CRITERION HOTEL
90-94 MACALISTER STREET SALE, WELLINGTON SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Criterion Hotel, Sale, was built on the south-west corner of York and Macalister Streets by 1866. In that year it was described in the Gippsland Times as having temporarily opened, with the first proprietor being W. J. Allester. The town of Sale developed rapidly throughout the 1860s, and its declaration as a borough in 1863 instigated extensive civic and commercial development.
On 10 August 1865 a tender for the construction of a large hotel at Sale for John Cobain was recorded in The Argus by architect, Charles Boykett. This is believed to be the Criterion Hotel. Cobain arrived in Gippsland in 1857, becoming a prominent local landowner and an active member within the Avon Shire, serving on the first Roads Board and the Shire Council.
The original hotel building is of two storeys, with two, long, matching wings addressing both streets. By December 1877, the Criterion Hotel had been renovated throughout, under the direction of proprietor` Thomas Duggan. It would appear that this renovation included the replacement of a timber verandah with a two storey cast iron verandah, recorded as cast at Hutchinson's City Foundry and built under the supervision of Thomas Guthridge. It may also have included the extension of the building along Macalister Street. In 1886-7 some internal redecoration and minor alterations were undertaken, under the direction of the proprietors, the Clues brothers. During this period, the Criterion Hotel provided one of the largest livery stables and coaching establishments outside Melbourne. The stables are no longer extant.
The adjoining building in York Street was constructed in 1890 as Commercial Travellers' Sampling Rooms. Constructed as a separate building, it was subsequently integrated into the hotel building at a later stage. By 1897, the 43-roomed Criterion Hotel was described as providing commercial travellers with one of the largest commercial rooms to be found in any Gippsland hotel. The size of the Criterion Hotel is unchanged.
The earliest section of the hotel building is designed to address both Macalister and York Streets with principal facades, in a manner typical of nineteenth century corner hotels. The early addition at the western end in Macalister Street and the two storey verandah with its cast iron decoration, retain this corner approach. The majority of the complex is two storey, rendered brick structure, with prominent, hipped, corrugated metal roof surfaces. A single storey service wing parallel with Macalister Street, defines an internal courtyard, previously used as a Fernery. The western part of the service wing may comprise early additions. The street facades with their numerous openings are carefully proportioned to produce an ordered and imposing design. Embellishments include unusual and finely detailed cement rendered architraves curving at the top of openings, and a dentil course at the eaves. Chimneys also contribute to the design. Part of the verandah was reconstructed in 1906 after the Macalister Street portion collapsed when hit by a horse and cart.
Between 1924 and 1946, an unusual hand painted dado frieze was applied to the street facade, two panels of which are now visible after the removal of fixtures. Executed in a loose freehand sketch style, the panels depict sepia images of foreground and background vistas. Stylistically the design is consistent with an early 1920s date.
How is it significant?
The Criterion Hotel is of architectural, historical and aesthetic significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The Criterion Hotel is of architectural and aesthetic significance as one of the largest, intact, nineteenth century hotels in Victoria. The facade is notable for its unusual and highly detailed rendered ornamentation, and the two storey corner cast iron verandah, amongst the largest in Victoria. The prominently located hotel is an important landmark, making a significant contribution to the urban landscape of the town.
The Criterion Hotel is of historical significance as: one of the oldest extant hotels in Gippsland; as part of the development of the commercial centre for Gippsland at Sale; and for the association with commercial travellers. By 1865 five hotels were recorded in Sale and another five appeared to be constructed by 1866. The Criterion was amongst them. The development of the Criterion Hotel reflects the growth of Sale as a transport and trade centre for Gippsland from the mid nineteenth century. At the time of the Hotel's establishment in 1865, the town of Sale was the regional centre for Gippsland, its civic and commercial development stimulated by the gold rushes in the Gippsland mountains. The construction of the road to Melbourne in 1865 allowed for the establishment of a regular Cobb and Co coach service. The Criterion was renovated and extended in 1877 before the railway reached Sale from Melbourne in 1878. The rail expansion in turn stimulated the development of the Port of Sale in the 1880s with connection by boat to Lakes Entrance through the Port of Sale.
The Commercial Travellers Sampling Rooms of 1890 illustrate the role of commercial travellers within the mercantile community, and the associated relationship between transport routes and the distribution of goods in the development of country Victoria. Accommodation being an essential component in this system, location adjoining the largest hotel in Sale was logical. The configuration of the sampling rooms is largely unaltered
The painted dado frieze applied to the Macalister and York Street facade have local aesthetic significance for their rarity and artistic intent. There are no other known examples of external schemes that contain hand-painted elements in Victoria. The Commercial Travellers Sampling Rooms of 1890 also contribute to the streetscape at the local level.
