Upper Skene Street
1-63 Upper Skene Street NEWTOWN, GREATER GEELONG CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
The Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct, 1-63 Upper Skene Street, Newtown, has significance as a predominantly intact grouping of interwar era Bungalows, and to a lesser degree, Late Victorian and Edwardian styled dwellings. These houses reflect the evolution of the street from the late 1890s until the 1940s. Until the interwar period, the street largely remained a rural residential area, with only 11 dwellings on the south side of the street until c.1915. These houses were built from the 1850s following the broad subdivision of the area and the creation of Upper Skene Street. No fabric of the mid 19th century survives. The area is primarily identified by detached, single storey, modestly-scaled dwellings on separate allotments. The majority have hipped/and or gabled roof forms, front verandahs, corrugated sheet metal roof cladding, timber weatherboard wall cladding, timber framed windows and doors, chimneys and detailing applicable to their era and style. There are a smaller number of houses with tiled roofs and brick wall construction (either face brick or with a rendered finish). The dwellings have elevated locations from the street boundaries, a consequence of the steeply-sloping topography of the area. Contributing to the significance of the place is the regular, rectangular allotment pattern, regular front setbacks with garden settings, narrower side setbacks with side driveways, and mainly recessive garaging. In 2016, the character and appearance of the streetscape is enhanced by the avenue of alternating Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box) and Corymbia ficifolia (West Australian Flowering Gum street trees. While planted in the c.1960s (being outside the significant era of development for the area), they reflect the evolution of change in tree plantings, with Upper Skene Street having been characterised by an avenue of trees since the interwar period.
How is it significant?
The Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct, Newtown, is historically and aesthetically significant at a LOCAL level.
Why is it significant?
The Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct is historically significant as a tangible legacy of residential progress in this part of Newtown between the 1890s and the 1940s (Criteria A & H). Initially developed from broad subdivisions in the early 1850s, the street formed part of a predominantly rural residential area until the interwar period. Only 11 dwellings had been built until c.1915, being very modest and of timber or brick construction. At 33 Upper Skene Street, the brick dwelling built in the 1860s was the home of Thomas Wentworth Wills between 1870 and 1878. Wills was a notable amateur cricketer who coached the first Australian Eleven all-Aboriginal cricket team in England in 1868. He was also one of the pioneers of Australian Rules Football, and played over 210 games, mainly with Geelong, retiring in 1876. No physical evidence of Wills' dwelling survives. More tangible are the associations with the professional and primarily the working class as illustrated in the existing houses. The earliest, 11 and 13 Upper Skene Street were first owned by the wheelwright, Charles Wilks. Homes built in the Federation period at 45 and 63 Upper Skene Street were for Miss Kate Adcock, of independent means, and Abram Dower, engine driver. They were constructed on the 'Newtown Tram Estate', a subdivision of Henry King's 'Sunnyside' property in 1912. However, the greatest transformation of Upper Skene Street came during the interwar period. It resulted in part from additional subdivisions of larger landholdings, including the late Mrs McQueen's property in 1928 (subdivided as the 'McQueen Estate'). The transformation also resulted from the need for modest, affordable housing. Several of the dwellings were built for returned soldiers, including those at 9 Upper Skene Street (for Valentine Curtis, in 1927), 39 Upper Skene Street (for Matthew Foggo, labourer, in 1923), 43 Upper Skene Street (for Frederick Gavin, plumber in 1924) and 57 Upper Skene Street (for Laurence Willy in 1926 - he named the house 'Baillieul', after the Casualty Clearing Station at Baillieul, France, where he had been evacuated after being wounded in action). Several other houses have associations with businessmen and professionals. They included those at 23 Upper Skene Street (Bruce Mills, accountant and Geelong Football Club footballer, in 1930), 25 Upper Skene Street (for Allan Shrimpton, clerk and Tourist Bureau Proprietor, in 1931), 29 Upper Skene Street (for Walter Hooper chemist, in 1931), 27 Upper Skene Street (for Laurie Brooke-Ward, clerk, in 1937), 41 Upper Skene Street (for William Walker, grocer, in 1930), 7 Upper Skene Street (for Lewis Campbell Dunoon, accountant, in 1933), 3 Upper Skene Street (for Godfrey Hirst junior, woollen manufacturer, in 1934) and 5 Upper Skene Street (for Lionel Walter, long-serving Town Clerk of the Geelong City Council). The precinct also has associations with several local builders, and particularly John Henry Godfrey (Harry) Denno (who built five dwellings in Upper Skene Street between 1925 and 1941), and M.J. Denno and H.S. Johnston.
The Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct has aesthetic significance as a demonstration of original Late Victorian, Federation and interwar era design qualities as expressed in the existing, predominantly intact grouping of dwellings (Criterion D). The modest scale, conventional designs and detailing clearly reflect the eras within which they were constructed, with most being predominantly intact. At the west end of the precinct is a grouping of four, gabled timber Bungalows of similar design and detailing (including paired verandah posts), the work of Harry Denno. The hipped interwar Bungalow at 41 Upper Skene Street is a contextually substantial example of its type, while 'Chetwynd' at 5 Upper Skene Street is an locally unusual Bungalow type, being an Old English styled brick dwelling. The dwelling at 59 Upper Skene Street, of more conventional design, might be reflective of a State Savings Bank design concept. Architecturally, the grouping of primarily interwar Bungalows (with a lesser number of Late Victorian and Federation era dwellings) is comparable to other heritage precincts in Greater Geelong, including parts of the Aberdeen, George and Skene Streets Heritage Area (Newtown), Eyre Heritage Area (Newtown), Mercers Hill Heritage Area (Newtown), parts of the Newtown West Heritage Area (Newtown) and Kardinia Heritage Area (Belmont).
SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPONENTS
Contributory Significance
These places make an important contribution to an understanding of the historical evolution and aesthetic character of the Upper Skene Street precinct, being representative examples of development in the important period between the late 1890s and 1940s:
* 3 Upper Skene Street.
* 5 Upper Skene Street.
* 7 Upper Skene Street.
* 9 Upper Skene Street.
* 11 Upper Skene Street.
* 13 Upper Skene Street.
* 19 Upper Skene Street.
* 23 Upper Skene Street.
* 25 Upper Skene Street.
* 27 Upper Skene Street.
* 31 Upper Skene Street.
* 37 Upper Skene Street.
* 39 Upper Skene Street.
* 41 Upper Skene Street.
* 45 Upper Skene Street.
* 47 Upper Skene Street.
* 51 Upper Skene Street.
* 55 Upper Skene Street.
* 57 Upper Skene Street.
* 59 Upper Skene Street.
* 61 Upper Skene Street.
* 63 Upper Skene Street.
Conservation Desirable
These places been noticeably altered to public view and therefore they do not meet the threshold for contributory significance. However, some original design qualities and historical associations to the precinct are discernible and of interest:
* 21 Upper Skene Street.
* 35 Upper Skene Street.
* 53 Upper Skene Street.
Non Significant
These places have been greatly altered (their original designs not being immediately discernible) or they do not relate to the significant era of building development of the Newtown West Heritage Precinct between the late 1890s and 1940s:
* 1 Upper Skene Street.
* 15 Upper Skene Street.
* 17 Upper Skene Street.
* 29 Upper Skene Street.
* 33 Upper Skene Street.
* 43 Upper Skene Street (interwar era dwelling demolished 2016).
* 1,2,3/49 Upper Skene Street.
Precinct Map
The following precinct map shows the boundaries of the proposed Newtown West Heritage Precinct.
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Upper Skene Street - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION:
Precinct Boundaries (see plan above)
The precinct comprises the properties on the south side of Upper Skene Street (1-63 Upper Skene Street).
Subdivision Layout & Urban Design
The Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct is defined by regular, rectangular, residential allotments. Most properties are on sloping land, being more elevated towards the rear. Apart from 1 Upper Skene Street, all of the properties are set back from the front boundaries. The dwellings at 3-9 and 19-31 Upper Skene Street have similar, contextually generous front setbacks, the remainder of the houses having slightly shallower setbacks. All of the properties fronting the south side of Upper Skene Street have narrower side setbacks with side driveways.Building Fabric
Dwellings
The south side of Upper Skene Street is primarily identified by detached, single storey, modestly-scaled dwellings on separate allotments. Only the site at 49 Upper Skene Street has three units (built 1972-73) on the one site. Of the 34 dwellings, 29 are single storey, the balance being two storey. At 1 and 37 Upper Skene Street are recessive two storey additions, while the two storey additions at 35 Upper Skene Street are more prominent. At 15 and 17 Upper Skene Street are purpose-built two storey dwellings(built in the 1960s), but they are set into the ground and are therefore no higher than the neighbouring single storey interwar Bungalow at 19 Upper Skene Street. Given the sloping topography of the precinct, the majority of the dwellings are elevated from the street level.The south side of Upper Skene Street is especially defined by interwar Bungalow styled dwellings, and to a lesser degree, Late Victorian and Federation styled houses. The majority have hipped/and or gabled roof forms, front verandahs, corrugated sheet metal roof cladding, timber weatherboard wall cladding, timber framed windows and doors, chimneys and detailing applicable to their era and style. There are a smaller number of houses with tiled roofs and brick wall construction (either face brick or with a rendered finish).
