Australian Paper Mills Boiler House
626 Heidelberg Road, ALPHINGTON VIC 3078 - Property No 270870
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Statement of Significance
The following wording is from the Allom and Lovell Building Citation, 1998 for the property. Please note that this is a "Building Citation", not a "Statement of Significance". For further information refer to the Building Citation held by the City of Yarra.
History:
The Australian Paper Mills Co. (APM) was established in 1895, originally located on the site of what is now Southbank. The company expanded, with its main mills in Melbourne and Geelong. In August 1918 land for a new board mill was purchased in Fairfield, comprising 23 acres (9.3 hectares), which had the advantages of river frontage and proximity to the railway line. The site, previously a part of the Woodlands Estate, cost ₤14,800. Construction on the building began in 1919, taking two years and using 1,200,000 bricks. The building was opened by the Chief Justice of Victoria, Sir William Irvine, on 31 August 1921.
The General Manager of APM, Robert Gray, travelled to America to purchase equipment for the new factory, which was able to manufacture paperboard of 244cm in width at a speed of 150 feet (460 metres) a minute. The completed factory manufactured container board, ticket board, manila, chip board and varieties of wood pulp board.
The Boiler House-built to contain boilers and turbines-was constructed in 1954. The building was designed by Mussen, Mackay & Potter: Mackay was the architect, whilst Mussen and Potter were the engineers. Norman Mussen was the son of Gerald Mussen, a financial journalist and a consultant to Amalgamated Zinc (Development Bavays) Ltd (AZ Ltd), who was involved in APM's moves to establish eucalyptus plantations for pulp in Tasmania in the 1930s.
The curtain walling cladding the five-storey building is one of the earliest examples of the technique known in Victoria. The earliest buildings incorporating curtain walling were the Cheseborough building in Clayton (Hugh Peck & Associates; 1953), which had a curtain walled staircase; the Shell Refinery, Corio (Buchan Laird & Buchan; 1953), which had a two storey curtain wall; Wilson Hall at the University of Melbourne (Bates Smart & McCutcheon; 1953); the administration block for Kirstall-Repco at Clayton (Hassell & McConnell; 1954); and the Coring Implements factory (Frank Heath; 1954).
Description:
The APM Boiler House is a large curtain-walled building approximately square in plan, rising to a height of five storeys. The panes of glass are vertical in proportion, and have metal frames. At the upper level of the west facade are a pair of loading doors beneath a cantilevered block and tackle hoisting beam. Rising above the building is a large circular flue, attached to the building at the south end is a cream brick services core.
Significance:
The Australian Paper Mills Boiler House is of state technological and architectural significance. The building employs one of earliest known examples of curtain walling in Melbourne, and is distinguished by the extent of the curtain walling, which is equivalent in height to a four or five storey building.
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Australian Paper Mills Boiler House - Physical Description 2
RAIA 20th century register
Australian Paper Mills Boiler House - Physical Description 1
The APM Boiler House is a large curtain-walled building approximately square in plan, rising to a height of five storeys. The panes of glass are vertical in proportion, and have metal frames. At the upper level of the west fa¦ade are a pair of loading doors beneath a cantilevered block and tackle hoisting beam. Rising above the building is a large circular flue, attached to the building at the south end is a cream brick services core.
Australian Paper Mills Boiler House - Integrity
Good
Heritage Study and Grading
Yarra - Northcote Urban Conservation Study
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 1982
Grading:Yarra - City of Yarra Heritage Review
Author: Allom Lovell & Associates
Year: 1998
Grading: LocalYarra - City of Yarra Review of Heritage Overlay Areas
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 2007
Grading: Local
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WALLER HOUSE AND COLLECTIONVictorian Heritage Register H0617
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CHANDLER HIGHWAY BRIDGEVictorian Heritage Register H2354
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FULHAM GRANGE STATION [OUTER CIRCLE LINE], FAIRFIELDVictorian Heritage Inventory
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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'Aqua Profonda' sign wall sign, Fitzroy Swimming PoolYarra City H1687
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1 Campbell StreetYarra City
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