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CRITERION HOTEL - History
SOURCE: REGISTER OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE CITATION
THE CRITERION HOTEL AT 90-94
MACALISTER STREET, SALE, WAS ESTABLISHED BY AN UNKNOWN LICENCEE IN 1865 AS A
SYMMETRICAL BRICK STRUCTURE OF TWO STOREYS ABOUT THE CORNER OF YORK AND
MACALISTER STREETS. THE CEMENT RENDERED FACADE WITH CLASSICALLY DERIVED
DETAILS HAD A WIDE DOUBLE STOREY TIMBER VERANDAH, LATER REPLACED C.1880-1900
BY AN ORNATE CAST IRON VERANDAH AND REPAIRED C.1905. THE CRITERION HOTEL IN
SALE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY HOSTELRIES IN
VICTORIA, COMPLETE WITH THE ORNATE DOUBLE STOREY CAST IRON VERANDAH AND BEING
ERECTED IN 1865, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN GIPPSLAND. THE FACADE IS A NOTABLE
DISCIPLINED COMPOSI- THE HOTEL, BEING LOCATED ON A CORNER, HAS A SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT ON THE SALE CITY TOWNSCAPE.
THE CRITERION HOTEL HAS BEEN EXTENDED ALONG THE MACALISTER STREET FRONTAGE.
THE ADJACENT, ORIGINALLY SEPARATE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' SAMPLING ROOMS IN
YORK STREET, HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE ORIGINAL HOTEL STRUCTURE. THE
INTERIOR HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED. OF STATE SIGNIFICANCE.CRITERION HOTEL - Plaque Citation
Built in 1865-6 to a design by Charles Boykett, with the iron verandahs added in 1877, this was one of the earliest and largest hotels built in Gippsland and reflects the region's commercial development at that time.
CRITERION HOTEL - 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:Classes of works or activities which may be undertaken without a permit under Part 4 of the Heritage Act 1995.
General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Minor Works :
Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
Exterior:
Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials, etc, and making good.
Interior:
Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of any original paint or other decorative scheme.
Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
Installation, removal or replacement of curtain tracks, rods and blinds.
Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted art or religious works or icons.
Demolition or removal of non-19th century stud/partition walls, suspended ceilings or non-19th century wall linings (including plasterboard, laminate and Masonite), bathroom partitions and tiling, sanitary fixtures and fittings, kitchen wall tiling and equipment, lights, built-in cupboards, cubicle partitions, computer and office fitout and the like.
Removal or replacement of non-original door and window furniture including, hinges, locks, knobsets and sash lifts.
Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings; and associated partitions.
Removal of tiling or concrete slabs in wet areas provided there is no damage to or alteration of original structure or fabric.
Removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and that the central plant is concealed.
Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring.
Installation, removal or replacement of electric clocks, public address systems, detectors, alarms, emergency lights, exit signs, luminaires and the like on plaster surfaces.
Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
Installation of plant within the roof space.
Non-registered buildings and structures on L1
All works, including demolition and internal modifications, but not additions.
Miscellaneous
Construction of sheds, fencing and gates provided that the works do not adversely affect the fabric or external appearance of the registered building.
CRITERION HOTEL - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Alterations that impact on the significance of the building are subject to permit applications. If any doubt exists as to the need for a permit, owners should contact Heritage Victoria.
Although the interior of the Criterion Hotel has some internal alterations, the building retains elements that contribute to its significance, and provide an understanding of the original plan and its historical development and should be retained.
These include:
The form of the rooms of the Commercial Travellers Sampling Building, excluding inserted bathroom elements, and the rooms comprising the single storey skillion roofed rear wing to this building.
The original finishes of the Commercial Travellers Sampling Rooms including the timber floors, fireplaces and chimneys, all original window and door joinery including but not limited to original door leafs, architraves, sills and skirtings, the plaster walls and ceilings.
The 'Cellar'.
On the Ground Floor, all spaces in the Criterion Hotel building excluding: the 'Toilets' in the rear courtyard at the site of the previous 'Fernery'; the 'Parlour'; the inserted walls in the 'Pantry/Office'; the 'Toilets' and 'Store' to the south of the 'Saloon Bar'.
On the First Floor, all spaces in the Criterion Hotel excluding: the inserted bathroom partitions and bathroom fittings; 'Bedrooms 9 and 12'.
All chimneys and fireplaces, excluding the later mantels.
All timber flooring.
All original window and door joinery including but not limited to original door leafs, architraves, sills and skirtings.
Original plaster wall and ceiling finishes.
Later pressed metal ceilings.
The courtyard between the service wing and the Macalister Street wing contributes to significance.
A permit is not required for demolition of:
. the garage building on the south west corner of the site,
. the single storey red brick flat-roofed toilet extension on the west side of the Commercial Travellers Sampling Rooms building, and
. the lean-to structures on the rear wing to this building (excluding masonry walls).
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