Victorian Dwellings
There are three Late Victorian styled dwellings in the precinct. The earliest is 'Meran', 11 Upper Skene Street (built c.1899), being typical of Late Victorian design, having hipped roof forms, symmetrical composition, narrow eaves with paired timber brackets, prominent brick chimneys, front post-supported verandah with cast iron valances and brackets, central front timber door with sidelights, and flanking timber framed double hung windows. Overall, the dwelling appears to be predominantly intact.At 35 Upper Skene Street, the front single storey hipped roofed portion of the timber dwelling reflects a Victorian design. There is a front, hipped, post-supported bullnosed verandah, the detailing (including the timber fretwork and brackets) being original to its construction at this site in 1917. On the east side are external chimney breasts and shafts (now overpainted) which might suggest that the house has been relocated to this site in 1917. Other early features include the central front timber framed door opening and the flanking timber framed double hung windows. At the rear are substantial two storey hipped roofed additions.
The timber dwelling at 13 Upper Skene Street earlier known as "Aireys" and "Till-Amook" represents a later and more complex example of the Late Victorian style. It has a principal hipped roof form together with projecting gables and the front and east side, connected by a return post-supported verandah. The roof is clad in corrugated sheet metal and the modest eaves have timber brackets with panelling between. There are prominent brick chimneys. There is an early timber framed double hung tripartite window in the front gable end and early timber framed doorways. The verandah posts appear to have replaced original posts (with associated fretwork and brackets). At the rear are single storey additions in keeping with the design of the dwelling. Overall, the dwelling appears to be moderately intact.
Federation era dwellings
At the west end of the precinct are two timber Edwardian styled dwelling at 45 and 63 Upper Skene Street. Both have steeply pitched hipped roof forms with projecting minor gables at the front, and front post-supported timber verandahs. The roofs are clad in corrugated sheet metal, narrow eaves. The dwelling at 63 Upper Skene Street has original brick chimneys with corbelled tops while at 45 Upper Skene Street the original chimney is missing. Both dwellings also feature timber framed double hung windows, front timber framed doorways and gable infill. At 45 Upper Skene Street, the dwelling has a hipped front verandah supported by timber posts with fretwork and balustrading that appears to have replaced the original fabric. There is also a recent timber floor. At 63 Upper Skene Street, there is a bullnosed verandah with what appears to be early turned timber posts and timber fretwork valance. The dwelling at 45 Upper Skene Street appears to be moderately intact, while the house at 63 Upper Skene Street appears to be predominantly intact (this dwelling is largely obscured by vegetation from the street).
Interwar Era Dwellings
The substantial majority of dwellings in the Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct are of an interwar Bungalow style. Within this stylistic type are variations in compositions and detailing. Broad eaves, timber framed double hung windows (arranged singularly, in banks of three or as projecting bays), timber framed front door openings with timber and glazed front doors (as double doors or as single doors with sidelights), standard brick rectangular chimneys, flat-roofed window hoods and gable infill (timber shingling, battening and panelling and/or timber ventilators) are the common interwar era details. Other typical details include brick verandah piers, balustrades and steps, a combination of brick verandah piers with cappings and squat concrete columns or posts, small timber gab;e brackets, and small leadlighted windows in the front porches.The earliest Bungalow type includes the dwellings at 51-57 Upper Skene Street. They have principal gabled roof forms with projecting front verandah gables supported by paired timber posts. The dwellings at 55 and 57 Upper Skene Street also feature timber fretwork between the posts and timber brackets (these details might have been replaced at 51 and 53 Upper Skene Street, the verandah of the latter being partly altered with a garage extension).
Variations within this type (which have a main gabled roof form with minor projecting front gabled wings) include the dwellings at 3 Upper Skene Street (this dwelling also has a broadly projecting front skillion verandah); 9 Upper Skene Street (this dwelling as a main gabled roof with two minor gables project at the front, the larger being the verandah); 37 Upper Skene Street) of similar composition and verandah detailing as the dwellings at 55-57 Upper Skene Street, but with brick piers (now rendered) and squat timber posts. At 39 Upper Skene Street, the front verandah gable is supported by elongated piers with posts above, and the dwelling features a faceted bay window with leadlighted highlights. At 43 Upper Skene Street, there were main and minor gabled roofs with a front flat verandah (this verandah having been removed and replaced with a modest gabled addition).
Another common type of Bungalow in Upper Skene Street features a main gabled roof form that traverses the site, together with a minor gabled wing that projects towards the front. There are variations within this type. Examples include the dwellings at 7, 19, and 47 Upper Skene Street.
