Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex
McLister Street SPOTSWOOD, Hobsons Bay City
Hobsons Bay Railways Heritage Precinct
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Statement of Significance
The Victorian Railways Stores complex, comprising the Stores & Offices buildings designed by James Fawcett and constructed in 1924-27 and associated mature trees including the two Canary Island Palms, Pepper Trees and Poplars, at McLister Street, Spotswood.
How is it Significant?The Victorian Railways Stores complex at McLister Street, Spotswood is of local historic, social and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobsons Bay.
Why is it Significant?Historically, it is significant for its strong associations with the Victorian Railways as one of a number of major complexes established in Newport and Spotswood during the Edwardian and Interwar period. It illustrates the important influence that the Victorian Railways had upon the development of Spotswood. (AHC criteria A4 and H1)
Socially, it is significant for its associations with the Spotswood community as a major employer over a long period (AHC criterion H1)
Aesthetically, it is significant as an intact Interwar office complex, which is a fine example of railway architecture during the Interwar period by the Victorian Railways chief architect, James Fawcett. It is enhanced by a related Interwar landscape setting to McLister Street. (AHC criteria E1 and F1)
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Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex - Physical Description 1
The Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores complex comprises a series of buildings on a large site in McLister Street, which adjoins railway yards. Fronting McLister Street is a rendered (unpainted) and parapeted office stores building. The styling is a simple Greek revival with multi-paned glazing, and raised parapet entablatures at each end of the elevation marking major window groups. A projecting central porch marks the doorway. Faint lettering is visible on the parapet. The original front fence to McLister Street, shown in an early photograph, has been removed. Two large Canary Island Palms, planted at the time the building was opened, are placed symmetrically on either site of the central entrance, as are two poplars set close to the street frontage.
Inside the complex is a series of sawtooth and gabled roof forms over the long storage buildings extending to the south, with a loading platform on the eastern wing. The sawtooth structure on the west has been reclad or renewed. Rusting corrugated iron clad sawtooth structures are isolated further south on this large site.
Other key buildings and elements include:
- The small sawtooth roof buildings between railway tracks.
- The amenities building with circular vents and gable roof.
- The larger corrugated iron stores building to the south with timber louvre vents in the gables.
- The long multi-gabled building behind cement rendered front facade office block with raised cement lettering to parapet inc 'VR' and the cantilevered canopy over tracks on east side.
- Other remnants of the related interwar front landscape to McLister Street including a privet hedge, and pepper trees.
- The corrugated iron (paint shop?) with vent tower capped by small hipped roof with finial.
Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex - Integrity
External Condition
Good
External Integrity
High
Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex - Physical Description 2
Context
Set on flat land on the edge of the early housing and contributory to the Melbourne - Williamstown - Geelong Railway precinct.
Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex - Historical Australian Themes
Moving Goods and People, Railways
Victorian Railways Spotswood Stores Branch Complex - Physical Description 3
Associations
Victorian Railways, James Fawcett
Heritage Study and Grading
Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study
Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
Year: 2006
Grading:
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