Back to search results

Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp
Lyons Street and Melbourne Road WILLIAMSTOWN, Hobsons Bay City
Government Survey Heritage Precinct

All information on this page is maintained by Hobsons Bay City. Click below for their website and contact details.
Hobsons Bay City
Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
On this page:

Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

The Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve, established between c.1885 and 1940, between Lyons Street and Melbourne Road, Williamstown.

How is it Significant?

The Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve is of local historic, social and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobson's Bay.

Why is it Significant?

Historically, it is one of three of the first public reserves established in Williamstown during the nineteenth century and is an integral part of the Government Survey Plan. The remnant mature trees including the Aleppo and Canary Island Pines illustrate the initial period of development of the Reserve as a formal garden, while the later sporting pavilions illustrate the transformation to a place of active rather than passive recreation during the early twentieth century. It has strong associations with the development of early sporting clubs and recreation in the city and is highly valued by the local community. The HR Maclean memorial is important for its associations with an important early citizen of Williamstown. (AHC criteria A4, D2, G1 and H1)

Aesthetically, while the original formal Victorian and Edwardian character of the reserve is diminished, the surviving original or early features such as the asphalt dividing path and other remnant pathways, remnant significant trees, sporting pavilions, the Maclean memorial and the rare Coronation Lamp nonetheless enable the early development of the reserve to be interpreted and understood. (AHC criteria B2, E1 and F1)

Show more
Show less

    • Physical Description 1

      Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp - Physical Description 1

      The exact origins of the design of the Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve are unknown. It is possible that the Bowling Club's green and pavilion were inserted into an existing garden, but whether the designer had to make room and adjust an existing design to accommodate the Bowlers, or whether the design was a completely new one, the plan as originally conceived was a masterly solution to a difficult site and problem.

      It had, if it was a design totally of the 1880s, an old-fashioned flavour, part of the garden being geometric or formal, the other natural or informal. This echoes the Victorian concept of having geometry (artificiality) near a house, with the more informal (nature) further away. In this case the green and pavilion are set in a formal area. The designer realistically accepted the need for a walk directly across the park (it is shown as asphalted on the plan while the other paths are soft surfaced). This makes a natural break in the right place for the crossing path and allows the gardens beyond to take another character without falseness. [H1]

      However, extensions to the original Mens Bowling Club and the additions of the other sporting clubs and the senior citizens centre over the years significantly changed the original Victorian character of the Reserve with its formal and informal elements to a less-designed and somewhat disparate Edwardian parkland character.

      Significant surviving elements, which illustrate the development of the Reserve and are related to or compatible with the Victorian and Edwardian-era character includes:

      - The remnant mature trees including the Aleppo and Canary Island Pines, Canary Island Palms, Monterey Cypress, English Elms and Pepper Trees, which possibly date from the early period of development during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries.

      - The northernmost green of the Men's Bowling Club as shown in the 1894 MMBW Plan, and the Pavilion originally dating from 1913. The Pavilion has been significantly altered, but still retains a (new) terracotta gabled roof, minus the gablets shown in early photographs (refer Elsum)

      - The Edwardian-era Ladies Bowling Club Pavilion.

      - The central pathway leading across the Reserve between the two bowling greens, which may be the only surviving remnant of the original path system (further detailed research is required to establish this)

      - The HR Maclean memorial.

      Visually intrusive elements include the Tennis Pavilion and Senior Citizens centre, and landscaping and furniture treatments such as treated pine fencing that are unrelated to or incompatible with the Victorian or Edwardian character.

      Integrity

      Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp - Integrity

      Integrity and condition

      Integrity - Poor to Moderate. Condition - Fair

      Physical Description 2

      Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp - Physical Description 2

      Context

      The Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve is one of the original reserves set aside by the Government Survey Plan for Williamstown, which are generally irregular shaped parcels of land created by the intersections of the various street grids.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp - Historical Australian Themes

      Developing Cultural Institutions and Ways of Life

      Physical Description 3

      Dennis (Lyons Street) Reserve and Coronation Lamp - Physical Description 3

      Associations

      City of Williamstown

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study

      Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
      Year: 2006
      Grading:

  • Notes See all notes

    Early Action at Dennis Reserve (Lyons Street) Williamstown

    05/12/18

    21st May 1870 - Williamstown Chronicle Cr. Clough moved that application be made to the Commissioner of Lands for a portion of the money voted for fencing ornamental reserves to be applied to fencing the reserve between Lyons- street and the Melbourne Road.

Public contributions

Notes See all notes

Early Action at Dennis Reserve (Lyons Street) Williamstown

05/12/18

21st May 1870 - Williamstown Chronicle Cr. Clough moved that application be made to the Commissioner of Lands for a portion of the money voted for fencing ornamental reserves to be applied to fencing the reserve between Lyons- street and the Melbourne Road.

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
Timeline browser

< to 1849
< - 1849
1850 to 1879
1850 - 1879
1880 to 1909
1880 - 1909
1910 to 1939
1910 - 1939
1940 to 1969
1940 - 1969
1970 to 1999
1970 - 1999
2000 to >
2000 - >