Back to search results

Former Shamrock Hotel and Store
63 Whewell Street, NEILBOROUGH VIC 3570 - Property No 201120

All information on this page is maintained by Greater Bendigo City. Click below for their website and contact details.
Greater Bendigo City
The original Shamrock Hotel, undated, viewed from the north-east.
The original Shamrock Hotel, undated, viewed from the north-east.
The original Shamrock Hotel, undated, viewed from the north-east.
The Crapper family in front of the Shamrock before 1904, when the hotel was razed by fire.
View of the present Shamrock Hotel from the north-east. Note chimneys.
East and south elevations.
North elevation.
On this page:

Statement of Significance

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The former Shamrock Hotel and Store, built c. 1904, is located at the corner of Whewell and Miller streets, Neilborough. It is a substantial single-storey Federation-era brick building with stucco trimmings, on a broadly 'L'-shaped in plan, and with a shallow setback to both Miller and Whewell streets. Another brick wing, which may have been the original residential quarters, extends towards the south from the cavity of the 'L'. The hotel, which is built on a stone plinth, has a corner splay, and a timber posted verandah with Arts and Crafts influenced brackets, to the north and east elevations. A band of light coloured stucco runs above the verandah line. The hipped roof is clad with corrugated galvanised sheet steel, and has pairs of triangular roof vents with metal shamrocks fixed at the apex of the vents, to the north and east roof planes. There are three tall and elaborate chimneys of cement rendered brick with prominent bases and mouldings visible from the street, with a fourth less ornate chimney to the rear wing. Window openings are timber double-hung sashes. In addition to the door to the corner splay there is an opening to the east elevation which was possibly the entrance to the former store. The present building retains a number of characteristics of its 1860s timber predecessor, including an unusually tall brick chimney, corner splay, verandahs to the north and east and triangular roof vents.

How is it significant?

The former Shamrock Hotel and Store is of local historical and aesthetic/architectural significance.

Why is it significant?

The former Shamrock Hotel and Store is historically significant (Criterion A) for being associated with the site of a hotel on this corner since 1862, soon after the rush to Elysian Flat (Neilborough), which began in 1857. In the late-1850s there was a population of around 2,000 at the township and 50-60 stores. The present structure was built c. 1904 following a fire to its predecessor. It was used as a hotel and store until World War II. The former Shamrock Hotel and Store is now one of the last surviving (former) commercial buildings in the township. It was also associated with the local Crapper family, with convict antecedents, from the 1870s to the 1920s. The former Shamrock Hotel and Store is also of aesthetic/architectural significance (Criterion E). It is a large and essentially intact Federation-era building located on a prominent corner site in the township. The building is distinguished by its unusually tall and particularly elaborate chimneys. The contrasting 'blood and bandage' colouration of the brick and stucco, and the skillion-roofed verandah are characteristics of the era. The Shamrock, which replaced a fire-razed predecessor, unusually retained some characteristics of the original building, including prominent chimneys, a corner splay, verandahs to the north and east and triangular roof vents. The Shamrock was rebuilt as a hotel, store and private residence, which may also explain its substantial scale, which now appears out of proportion to the small township.

Show more
Show less

    • Physical Description 1

      Former Shamrock Hotel and Store - Physical Description 1

      The former Shamrock Hotel and Store is a substantial single-storey Federation-era brick building (c. 1904), located on a corner site in Neilborough. The building has a shallow open setback to both Miller and Whewell streets. The building appears in good condition and externally is predominantly intact as built. The property is now used as a private residence. It is interesting to note that the present building retains a number of characteristics of its 1860s timber predecessor, including an unusually tall brick chimney, a corner splay, verandahs to the north and east and triangular roof vents (see page 1).

      The single-storeyed former hotel and store, broadly L-shaped in plan, is built of red brick with stucco trimmings. An additional brick wing, set back from Whewell Street, extends towards the south from the cavity of the 'L'. It is possible that the rear wing was the original residential quarters. The hotel, which is built on a stone plinth, has a corner splay, and timber posted verandah to Miller and Whewell streets (north and east respectively). The verandah posts have Arts and Crafts influenced brackets; there is a band of light coloured stucco above the verandah line on the north and east elevations. The hipped roof is clad with corrugated galvanised sheet steel, which appears to be recent. The ridges and stamped finials are galvanised steel. There are two triangular roof vents to the north and east elevations. Small green-painted metal shamrocks are fixed at the apex of the vents, a reference to the building's name. Three tall and elaborate chimneys are visible from the street, with a fourth, far less ornate to the rear wing. The detailing of the chimney to the rear wing suggests that it may be a remnant of the original 1860s Shamrock Hotel. The three chimneys visible in the street are of cement rendered brick with prominent bases and moulding of two rolled edges tapering to the stacks. The stacks, which comprise panels of face brick with cement rendered surrounds, are surmounted by pronounced moulded cornices and a concave summit topped with an additional cornice. The window openings are timber double-hung sashes with a single pane to each sash and sloping window sills. Aside from the door to the corner splay there is an opening to the east elevation, possibly the entrance to the former store. There is a timber bay window, with three facets, to the south elevation of the hotel. The date of this apparently domestic modification is not known. A metal picket fence is located to the south of the site, with a modern metal fence to the north, topped with lattice work strip, evoking the details and Edwardian era 'blood and bandage' colours of the hotel.

      Modern structures include a large water tank and modern steel-clad garage (in a 'barn' style) to the south of the site.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Greater Bendigo - Heritage Policy Citations Review

      Author: Lovell Chen P/L
      Year: 2011
      Grading: Local

Public contributions

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 - >