Brian Boru Hotel (former)
208A Moorabool Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 216426
Geelong Commercial Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
C listed - Local significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The former Brian Boru Hotel building, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, Geelong, has significance as an example of a mid 19th century hotel (albeit altered), reflecting the prosperity and development of the city at that time. Built initially in 1851, with later additions/alterations in 1918, the building is also significant as an example of a rudimentary Victorian commercial style and appears to be in good/fair condition when viewed from the street.
The former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. Although altered, it still demonstrates some design qualities of a rudimentary Victorian commercial style. These qualities include the simple crowning parapet (with incised rectangular panel and flanking square plates), hipped galvanised corrugated steel roof forms, three bayed composition of segmentally arched window openings on the first floor, timber framed double hung windows, masonry quoinwork, and the keystones above the first floor windows. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the symmetrical composition, two storey height, rendered brick wall construction, unpainted red brick chimney with two terra cotta pots, two bayed ground floor shopfront composition with highlight windows and the ingo on the northern shopfront, and the rear first floor window and door openings.
The former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with hotel developments in central Geelong in the mid 19th century, during the growth and prosperity of the town at the time of the Victorian goldrush. In particular, the building has associations with John Hurley, original owner and hotelier from 1851 when it appears to have been constructed. Major alterations were carried out in 1918.
Overall, the former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is of LOCAL significance.
REFERENCES
Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1918.
Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Geelong City Council Rate Books (Kardinia Ward), 1890-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Geelong City Council Valuation Books (Kardinia Ward), 1854-1890, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Geelong Town Plan 1858, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Investigator, Journal of the Geelong Historical Society, September, 1974, and March, 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Morrow, W.J., Index to the Geelong Advertiser, 1840-1849, and 1900-1939, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Morrow, W.J., and Wynd, I., Geelong Hotels and their Licences, 1996, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Huddle, L., Architects in Geelong in the 1840s and 1850s, Volume 1., Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Huddle, L., Source Notes for Architects in Geelong 1840-1860, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
The Pivot Tree No. 38, Magazine of the Geelong Family History Group, July, 1993.
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Brian Boru Hotel (former) - Physical Description 2
Description
The former Brian Boru Hotel building, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, Geelong, is set in the commercial centre of the city. The building takes up the full width of the site and abuts the front boundary.
The symmetrical, two storey, rendered brick, rudimentary Victorian commercial styled former Brian Boru Hotel building is characterised by a simple crowning parapet (with incised rectangular panel and flanking square plates) having a hipped galvanised corrugated steel roof form and double hipped (M) roof forms beyond, and a three bayed composition of early segmentally arched window openings on the first floor. There is also an early (but not original) unpainted red brick chimney to one side that has two terra cotta pots, and a more recent galvanised stack in a central location behind the parapet.
Other early features of the design include the masonry quoinwork about the building corners, and the plain keystones that adorn the first floor window arches. The timber framed double hung windows on the first floor are early but not original.
Separating the ground from the first floors is an introduced cantilevering verandah. Below the verandah is an altered two bayed shopfront. The northern shopfront with its metal framed and glazed windows, ingo and leadlight highlights may date from the early 20th century, although part of the highlights appear to have been recently blocked up. There is also an introduced timber framed and glazed door. The southern shopfront has more recently been altered and has aluminium framed windows and doors, although there is part of the early 20th century highlights above. The ground floor piers supporting the building also have altered finishes.
At the rear the main building has a plain recently-painted brick wall punctuated by service pipes. There are early first floor window openings with introduced windows, and a blocked up early central door opening. The single storey brick wing at the rear appears to have been introduced.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volumes 2-5
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study Volume 1
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1993
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City 'C' Citations Study
Author: Dr David Rowe
Year: 2002
Grading:
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FORMER GEELONG WOOL EXCHANGEVictorian Heritage Register H0622
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FORMER SCOTTISH CHIEFS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0662
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GEELONG TOWN HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0184
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