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YARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL
130-160 BUCKINGHAM STREET RICHMOND, YARRA CITY
YARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL
130-160 BUCKINGHAM STREET RICHMOND, YARRA CITY
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Victorian Heritage Register
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Yarra Primary School, including the 1888 Queen Anne Revival building designed by H.R. Bastow, with a 1911 extension.
How is it significant?
Yarra Primary School is of historical and architecturalsignificance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.
Criterion A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.
Criterion D
Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects
Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects
Why is it significant?
Yarra Primary School is historically significant as it reflects the Education Department’s ongoing struggle to provide adequate school accommodation for a growing population. The ornate 1888 school provides an excellent illustration of the 1880s boom in inner suburban development. The large 1911 extension was added in response to overcrowding at the school. The need for the extension, less than 25 years after the original building was constructed, is evidence of the rapid increase in population density in Melbourne’s inner suburbs at the turn of the century.
(Criterion A)
Yarra Primary School is architecturally significant as a fine and rare example of English Queen Anne Revival architecture in a Victorian school. Though Bastow’s design was repeated at Toorak Primary School, the north and east elevations of Yarra Primary School are substantially more intact as it retains its original windows. When compared with the original 1888 elevations, the 1911 extension’s large windows are evidence of changes in the Department of Education’s policy around lighting in state schools.
(Criterion D)
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YARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL - History
Yarra Primary School (formerly Richmond North Primary School, also known as Primary School No. 2798) was built in 1888 to a design by the Education Department's head architect, Henry R. Bastow (1839-1920). The elegant English Queen Anne Revival design features terra cotta ornament, tall windows capped by straight arches with brick key blocks, imitation half-timbering in the upper storey and vertical strips on the chimneys.
By 1911, just 23 years after opening, the school was suffering from rampant overcrowding. Though it was built to accommodate 300 students, the average daily attendance of students was 480 and local children were being refused admission. The situation was so dire that it was suggested the students go on strike to protest their poor conditions. The government funded a large two-storey red brick extension to the building, which opened in September 1911.
Around this time, the Education Department embarked on a program to improve the lighting and ventilation of its schools by altering windows. This school was one of the very few in the State to have been overlooked in this program (Primary School No.2084 on Cremorne Street Richmond was another). This may have been because the 1911 extension, which was built with large windows aligned with Department requirements.
A 1920s Infant School addition, on the southern end of the building, was demolished in the 1970s. The slate roofing has been replaced, and a bell tower and north-east chimney have been removed. Otherwise, the building retains much of its original features, with the east and north facade substantially intact.
Selected bibliography
Blake L J (ed) (1973) Vision and Realisation: A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria, The Government Printer, Melbourne.Burchell L (1980) Victorian schools: a study in colonial government architecture, 1837-1900, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.
Peterson R (1993) Historic Government Schools: a Comparative Study June 1993, Department of Planning and Development, Melbourne.YARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL - Assessment Against Criteria
Criterion
Yarra Primary School is of historical and architecturalsignificance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.
Criterion D
Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objectsYARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL - 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:Specific Exemptions
The works and activities below are not considered to cause harm to the cultural heritage significance of the Place or object namesubject to the following guidelines and conditions:
Guidelines
- Where there is an inconsistency between permit exemptions specific to the registered place or object (‘specific exemptions’) established in accordance with either section 49(3) or section 92(3) of the Act and general exemptions established in accordance with section 92(1) of the Act specific exemptions will prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
- In specific exemptions, words have the same meaning as in the Act, unless otherwise indicated. Where there is an inconsistency between specific exemptions and the Act, the Act will prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
- Nothing in specific exemptions obviates the responsibility of a proponent to obtain the consent of the owner of the registered place or object, or if the registered place or object is situated on Crown Land the land manager as defined in the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978, prior to undertaking works or activities in accordance with specific exemptions.
- If a Cultural Heritage Management Plan in accordance with the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 is required for works covered by specific exemptions, specific exemptions will apply only if the Cultural Heritage Management Plan has been approved prior to works or activities commencing. Where there is an inconsistency between specific exemptions and a Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the relevant works and activities, Heritage Victoria must be contacted for advice on the appropriate approval pathway.
- Specific exemptions do not constitute approvals, authorisations or exemptions under any other legislation, Local Government, State Government or Commonwealth Government requirements, including but not limited to the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to obtain relevant planning, building or environmental approvals from the responsible authority where applicable.
- Care should be taken when working with heritage buildings and objects, as historic fabric may contain dangerous and poisonous materials (for example lead paint and asbestos). Appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn at all times. If you are unsure, seek advice from a qualified heritage architect, heritage consultant or local Council heritage advisor.
- The presence of unsafe materials (for example asbestos, lead paint etc) at a registered place or object does not automatically exempt remedial works or activities in accordance with this category. Approvals under Part 5 of the Act must be obtained to undertake works or activities that are not expressly exempted by the below specific exemptions.
- All works should be informed by a Conservation Management Plan prepared for the place or object. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.
Conditions
- All works or activities permitted under specific exemptions must be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents harm to the registered place or object. Harm includes moving, removing or damaging any part of the registered place or object that contributes to its cultural heritage significance.
- If during the carrying out of works or activities in accordance with specific exemptions original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the registered place are revealed relating to its cultural heritage significance, including but not limited to historical archaeological remains, such as features, deposits or artefacts, then works must cease and Heritage Victoria notified as soon as possible.
- If during the carrying out of works or activities in accordance with specific exemptions any Aboriginal cultural heritage is discovered or exposed at any time, all works must cease and the Secretary (as defined in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006) must be contacted immediately to ascertain requirements under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
- If during the carrying out of works or activities in accordance with specific exemptions any munitions or other potentially explosive artefacts are discovered, Victoria Police is to be immediately alerted and the site is to be immediately cleared of all personnel.
- If during the carrying out of works or activities in accordance with specific exemptions any suspected human remains are found the works or activities must cease. The remains must be left in place and protected from harm or damage. Victoria Police and the State Coroner’s Office must be notified immediately. If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the remains are Aboriginal, the State Emergency Control Centre must be immediately notified on 1300 888 544, and, as required under s.17(3)(b) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, all details about the location and nature of the human remains must be provided to the Secretary (as defined in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006).
Exempt works and activities
All other buildings constructed or moved to the site post 1990 (this exemption does not apply to buildings which link with or abut the 1888 school building or 1911 extension):- All internal works.
- Removal or demolition.
Buildings which link with or abut the 1888 school building or 1911 extension:- Internal works, provided that there is no change to the external building envelope and that no works intersect with the 1888 school building or 1911 extension.
Landscape/ outdoor areas:- Installation and replacement of shade sail fabric and supporting structure
- Replacement of playground equipment and outdoor furniture in the same location
- Pruning of all trees to ensure safety
- Removal, replacement and installation of new ground surfacing treatments (for example, asphalt, safety matting) provided it is not within five metres of significant buildings.
YARRA PRIMARY SCHOOL - Permit Exemption Policy
It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is utilised to manage the place/object type in a manner which respects its cultural heritage significance.
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FORMER GROSVENOR COMMON SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H0654
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THE HAWTHORNSVictorian Heritage Register H0457
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ALLOARMOVictorian Heritage Register H0552
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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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'Lawn House' (Former)Hobsons Bay City
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1 Fairchild StreetYarra City
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10 Richardson StreetYarra City
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