NEPEAN TERRACE
128-132 GIPPS STREET EAST MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Nepean Terrace is a row of three terrace houses at 128-132 Gipps Street, East Melbourne constructed of face brown brick with slate roofs. It was erected in 1864 for Henry Dyer, a lime and cement merchant, by builder Joseph Dean. The architect is not known. The internal plan of each house was identical when constructed in 1864 and externally the terrace still presents a unified facade. The single storey verandah has a convex roof of corrugated iron imitating a canvas awning. It is supported only by paired timber posts and purlins are omitted. The posts are square in profile, chamfered and with abstracted capitals. The spandrels, each carved with abstract leaves, form shallow elliptical arches linking each pair of posts. The projecting party walls which divide up the verandah are decorated with moulded console brackets. The window openings of the main facade have bluestone sills and prominent architraves. The cornice above is supported by small console brackets and is surmounted by a balustraded parapet carrying a pediment inscribed with the words ‘Nepean Terrace 1864’. Internally each house has a long passageway leading to the rear along the party wall. The drawing rooms were originally divided by a partition of bi-folding doors, but these only survive at No.130. The rear of each house has varying degrees of alterations. The rear gardens originally terminated at the junction of a right of way, Nancy Adams Place, which was created in 1859 before the terrace was built. It once extended across the rear gardens and gave access to the outside toilets of each house and to large fowl yards. The date of removal of the toilets and subsequent extension of the gardens is not known. The iron palisade fence at the front of the terrace appears to be original.
How is it significant?
Nepean Terrace is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Nepean Terrace is architecturally significant as an intact example 1860s speculative terrace development in East Melbourne. It is an excellent example of the link between the earlier, simpler and more austere terraces of the 1860s and the more decorated types of the 1870s and 1880s with their profusion of cast iron and classical detailing. It is unusual for its distinctive timber verandah with flattened arches. The verandah demonstrates the preference for all timber construction before the later general acceptance of cast iron. Internally much of the original layout and planning is still clearly understood.
Nepean Terrace is historically significant for its potential to demonstrate the development of East Melbourne. The sale of land in East Melbourne was held back by the government until the 1850s, which encouraged relatively high land prices and speculation. The land that Nepean Terrace stands on was sold in 1853 but not built on for another ten years. Such speculation was normal in East Melbourne and encouraged terrace building in the 1860s when owners sought to make a return on their investments by renting. The terrace has housed a diverse selection of tenants including A MacKay, MLA, L Karat, Inspector of Police, and A Black, Assistant Surveyor General. Nepean Terrace was continuously sold on to new owners on a single title and was not sub-divided until 1959.
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NEPEAN TERRACE - History
History of Place:
Crown Allotment 7 Section 12 in East Melbourne, in the Parish of North Melbourne was alienated by the Crown and sold to James Smith on 25 May 1853 for 630 pounds. The block of land had a frontage to Gipps Street of 66 feet (20.1metres ) and a depth of 166 feet (50.6metres). In February 1859 a right of way 10 feet (3metres) wide was established over Crown Allotment 9, to the east of Smith’s allotment. The right of way extended 132 feet (45.9 metres) from Powlett Street to the western boundary of the allotment. Smith paid 5 shillings for the right of way to the owner of Crown Allotment 9. This roadway is now known as Nancy Adams Place, and abuts the rear garden of 132 Gipps Street at a depth from Gipps Street of approximately 120 feet (41.5metres). This roadway is shown on MMBW plans as a right of way separating Nepean Terrace from fowl houses at the very rear of the land. The right of way gave access to both the fowl houses and to rear of the outside toilets for the night soil man. The right of way remains today as a drainage and sewerage easement across the rear gardens of all three houses. Smith did not build on his allotment but sold it in April 1863 to Henry Dyer for 300 pounds. Dyer was a lime and cement merchant. In September 1863 Dyer appointed Joseph Dean to build a terrace of three houses. The rate book entry for 1864 records three houses, each of seven rooms, in the course of construction. Dyer did not occupy any of the houses but rented them out. Dyer died in 1869 and the land and houses remained in the hands of the trustees of his will until purchased by Frank Gold in 1902 for 3050 pounds. The 1895 MMBW plan shows 128 Gipps Street with a rear extension. The rate book of that year shows 128 Gipps Street having eleven rooms, two rooms larger than 130 and 132 Gipps Street. When Gold died in 1928 all the land and Nepean Terrace remained in the hands of the executors until purchased by Caron and Vera Joyce Kent in 1949. Title to the land was transferred to the Torrens System, and in 1959 the land was subdivided into three parts, with one house of the terrace on each subdivision.
Associated People: Tenant A. MACKAY, MLA, L. KARAT, INSPECTOR OF POLICE; Assoc.People A. BLACK, ASSISTANT SURVEYOR GENERALNEPEAN TERRACE - Assessment Against Criteria
a. The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object
Nepean Terrace is an example of speculative terrace building in East Melbourne. After the development of East Melbourne was held back by the government until the 1850s, relatively high land prices encouraged terrace speculation in the 1860s.
b. The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness
c. The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage
d. The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects
Nepean Terrace is representative of shorter terrace development in Melbourne. It is an example of short terraces which could be built on one standard East Melbourne Crown Allotment of a quarter acre block measuring 66 feet (20.1metres ) by 166 feet (50.6metres).
e. The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features
The terrace is unusual for its intact timber verandah with concave profile corrugated iron roof. It demonstrates the form of verandah construction before cast iron became increasingly popular for verandah columns and balustrading in the mid 1860s.
f. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements
g. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations
The terrace has housed a diverse selection of tenants including A MacKay, MLA, L Karat, Inspector of Police, and A Black, Assistant Surveyor General.
NEPEAN TERRACE - 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: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.
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.
Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, signage, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method where the wall is externally plastered or grouted pocket method where there is face brickwork
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Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of earlier paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of split system air conditioning units provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the cooling unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
* Installation, removal or replacement of security locks to doors and windows.NEPEAN TERRACE - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to take place without the need for a permit.
Nepean Terrace is a reasonably intact mid-1860s terrace, retaining a relatively high degree of integrity in layout, except for the rear of 128 Gipps Street. The hierarchy of most of the original internal space can still be clearly understood. Structural internal alterations, including changes to walls, ceilings, openings and fireplaces and bi-fold doors will require a permit. This does not apply to the rear of 128 Gipps Street to the north of the courtyard. Evidence of earlier decorative schemes, paint finishes and wallpapers may survive below later accretions. Internal painting and wallpapering that do not remove evidence of original schemes are permit exempt. Installation of security grilles and bars will require a permit. Externally mounted air conditioning units are not permitted.
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