Wanganella (formerly St. John's Wood)
8 Aird Street CAMBERWELL, Boroondara City
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Statement of Significance
Architecturally, one of four Camberwell houses from the early Victorian period which possess open cement colonnaded terraces attached to a conservative Renaissance revival base also a near original and successful early use of the Italian manner, more impressive given its distance from a major township: of state importance.
Historically, linked for a decade with the renowned pastoralist and merino sheep' breeding Peppin family but otherwise, with its distinctive scale and orientation, is a visible reminder of the first wave of house' building in Camberwell: of local importance and regional interest.
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Wanganella (formerly St. John's Wood) - Physical Description 1
Today locked in by subdivision, the house bravely faces riversdale road and a dozen or so villas between. The house's entrance faces the former Peppin Street driveway whilst the formidable iron carriage gates (once in Peppin Street) now face Aird.
In the tradition of Camberwell's large homes of the 18605 -1870s the house is parapeted (part), two-storey, stuccoed and has a Doric order colonnade. A distinctive aspect of this colonnade is that it supports an open, balustraded terrace, with connotations of Tara (1859) and its contemporary, Dr. Fitzgerald's house (Rostella), both designed by architect, J. M. Barry. As a trio, these are all grand houses, styled after the Italian Renaissance manner, which are surprisingly substantial given their distance from Melbourne and their early construction dates.
St. John's Wood foregoes the pronounced symmetry of its north elevation, with a two-level room bay on the west, which adjoins a one-level porch, with an inaccessible balustraded terrace. A lofty hall, set behind this porch, has a stair which ascends to the south immediately at the doorway, suggesting that the stair may have been once approached from a different direction. The grand north colonnade appears more suited to cover a central entrance, although the existence of the two large dining and drawing rooms across the front does not support this. A minor entrance to the dining room has been provided onto the verandah presumably for after dinner smoking. Another internal anomaly is the narrow width of the hallway which divides the bedrooms on the upper level.
The main M-hip roof line of the house falls to a deep protruding eaves line, with paired brackets and a cornice moulding, but the western room bay attempts this symmetry, needing a balustraded parapet to screen the change in roof line. A similar device is used over a much shallower bay set into the north facade.
Other comparable examples include Oberwyl, St.Kilda and Merchiston Halt Geelong (1856).
Wanganella (formerly St. John's Wood) - Integrity
Generally externally original, excepting alterations to the rear former servants wing and replacement of the verandah's timber floors; the basalt fence to Aird Street is inappropriate.
Internally, folding doors have been removed, new cornices and ceiling roses installed.
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - Camberwell Conservation Study
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: A
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FORMER ES&A BANKVictorian Heritage Register H0534
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FORMER ROBIN BOYD HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0879
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CAMBERWELL COURT HOUSE AND POLICE STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1194
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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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