Former Corio Distillery Complex (Cheetham P/L) including former workers houses
23 Lowe Street, CORIO VIC 3214 - Property No 282507
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Statement of Significance
A Listed - State Significance
The Cheetham Salt complex (former Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is aesthetically significant at a REGIONAL level. Although altered in some parts, the complex demonstrates several original design qualities of the interwar period. These qualities include the unpainted red brick and cement render stripped Classical building, several interwar reinforced concrete hipped and gabled, multi-storey warehouse, still house, malthouse and other outbuildings, small scale brick and horizontal weatherboard buildings, early red brick chimney stack and the two surviving, rendered interwar Bungalow houses with hipped tiled roofs, timber framed double hung windows, flat roofed project porches supported by rendered brick piers with painted brick soldier course cappings, as well as wide eaves and exposed rafters, and unpainted brick chimneys. The substantial Norfolk pine tree, avenue of trees and brick entrance piers and gates also contribute to the aesthetic significance of the place.
The Cheetham Salt complex (formerly the Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is historically significant at a STATE level. It is associated with the development of a distillery works for the Distillers' Corporation Pty Ltd, as a major contributor to employment and economic development in Geelong and more broadly, to Victoria. The complex has associations with Messrs Hare and Hare, consulting architects for its design and construction.
Overall, the Cheetham Salt complex (formerly the Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is of STATE significance.
Recommendation: It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan be carried out on the site to determine a more detailed significance of the complex, to ensure that appropriate future development is undertaken with respect to the significant fabric.
References
Our New Industry: Distillery at North Shore, Builders to be Started within Three Months, in the Geelong Advertiser, 9 April 1927.
Geelong's Industrial Progress, Auspicious Opening of Distillery at Corio, in the Geelong Advertiser 22 March 1929.
Opening of Corio Distillery: All Residents are Cordially Invited, in the Geelong Advertiser 20 March 1929.
I.Wynd, 'Corio: the Final Years', unpublished manuscript, Geelong Historical Records Centre; pp. 4-5.
Drainage Plans & Inspectors' Reports, 1978, Barwon Water Profis system
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Former Corio Distillery Complex (Cheetham P/L) including former workers houses - Physical Description 1
The Cheetham Salt site at 23A-35 Lowe Street is situated on about 22 acres and is comprised of at least 12 buildings of varying sizes and functions. An outline of some of these buildings is shown on the 1978 GWST Plain of Drainage. Early brick gate piers and gates (displaying the former Corio Distillery logo), together with an avenue of trees, forms the main entrance into the complex.
One of the main buildings is situated on the north-eastern section of the site. It is a three storey, unpainted brick and cement render, interwar Classical building characterised by its regular vertically oriented window bays (with recent tinted glazing and frames) and crowning cement rendered parapet which displays the title of the original company and occupier of the site, the Corio Distillery. Subtle protrusions and recessions on the main facade, together with the rectilinear geometry of the design, contribute to its imposing stripped Classical character.
Immediately south of the three storeyed structure is a long, reinforced concrete gabled and parapetted building (the south end is constructed of red brick). The roof is clad in lapped corrugated asbestos sheet with some zincalume. The building has rudimentary window openings with steel frames, and are located immediately below the parapets.
Other buildings on the site include a five storey, reinforced concrete, hipped and gabled malthouse with early horizontal rectangular windows (having steel frames?) and larger nine paned windows on the lower floors. A more recent addition extends to the side of this building. There are also other large, multi storey gable warehouse, spirithouse and stillhouse structures constructed of both reinforced concrete and unpainted red brick, together with small unpainted red brick and horizontal weatherboard structures with gable roofs.
A landmark feature of the site is the early brick chimney stack.
The Lowe Street frontage is characterised by two surviving, single storey, rendered, interwar Bungalows. Both houses have dominant recessed hipped tiled roofs, with wide eaves and exposed rafters, unpainted brick chimneys and timber framed double hung windows arranged singularly and in horizontal banks. One house has a minor gable that projects towards the street frontage, while the other has a projecting hip roof. This building also has a central, intact, flat roofed porch, that is supported by early rendered brick piers with painted brick soldier course cappings.Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Greater Geelong Outer Areas Heritage Study Volumes 1, 2 & 4
Author: Authentic Heritage Services Pty Ltd
Year: 2000
Grading:
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