of the house. The two sections of the garden and house combine to create the cultural heritage significance of the property.
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CRANLANA - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Sidney Myer purchased the property in 1921 shortly after marrying his second wife in January 1920. His wife continued to reside in the property after Sidney's death in 1934, until her own death in 1982.
The house and gardens were associated with many outstanding Victorian architects - HW and FP Tompkins, Harold Desbrowe Annear and Yuncken Freeman Bros.
The Myers were frequent visitors to North America and may have seen gardens by Beatrix Farrand on the east coast. Some of her works have similarities to the sunken garden at Cranlana and may have influenced Annear's eventual design. (D Balmori, D Kostial McGuire and E M McPeck, Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes: her gardens and campuses, New York, 1985) Second World War: made available for American Nurses Club, (Sun, 30 March 1963)
Associated People:
CRANLANA - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
All works to the interior of the residence.
No permit required for demolition or removal of any of the structures within
the areas shown hatched on the attached plan and marked L-2.
Repairs, conservation and maintenance to the hard landscape elements,
structures and ornaments, drainage and irrigation system.
Emergency and safety works to the garden.
The process of gardening and maintenance to care for trees and planting themes
No permit required to move any of the following statuary providing that they
remain within the site:
S-2 Carved stone ornament
S-3 Marble Statue
S-4 Marble Bust and stand
S-5 Marble Bust and stand, and the associated row of Cupressus sempervirens
(Italian Cypress)
S-6 Marble Statue
S-10 Wall ornament
S-11 Urn
S-12 Marble Statue
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