MELBOURNE TRAMWAY & OMNIBUS COMPANY (FORMER)
669-677 BOURKE STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
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MELBOURNE TRAMWAY & OMNIBUS COMPANY (FORMER) - History
Heritage Inventory History of Site: Date of first documented occupation, 1836
MELBOURNE TRAMWAY & OMNIBUS COMPANY (FORMER) - Interpretation of Site
Heritage Inventory Interpretation: Site of part of Block 16, initially set aside for Government purposes. May therefore contain evidence of pre-Grid & early settlement due to peripheral nature of structures and poor documentation. Current building associated with growth of the city and need to provide new infrastructure/services (ie Tramways). Change from a "walking city".
Heritage Inventory Description
MELBOURNE TRAMWAY & OMNIBUS COMPANY (FORMER) - Heritage Inventory Description
1840 - officers quarters on this site. 1855 - Roman Catholic school. 1888 - iron foundry on site.1891 - Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company building constructed. 1905 - four storey building shown.
Heritage Inventory Significance: HISTORIC BUILDINGS COUNCIL - STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 669 - 677 BOURKE STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1891 FOR THE MELBOURNE TRAMWAY AND OMNIBUS COMPANY TO A DESIGN BY THE ARCHITECTS TWENTYMAN AND ASKEW. THE MELBOURNE TRAMWAY AND OMNIBUS COMPANY DEVELOPED FIRST MELBOURNE'S HORSE TRAMWAY SYSTEM AND THEN, AFTER MUCH CONTROVERSY, MELBOURNE'S EXTENSIVE CABLE TRAM SYSTEM FROM 1885. THE MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN TRAMWAYS BOARD TOOK OVER THE BUILDING IN 1919 AFTER THE COMPANY'S LEASE OF THE TRAMWAY SYSTEM EXPIRED. THE BUILDING IS ONE OF A RARE COLLECTION OF VENETIAN GOTHIC INSPIRED BUILDINGS IN MELBOURNE'S WEST END. THE TREATMENT OF THE ELEVATION IS MORE RESTRAINED THAN THE FAMOUS COLLINS STREET GOTHIC BUILDINGS, AND ALSO GOODE HOUSE OF THE SAME DATE (1891). THE LARGE CENTRAL MOCK GABEL MARKS A DEPARTURE IN FAVOUR OF THE "PICTURESQUE". THE CENTRAL COPING ORIGINALLY CONTAINED THE INCISED INITIALS OF THE PROPRIETORS. THE BUILDING IS IMPORTANT FOR THE HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY OF ITS INTERIOR FITTINGS AND SPACES. THE TILEWORK IN THE ENTRANCE AND FOYER, LEADLIGHT WINDOWS, WOODEN STAIRCASING AND OTHER ELEMENTS INCLUDING REMNANTS OF THE ORIGINAL WALL PAPER ARE ESPECIALLY NOTABLE. FITTINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIFT AND LIFT MECHANISM ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS EVEN THOUGH THE PRESENT LIFT OPERATING MECHANISM WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE PART OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING. FEW LIFTS OF THIS TYPE AND AGE SURVIVE IN WORKING ORDER. THE MELBOURNE TRAMWAY AND OMNIBUS COMPANY WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IMPORTANT MELBOURNE COMPANY ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXPATRIATE AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR FRANCIS BOARDMAN CLAPP (1833-1920). THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTED FOR THE COMPANY IN BOURKE STREET IN 1891 WAS, NO DOUBT, INTENDED TO MIRROR THE COMPANY'S SUCCESSES, WHICH IN THE BOOM YEARS OF THE 1880S WERE SUBSTANTIAL. THE MELBOURNE TRAMWAY & OMNIBUS COMPANY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING WHAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EXTENSIVE CABLE TRAMWAY SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. THIS SYSTEM HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON MELBOURNE'S SOCIAL LIFE AND PHYSICAL FORM. THE BOURKE STREET BUILDING MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN IMPORTANT NINETEENTH CENTURY HEAD OFFICE AND AN IMPORTANT SURVIVING SOCIAL DOCUMENT OF NINETEENTH CENTURY MELBOURNE
Archeological Potential: Extant bldg Fabric,Site
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FORMER ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS TRAINING DEPOTVictorian Heritage Register H0717
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MITRE TAVERNVictorian Heritage Register H0464
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MELBOURNE SAVAGE CLUBVictorian Heritage Register H0025
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