MORELAND BAPTIST CHURCH COMPLEX
384 MORELAND ROAD,, BRUNSWICK WEST VIC 3055 - Property No 20037
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Moreland Baptist Church complex at 384 Moreland Road built in 1922 with kindergarten extensions in 1924 and 1929 and additions to the front in 1931, is significant. Post-war buildings including the toilet block of 1959 and the youth hall of 1962 are contributory to the site.
How is it significant?
Moreland Baptist Church complex is of local historic, representative and aesthetic significance to the City of Moreland.
Why is it significant?
Moreland Baptist Church complex, formerly West Moreland Baptist Church, formed during the 1920s is historically significant as it reflects the outward growth of Brunswick and Coburg immediately after World War One when the north-west region of Melbourne was expanding rapidly. Whilst nineteenth century churches were located along the Sydney Road spine, the Interwar period is noted for the growth of smaller suburban churches that reflected the needs of their communities and were located within residential areas. Moreland Baptist Church complex, originally built in 1922 and subsequently added to in 1924, 1931, 1952 and 1963 is significant as a reflection of the needs of the community through the provision of church, kindergarten and Sunday School facilities, a youth hall and associated kitchen and other meeting rooms. These are all present on the site. (Criterion A)
Moreland Baptist Church is significant as part of a group of Interwar suburban church complexes. It is a relatively early and representative example following the move away from Sydney Road to the developing suburbs. Later examples of churches from the 1930s and 1940s show evidence of the work of established architects, however Moreland Baptist is a good example of a timber church based on a simple rectangular hall and built to a style and with materials commonly used at the time. Whilst quite conservative in its design for the period in which it was built, the 1922 church, 1924 kindergarten with extensions in 1929, and the 1931 porch and front additions represent an excellent and quite intact example of an Interwar church complex. (Criterion D)
Moreland Baptist Church is aesthetically significant for its lively frontage to Moreland Road, created from the 1931 addition of a pair of gables with timber strapping that reflect the gable end detail of the original church. This is also enhanced by the added porch with three distinctive cross motif windows. The triple light windows to the frontage are an important part of the front elevation. Aesthetically the combination of weatherboard below window sill level and cement sheet cladding above, combined with vertical timber strapping adds additional detail and interest to the building. The extension to the main church is aesthetically very close to the original building, forming a seamless composition. The later Post-war buildings including the 1959 toilets and 1962 youth hall make a lesser contribution to aesthetic significance and are representative buildings of their time. (Criterion E)
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MORELAND BAPTIST CHURCH COMPLEX - Physical Description 1
Baptist Church
MORELAND BAPTIST CHURCH COMPLEX - Physical Conditions
Good
MORELAND BAPTIST CHURCH COMPLEX - Integrity
Minor Modifications
MORELAND BAPTIST CHURCH COMPLEX - Physical Description 2
The former Moreland Baptist Church complex occupies a large site and comprises several buildings of different eras, a large carpark and garden. Fronting Moreland Road is the 1922 church built in an Interwar domestic style. Essentially built as a simple rectangular gabled roof hall, the frontage is enlivened in 1931 by the addition of a pair of projecting rooms with smaller gabled roofs flanking a central flat roofed porch.
Built with a timber frame, the cladding of weatherboard cladding below window sill level and cement sheet with timber strapping above, provides a common combination of materials commonly used in residential properties of the Interwar period. Decorative timber strapping highlighted in contrasting paint trim colour provide a highly decorative feature to the facade. Windows are designed in sets of three with simple triangular heads, or in the porch as a set of three windows with cross motif. The large high-level window with flat gothic arch form has some additional carved timber tracery inset into each of its three panels. The side windows to the church have been replaced with modern sashless glazing. Elsewhere the original design of windows is evident.
An extension at the rear follows the same footprint as the church and is designed with the same building form and cladding materials, although lower in height. It forms highly sympathetic additions to the church undertaken in 1924 and 1929. At the rear of the site are two further buildings built in 1952 and 1963. One of these is set behind a narrow and long garden whilst the Youth Hall is set behind a large carpark. It has a series of clerestorey windows, flat roof construction and is of cream brick, which was a popular material in this period. The church complex is still used for the Moreland Baptist Church and related activities, including the Merri Community Health services who run programs.
Heritage Study and Grading
Moreland - Moreland Heritage Gaps Study 2017
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2017
Grading: LocalMoreland - Keeping Brunswick's heritage: A Report on the Review of the Brunswick Conservation Study
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 1990
Grading:Moreland - Moreland City Council: Local Heritage Places Review
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2004
Grading: Local
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