MLC - Main Building
207 Barkers Road KEW, BOROONDARA CITY
Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew
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Statement of Significance
Significance of Individual Property
The main wing of M.L.C. is of significance as one of the most commanding and successfully designed educational buildings to have been built in Melbourne during the nineteenth century and for its apparently substantially intact state.
HO150 Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew
The Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew, is an area of heritage significance for the following reasons:
-The western parts of this precinct are marked by mansion development of the Victorian period, and though some are surrounded by unsympathetic later development, a significant number of individually significant early Kew mansions survive here, albeit in some cases converted to institutional uses. This is one of three notable mansion precincts in Kew, the others being HO158 (Walmer Street) and HO162 (Sackville Street).
- The eastern section of the precinct is significant for its mixture of small and medium scale Victorian housing, much of which relates to two important 1880s estates : Edgevale and Doona Hill.
- The area has a strong visual connection with several fine assemblages of school buildings: either in its midst (Ruyton) or at its borders (Trinity, Xavier, Methodist Ladies' College).
- The area includes the former Kew civic buildings and the Sacred Heart Church and School, both in Cotham Road, the latter important to the considerable Roman Catholic heritage in the area.
- The area also includes the entire Glenferrie Road streetscape north of Barkers Road up to Wellington Street, including two of MLC's most important buildings and a mixed 1880s to interwar streetscape.
- The area includes a number of individually significant architectural designs, the majority of which are Victorian mansions.
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MLC - Main Building - Physical Description 1
In 1882 the Rev. George Daniel laid the foundation stone of the Methodist Ladies College[3]. Built by James Babour the cost of erection came to about £12,00 [4] while in December 1885 Crouch called tenders for extensive additions to the school[5], the additional works estimated to cost £25,000[6]. Several extra classrooms, a studio and swimming baths were constructed in 1889[7] while in 1895 John Edmund Burke opened a contract for the internal decoration of M.L.C [8 ]. In 1939 the baths were demolished and a new gymnasium and swimming pool were construcred [9 ].
The main building at the school has a most commanding design, built symmetrically about the tower, it has a pavilioned form with projecting gables at each end. The decoration across the building is gothic and the tower is panticularIy heavily decorated, with corner turrets and string couses with quatrefoils, while colonnettes and hood mouldings decorate its the coupled windows. Further research would be warranted on this building to establish the stages of its construction.
As it stands, the school is one of the most commanding educational buildings to have been built in Melburne and compares in stature to buildings such as Ormond College at the University of Melbourne designed by Joseph Reed.
References --
1 Architects'Index, University of Melboume
2 ibid.
3 Rogers, D., A History of Kew, p.193
4 Australasian Sketcher, 31 December, 1881, pA22
5 Architects' Index
6 Argus, 17 February 1885, p.7
7 Architects' Index
8 ibid.
9 Zainu'ddin, A.G.,They Dreamt ofa School: A Centenary ofthe Methodists Ladies college, 18821982,
1982, p.239
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - City of Kew Urban Conservation Study
Author: Pru Sanderson Design Pty Ltd
Year: 1988
Grading: A
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FORMER INVERGOWRIE LODGEVictorian Heritage Register H0517
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FORMER BRIDGE HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0449
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THE HAWTHORNSVictorian Heritage Register H0457
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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