A contextually unusual example of this Bungalow type in Upper Skene Street is the face brick, Old Englished styled dwelling, "Chetwynd", at 5 Upper Skene Street. It has a main gabled roof form that traverses the site, projecting gabled wing and gabled entrance portico at the front, brick wall construction, tiled roof cladding, faceted bay window, timber framed and glazed front doors, skillion attic dormer, timber framed double hung windows (with fixed central lights and diamond leadlighting in the upper sashes), chimney and bracketed lancet ventilators in the gable ends.
Another Bungalow type in Upper Skene Street is the hipped version. These dwellings largely have a principal hipped roof form with a projecting minor front hipped wing, either centrally located at to one side. They also represent the later examples of Bungalows in the precinct. Predominantly intact examples include the dwelling at 23 Upper Skene Street (featuring a central front hipped roof porch supported by brick piers); 25 Upper Skene Street (composed with a main hipped roof, front minor hipped wing and front flat-roofed post-supported verandah with early timber brackets); 27 Upper Skene Street (this dwelling as a minor gambrel roof form and a front minor hipped wing and verandah, with brick piers and paired squat verandah columns); and 41 Upper Skene Street (a contextually substantial example of the type, having hipped roofs and a return broken back verandah formed under the main roof, and face brick and rendered verandah piers and balustrades with rendered cappings).
There are also hipped Bungalow examples that have an affinity with standard State Savings Bank designs of the 1930s (where the Bank's standard designs were used as part of a credit foncier scheme). The dwelling at 59 Upper Skene Street, built 1938 with a mortgage from the State Savings Bank of Victoria, is similar (but not identical) to the Bank's "Design C.F.10" and "H.20 schemes", with its main recessive hipped roof and projecting minor hipped wing dominated at the front by a brick chimney (access being from a side porch). Other dwellings that have a familiarity with the Bank's standard designs but were not built as part of the Bank's credit foncier schemes are the dwellings at 31 Upper Skene Street (it has tiled hipped roof and rendered brick dwelling that is similar to the Bank's "B4" concept) and 61 Upper Skene Street (the dwelling has a main hipped roof form with projecting minor hipped wing, a porch being formed in the front corner, similar to the Bank's "T.7" design of 1938).
Later Dwellings
Within the precinct are a small number of dwellings built after the 1940s. They are:* 15 Upper Skene Street.
* 17 Upper Skene Street.
* 33 Upper Skene Street.
* 1, 2, 3/49 Upper Skene Street.Garages and Carports
Most garages and carports within the Upper Skene Street Heritage Precinct are located at the rear or recessive at the sides of the dwellings. They are largely hipped and/or gabled in form and constructed in brick, timber and corrugated sheet metal, with either corrugated sheet metal or tiled roof cladding. No original outbuildings are known to survive. Lesser in numbers are the introduced carports and garages that project forward of the dwellings and/or have been incorporated into the front facades. Examples include those at 1, 3, 19, and 53 Upper Skene Street.Private Landscaping
The properties on the south side of Upper Skene Street have slightly elevated front settings. There are predominantly open grassed areas with garden beds and trees (ranging in size, maturity and species), pedestrian paths and side concrete driveways.
Front Fencing
The front fencing in the street varies in height and construction. Most of the fences are visually permeable, vertically oriented and constructed of timber pickets (pointed or capped), timber post and woven wire, or low brick, stone or other masonry. At 5 Upper Skene Street is a low hedge. The only early front fence that survives is the low brick fence at 31 Upper Skene Street. The fences range in height from approximately 800 mm to 1800 mm, with most being within the range of 1200-1300 mm. More intrusive are the high, brick and rendered brick walls on the front boundaries. On the whole, given the sloping topography of the sites, there is some visibility of most of the dwellings due to their elevated locations.Street Infrastructure
Upper Skene Street is defined by concrete kerbs and channels, narrow grassed nature strips and concrete footpaths. The streetscape is especially characterised by alternating plantings of Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box) and Corymbia ficifolia (West Australian Flowering Gums.
Integrity
The Newtown West Heritage Precinct includes 34 sites. Of this total, 22 properties contribute to the historical, architectural and/or aesthetic heritage values of the precinct. There are also four places that have been altered but where the early designs and historical contribution to the precinct is discernible. The precinct is therefore of moderate-high integrity. Individually, most of the Victorian, Federation and interwar era dwellings are either predominantly intact or moderately intact. The majority of additions have been carried out at the rear, allowing the original design qualities to be retained at the front.Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Newtown West Heritage Review 2016
Author: D. Rowe & W. Jacobs
Year: 2016
Grading:
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THE HEIGHTSVictorian Heritage Register H0429
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FORMER SHEARERS ARMS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0661
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SACRED HEART CONVENT AND COLLEGEVictorian Heritage Register H0555
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