Alphington (North) Precinct
1-55 and 28-56 Bennett St; 2-56 and 27-55 Keith St; 1-41 and 2-42 Kelvin Rd; 14-54 Mercil Rd; 1-53 and 2-52 Naroon Rd; 3-25 Parklands Ave; 1-29 and 2-30 Ross St; 1-55 and 2-56 Shiers St; 1-49 and 2-46 Toolangi Rd; 32-124 Wingrove St; and 55-71, 117-137 an
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Alphington (North) Precinct is a residential subdivision comprising housing and a small amount of commercial development dating from c.1915 to c.1945. The following elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:
- The contributory Edwardian and inter-war Bungalows and other inter-war houses of similar single-storey scale, form and siting that create cohesive streetscapes enriched by architectural features that are characteristic of this period such as the Arts and Crafts detailing, and sometimes complemented by original or early picket or woven wire front fences.
- The 'garden suburb' character created by created by the consistent siting of houses behind garden setbacks with low front fences, mature street trees that create a canopy of vegetation in many streets, and views to Pitcher Park at the centre of the precinct.
- The intactness of many streets to the original phases of development and the extent to which development in key phases from c.1915 to c.1945 is apparent.
- The groups of Inter-war shops in Wingrove Street.
Later alterations and additions to contributory houses and houses and buildings constructed after c.1950 are not significant.
How is it significant?
The Alphington Precinct is of local historic, architectural and aesthetic significance to Darebin City.
Historically, the Alphington Precinct is significant as evidence of important phases in the suburban development of Alphington particularly the rapid growth during the inter-war development boom that followed the electrification of railway to Heidelberg in 1921. Features such as the modest detached housing, a small shopping strip opposite the station, subdivision layout and public realm elements such as the mature street trees are characteristic of estates of the inter-war era. The former shops in Wingrove Street provide evidence of the practice where local shopping centres were established around railway stations. (AHC criteria A.4 &D.2)
The Alphington Precinct is architecturally and aesthetically significant as a fine example of an inter-war residential subdivision, which is notable for the consistent quality and scale of the built form, and the 'garden suburb' character which is enhanced by mature street trees and the central parkland. (AHC criteria D.2 & E.1)
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Alphington (North) Precinct - Physical Description 1
The Alphington (North) precinct is an Inter-war residential area, which extends northward from the Melbourne to Hurstbridge Railway Line, which forms its southern boundary. To the west it is includes Fulham Road, Smith Street along its northern boundary and to the east is bounded by Darebin Parklands north of Separation Street, Bennett Street south of Separation Street and the rear boundaries of properties in Kelvin Road to the south of Parklands Avenue (Yarana Avenue is not included in the precinct due to its low integrity compared to the others streets).
The precinct contains predominantly detached houses in garden allotments that are typical of the Inter-war period, including Californian/Craftsman Bungalows and 1930s Moderne villas; all of which are generally modest in character and are of similar scale (single storey), siting (detached with regular front and side setbacks) and form (A mix of asymmetrical or symmetrical planning with hip and gable roofs). Broadly speaking the houses are usually either gable-fronted or have transverse gable or hip roofs clad in terracotta tiles or corrugated iron. Some of the houses appear to be State Savings Bank of Victoria standard designs. Most houses have a verandah or porch with either a separate roof or as an extension of the main roof, sometimes in the form of a large projecting gable. Windows are double hung sash (which are often arranged in pairs or triples and occasionally boxed) or side hung casements, sometimes arranged in groups and often with coloured toplights. Other typical detailing such as roughcast render, shingling and half-timbering to gable ends demonstrates the 'Arts & Crafts' influence. There is also a small number of Edwardian houses representing the first phase of development and there are small groups of inter-war shops in Wingrove Street.
Fences are predominantly low throughout the precinct and some appear to be early or contemporary with the house, which have consistent garden setbacks. This creates a 'garden suburb' character, which is enhanced by the mature street trees (Plantanus sp.) in many streets and Pitcher Park at the centre of the precinct, which is overlooked from surrounding streets.
