Former Geelong Cement First Head Office
180 McCurdy Road, FYANSFORD VIC 3221 - Property No 301245
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
B Listing - Regional Significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE - Head Office
The first Geelong Cement Head Office, constructed in 1923 it is aesthetically significant at a Regional level for the relatively rare use of the Interwar Georgian Revival style for commercial building. This includes the form, materials and encircling 'colonial' verandah supported by concrete columns and fence.
It is historically significant at a Regional level for its association with the production of cement in Geelong for over 100 years, and its status as the first purpose built concrete commercial interwar Georgian Revival head office for this company.
It is scientifically significant at a Local level for its unusual external and internal concrete construction.
Overall, the first Geelong Cement Head Office and fence at 180 McCurdy Road is of Regional Significance.
Recommendation:
That a Conservation Management Plan be carried out on the site, and comparative analysis with similar sites in Victoria.
REFERENCES
1.Historical Information from the Cement Works Museum.
2. Shire of Corio Rate Books.
3. