Court House (former)
153a Pakington Street, GEELONG WEST VIC 3218 - Property No 298725
Pakington St Commercial Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
C Listed & Local Significance
The Court House has very important associations with Geelong West's civic development and it is one of the few buildings in Pakington Street Commercial Area which has such fine architectural style. Built in 1889 to the drawings of Public Works Architect, G.B.H Austin it has been designed to compliment the 1886 Post Office opposite. It is of local significance.
POLICY/RECOMMENDATIONS:
G.R.P.S.
Removal of the unsympathetic additions and restoration to the design shown in the original drawings is highly recommended.
REFERENCES
PWD Plan room, Drawing No 1. New Court House, Geelong West, GBHA, 1.12.87.
Bruce Trethowan, 'The Public Works Department of Victoria. 1851-1900. An Architectural History, Research Report, School of Architecture, University of Melbourne 1975. Vol 2. p113.
WR Brownhill, A History of Geelong and Corio Bay, Melbourne 1955, p 109.
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Court House (former) - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION
The lower section of the Court House was grossly defaced when alterations and additions were carried out. At least some of this occurred in 1939 when the building was altered for use as a library. However some of the additions have occurred later and this includes the Pakington Street verandah. As the original drawings show (see accompanying reduced microfile copy) the building has great architectural at least equal to that of the post office on the opposite side of Pakington Street (built 1886). Indeed it was designed by the same architect, GBH Austin. Austin commenced work in the Public Works Department in 1860 as a Draftsman of the State School Division. He became Assistant Architect (2ndGrade) of the Western Division.
The style is very similar to the Geelong West Post Office. This is particularly noticeable in the use of dark-red face brickwork, cement render mouldings, and the fine windows and door joinery and enframement. Similar material were used on the chimneys, however the detailing is different on each building. In both cases the hipped roof has been clad in slate. Noticeable differences include the symmetry of the design, and the prominent round arched window above the entrance to the court room which is surrounded by a pediment. These important civic buildings were designed to compliment each other.
The upper level appear to be intact and its integrity is similar to that of the Post Office. Now one hundred years old the Post Office is in excellent condition and has an excellent degree of integrity.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong Region Historic Buildings and Objects Study
Author: Allan Willingham
Year: 1986
Grading: CGreater Geelong - City of Geelong West Urban Conservation Study
Author: Huddle, Aitken and Honman
Year: 1986
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study - Restoration and Infill Guidelines
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: C
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IRON STOREVictorian Heritage Register H0742
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ST PAUL'S ANGLICAN CHURCHVictorian Heritage Register H0187
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GEELONG RAILWAY STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1604
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