The level of intactness (in terms of the number of contributory places) varies from street to street as noted below. Overall, the contributory houses have a relatively high degree of externalintegrity when viewed from the street, but some have been altered in detail, most commonly by the replacement of windows. However, many of these changes may be readily reversed. While there have been some visible (e.g. two storey) additions, they are for the most part set back behind main roof lines and have not had a significant visual impact.
Bennett Street
The west side of Bennett Street and the east side, north of Separation Street, is a relatively cohesive street of Inter-war housing ranging in style from Californian Bungalows and 1930s Moderne villas. The east side of the street between Separation Street and Parklands Avenue is excluded from the precinct as it contains predominantly post-WWII housing. Mature street tree planting is intermittent.Fulham Road
Fulham Road is less intact than other streets within the precinct and the areas of lowest integrity at the southern end and on the east side between Darling Street and Separation Street have been excluded from the precinct for this reason. Despite some post-war intrusions the other parts of the street contain cohesive pockets of Edwardian Inter-war housing of similar quality to that found elsewhere in the precinct. There is an altered inter-war corner shop at No.115. Mature street tree planting is intermittent.Keith Street
The west side of Keith Street, north of Separation Street, Keith Street comprises an almost completely intact group of Inter-war Californian Bungalows and 1930s Moderne villas that are modest in character, with consistent setbacks behind mature gardens. The east side of Keith Street is less intact, particularly at the northern end and south of Separation Street. Mature street tree planting is consistent on both sides north of Separation Street, and on the east side south of Separation StreetKelvin Road
An eclectic mix of predominantly early mid-twentieth century housing of various styles. The predominant style is Californian Bungalows and there are some representative examples of late-Victorian or Edwardian villas. It has a moderate level of integrity and there is reasonably consistent mature street tree planting on both sides of the street.Mercil Road
Mercil Road originally only had housing on the east side of the road. It is an Inter-war residential street that has had its 1920s and 30s fabric diluted by infill housing of recent origin, particularly at the southern end, which has been excluded from the precinct. The integrity of individual houses has been diminished by unsympathetic alterations and additions, which has impacted on the overall intactness of the 1920s and 30s character. There are few mature street trees (and so double storey houses/additions are more visible).Naroon Road
Apart from the group of non-contributory houses at the south end of the east side, Naroon Road is otherwise relatively intact street of Inter-war housing, which predominantly comprise modest weatherboard Californian Bungalows with consistent setbacks behind mature gardens. The mature street tree planting is intermittent at the south end, but more consistent toward the north.Parklands Avenue
Most of the street is lined with the sides of houses that front the north-south streets in the area, and the few houses that do front Parkland Street are of little or no contributory value to the broader area. There is reasonably consistent mature street tree planting.Ross Street
Ross Street contains predominantly inter-war housing. It has a moderate to high level of integrity. There are no significant street trees.Separation Street
Most of the street is lined with the sides of houses that front the north-south streets in the area, and the few houses that do front Separation Street are of little or no contributory value to the broader area.Shiers Street
North of Separation Street, Shiers Street is an almost intact street of Inter-war Californian Bungalows and 1930s Moderne villas that are modest in character, with consistent setbacks behind mature gardens. South of Separation Street, Shiers Street is an eclectic mix of 20th century housing ranging from modest Californian Bungalows to housing of more recent origin. It has a moderate level of integrity and lacks the cohesion of the northern section of the street. There is reasonably consistent mature street tree planting to the south of Separation Street, but more intermittent planting to the north.Toolangi Road
Toolangi Road isa relatively intact street of Inter-war housing, which are predominantly modest weatherboard Californian Bungalows with consistent setbacks behind mature gardens. It has reasonably consistent mature street tree plantings on both sides of the street.Wingrove Street
Wingrove Street extends alongside the Melbourne-Hurstbridge Railway Line and the portion of the street included in this area is between Fulham Street and Yarana Road. It is a relatively intact streetscape of modest inter-war and some Edwardian houses. There is a small group of inter-war shops with stepped brick parapets at Nos.44-54, directly opposite Alphington Railway Station, and another pair of shops at the corner of Toolangi Road.Heritage Study and Grading
Darebin - Darebin Heritage Study
Author: Context P/L
Year: 2011
Grading: Local
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