FORMER STEIGLITZ COURT HOUSE
STEIGLITZ ROAD STEIGLITZ, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Steiglitz Court House was built in 1874 at a time when the town was beginning to experience a decline in population. Gold was discovered at Steiglitz in 1851 and alluvial deposits attracted large numbers to the area in the following years. A timber court house was built in 1857 to serve the community, however the prolonged period that lapsed before construction of a more permanent structure, resulted in the latter coinciding with a subsequent decrease in population. As a result, court activity ceased only a short time after this brick building was constructed. Sittings were temporarily restored in the 1890s when quartz mining increased the fortunes of the town. The last sizable mine in the area was closed in the 1940s and the population in Steiglitz continued to decline.
Steiglitz Court House is one of a large number of brick, slate-roofed court houses, constructed in Victoria from the 1860s to the 1880s. Designed in a Free Classical style, these buildings are characterised by a dominant single storey, gabled structure containing the court room, ancillary rooms to either one side or both sides, and a timber framed verandah at the front. At Steiglitz, decoration is limited to a simple arched motif in the front gable and restrained verandah detailing, with includes a lattice frieze, simple brackets and distinctive corner verandah supports composed of multiple posts.
Attributed to Samuel White and Walter Nation of the Victorian Public Works Department and built by Thomas Watts, the court house at Steiglitz is one of about nine dating from the 1870s, utilising identical plans and similar elevations, and attributed to various architects. These include Oakleigh (1870), Ballan (1872), Koroit (1872), Huntly (1873-4, H1370), Lexton (1873-4), Wahgunyah (1873-4), Lilydale (1875-6) and Avenel (1875-6), all of which were planned with ancillary rooms to one side only.
Steiglitz Court House was used for several different purposes before the National Parks Service acquired it in 1975. The building is now used as a visitors centre.
How is it significant?
Steiglitz Court House is of architectural and historical significance to the state of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Steiglitz Court House is of architectural significance as an intact and representative example of a popular type of regional court house, designed by the Public Works Department in the mid 1870s. It is an example of the restrained and economical work produced by the department under the leadership of William Wardell from 1859 to 1878.
Steiglitz Court House is of historical significance for its association with the gold rush period and the subsequent development of the colony. As one of the few remnants in this gold mining town, it illustrates the importance of the gold rush period in the development of a number of Victorian towns. As the sole remaining building, it illustrates the immediate growth that took place in the town as a result of the gold rush.
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2005]
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FORMER STEIGLITZ COURT HOUSE - History
Steiglitz Court House was built in 1874 at a time when the town was beginning to experience a decline in population. Gold was discovered at Steiglitz in 1851 and alluvial deposits attracted large numbers to the area in the following years. A timber court house was built in 1857 to serve the community, however the prolonged period that lapsed before construction of a more permanent structure, resulted in the latter coinciding with a subsequent decrease in population. As a result, court activity ceased only a short time after this brick building was constructed. Sittings were temporarily restored in the 1890s when quartz mining increased the fortunes of the town. The last sizable mine in the area was closed in the 1940s and the population in Steiglitz continued to decline.
Steiglitz Court House was used for several different purposes before the National Parks Service acquired it in 1975. The building is now used as a visitors’ centre.
The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2005. Sources were as follows:
M. Challinger. Court Houses of Victoria. Melbourne 2001
D. McIntosh and F. O’Neill. Court Houses in Victoria. A Survey. Melbourne 1991
B. Trethowan. The Public Works Department of Victoria 1851-1900. Melbourne 1975FORMER STEIGLITZ COURT HOUSE - 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. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works 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 works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and planall works shall be in accordance with it. Note:A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.
General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
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