RIPPONLEA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX
11-13 GLEN EIRA ROAD RIPPONLEA, PORT PHILLIP CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The railway running to Brighton and later extended to Sandringham was opened as far as North Brighton in 1859. The line was reconstructed after the government acquired it from the Melbourne and Hobson Bay United Railway Co. in 1878. Ripponlea Railway Station, a much later station addition on the Sandringham Line was most probably constructed in 1913. It was with this date that the original drawings for the station are stamped. The Victorian Railways architect of the time was responsible for its design. The rail complex includes two timber station buildings, platforms, and a timber footbridge. Both station buildings are single storey structures with cantilevered platform verandahs. Cladding is weatherboard with roughcast render above door height and half timbered gables. Main roofs are diagonal fibre cement shingles with corrugated iron sheet verandahs faced with a ripple iron valance. Either side of the station is a public park, which is part of the Railway Reserve and titled the Burnett Grey Gardens. This is a maintained garden, which includes exotic plantings.
How is it significant?
The Ripponlea Railway Station Complex is of architectural, aesthetic, social and historical importance to the State of Victoria.
How is it significant?
The Ripponlea Railway Station Complex is of architectural importance as a rare and intact example of a timber Edwardian era railway station. Later changes have been minimal and the ticket offices retain their early fittings, including the pressed metal ceilings. Mentone Railway Station is the only other significant metropolitan station of this design. The Ripponlea complex is of aesthetic importance for its timber footbridge, track-side planting, and surrounding public park which contribute to the picturesque nature of the station. Ripponlea Railway Complex is of architectural importance as it demonstrates many of the characteristics common to the timber Edwardian era railway station buildings. These include the cantilever verandahs, the combination of weather board and roughcast render, dominant roof form with half timbered gable ends and the use of pressed metal on the interiors. The park either side of the station which includes exotic plantings such as Canary Island Palms, is important as one of only a few examples of Railway Reserves which have been used to provide gardens for the public. The other known example is at Footscray Railway Station.
The Ripponlea Railway Station Complex is of social and historical importance, for its ability to demonstrate the expansion of Melbourne and settlement of the inner suburbs after the turn of the century. The area around Glen Eira Road, east of the railway was mostly developed from around the First World War and this was the reason for construction of a station. The complex is important for its potential to yield information on the changing nature of railways, locomotive technology and public transport use in Victoria. The picturesque nature of Ripponlea Railway Station with its fine detailing and surrounding park is indicative of the romantic views held of rail travel in Victoria's early history.
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RIPPONLEA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX - History
Contextual History:
Ripponlea Railway Station is identified in Andrew Ward’s Railway Station Study as belonging to the Gisborne Group of Railway Stations in the Ripponlea Sub-group.
The Gisborne style group is the largest group of station buildings outside of the portables, mallee sheds and the series of standard station buildings introduced during the second decade of this century. The design was developed to meet the urgent need for improved standards of accommodation at stations where existing facilities were proving inadequate. They are all over the State, but dominate in the north-western sector which was incorporated in the rail network during this style’s period of currency extending from around 1909 to the latter years of the second decade.
The group is subdivisible into several sub-groups, each with their own distinguishing features. Nevertheless, they each share the same plan and construction techniques , and draw from a common pool of decorative details introduced by architects of the Queen Anne Style following the 1890s depression.
The design of the Gisborne Style is best described as Edwardian, with a characteristic dependency upon the vocabulary of the Queen Anne architects. In line with the times, economic pressures prompted the Department to cheapen building finishes and to curb the excesses of the recent past by the simplification of building form. The Gisborne group also featured glimpses of the art nouveau in its use of decorative wall and ceiling linings.
The principal of the building plan was to group the major rooms into a central brick, or timber building, consisting of the booking, parcels and telegraph office, lobby and the ladies and general waiting rooms. The office was dominated by a large gabled roof, visually at right angles supported by lower roofs over the waiting rooms on either side of the office. The service functions consisted of the ladies and men’s toilets, the lamp room, the store and the wood yard and were grouped into wings attached to either or both ends of the central block. In some instances, the van goods shed was included in the wings. The result was a neatly laid out platform with a minimum of outbuildings. The configuration of the service functions varied, but the plan of the central section was almost always the same.
The entire group is characterised by various means of decoration which render it easily recognisable but which also extended into other designs of the period. They frequently have a distinct Queen Anne flavour. Common Features;
* Dominant roof form with half timbered gable ends;
* The eaves were lined either on the underside or occasionally on the top side of the rafter with timber boarding to follow the line of the roof;
* In the hot areas, windows were protected by sunhoods, supported on timber brackets;
* Verandah posts linked together with curved beams or have double posts;
*The upper sashes of the windows were multi-paned and finished with Flemish glass in pink and amber hues;
* The wall vents sit proud of the wall surface symmetrically about the windows;
*The use of rough cast above the dado line coincident with the bottom rail of the upper sash was a universal feature of the earlier buildings in the group. Occasionally the plaster work would be replaced with pressed metal panels achieving the same visual effect;
* The segmental arch motif was repeated throughout the group in the design of parapet walls, the door lights, curved beams and in window head decoration to the principal lights;
*A feature of all buildings of this era-and the Gisborne style in particular was the flat platform awning, made possible by the development of light, rolled steel angles some ten or so years earlier and typical of many Edwardian buildings. It represented a significant departure from the romantic, turreted verandahs of the Queen Anne era, but was perfectly suited to the needs of the railway architects. The roof area was lined with corrugated g.i. and drained back to the line of the building whilst the roof structure was supported on standard latticed steel brackets;
* The wall and ceiling linings varied between horizontal timber boarding-with vertical timber dados as required-and ‘Wunderlich’ pressed mild steel sheets. The former was used universally in the service areas whilst the latter dominated in the station masters office and the public areas of the central core. The dado was often picked out in a different patterned sheet.
The Ripponlea sub-group remained in vogue for the same period as the Mansfield sub-group, but it was limited to the metropolitan area and features a standard of accommodation similar to the Macedon sub-group. The toilets were contained within a timber parapet wall forming part of the corrugated g.i screen wall. The design varied however in treatment of the roadside platform elevations which featured an even larger gable and reduced the entrance porch to more openings in the road side bay section. The lamp room yard and store have been removed in all instances .
The St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company was formed in 1857 and ran a line from the St Kilda terminus of the Melbourne & Hobson’s Bay Railway Company to Windsor in 1859, extending it to Brighton Beach in 1861. The railway line was operated by the Melbourne & Hobson’s Bay United Railway Company from 1865 until 1878 when it was purchased by the Victorian Government. This company, initially known as the Melbourne & Hobson’s Bay Railway Company, was the most successful of the private companies and responsible for the first steam railway, from Melbourne to Sandridge in 1854. It had emerged as the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay United Railway Company in 1865 after absorbing the Melbourne Railway Company, which had purchased the Melbourne & Suburban Railway Company in 1862, and the St Kilda & Brighton Railway Company .
The railway running to Brighton and later extended to Sandringham was opened as far as Bay Street, North Brighton, on 19 December 1859. The original St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company, like many of the other suburban railway companies, seems to have been run more on optimism and the hope of increased land values than on any sound appraisal of transport needs.
In 1865 the St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company was taken over by the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay United Railway Company, but the service did not improve until 1880, when the government took it over. By 1882 duplication of the line and its extension to Sandringham were under way. This may have seemed to indicate a busier and brighter future for the line, but the government continued to see it largely as an excursion route and only provided the same service on weekdays as on weekends.
This ineffective service for businessmen was blamed for the stagnation of some areas along the line. It was felt that the lack of more frequent morning and evening services prevented the young businessmen of Melbourne from bringing their families to settle along the route. It was not until the twentieth century that the line was provided with the same frequency of service as other suburban routes, and that improvement occurred largely because it became the southern end of the Broadmeadows line. The Gardenvale railway station was not built until 1906 but the line was fully electrified by the end of 1919.
When it was built, the Brighton line was expected to carry a substantial goods load, particularly market garden produce to Melbourne, but most of the market gardeners could reach Point Nepean Road almost as easily as they could reach the railway; furthermore they wanted their produce to reach Melbourne early, but there was no early train .
History of Place:
The Ripponlea station was an addition to the Sandringham line. The railway running to Brighton and later extended to Sandringham was opened as far as North Brighton in December 1859. The line was extended to Sandringham in about 1882. The area around Glen Eira Road, east of the railway, was mostly developed from around the First World War and this was the reason for construction of the station
The original drawings for Ripponlea station are initialled and dated 1911 and further stamped 1913. There are no Contract Book records of the date of construction, cost or builder. The station was probably constructed in 1913.
The area around Glen Eira Road, east of the railway, was mostly developed from around the First World War and this was the reason for construction of a station. The Quat Quatta/Erindale Estates were subdivided in 1911 .
Ripponlea railway station belongs to the Gisborne style group of station buildings (Andrew Ward’s study). The design was developed to meet the urgent need for improved standards of accommodation at stations where existing facilities were proving inadequate. They are all over the State, but dominate in the north-western sector which was incorporated in the rail network during this style’s period of currency extending from around 1909 to the latter years of the second decade. The style has predominantly Edwardian detailing.
The signal box and corrugated iron clad lamp room/store/yard building located near Glen Eira Road have been removed.RIPPONLEA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX - Assessment Against Criteria
Criterion A
The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object.
The Ripponlea Railway Complex demonstrates the expansion of Melbourne and settlement of the inner suburbs. In particular it demonstrates the later residential infill of the area between Brighton and the city. The Railway Reserve is important as it demonstrates the way in which the railway network cut across early street grid.Criterion B
The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness.
The Ripponlea Railway Complex is a rare intact Edwardian era timber railway station. It is rare as it retains much of its internal fittings, including a variety of pressed metal ceiling designs. The Railway Reserve is important as one of only a few such reserves to have been leased by the local council and used to provide gardens for the public.Criterion C
The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage.
The Ripponlea Railway Complex is important for its potential to yield information on the changing nature of railways, locomotive technology and public transport use in VictoriaCriterion 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.
The Ripponlea Railway Complex demonstrates many of the architectural details common to the Gisborne style group of railway stationsCriterion 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 Ripponlea Railway Complex is an important, intact Edwardian era timber railway station. Later changes have been minimal and the ticket offices retain their early fittings. Wunderlich pressed metal ceilings and cornices are extant. The Railway Reserve which are leased as public gardens are of aesthetic importance as they place the railway station buildings in a picturesque context.Criterion F
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements.Criterion G
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations.Criterion H
Any other matter which the Council considers relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significanceRIPPONLEA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX - 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.
5. 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 any extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
* Regular garden maintenance.
Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original 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 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 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
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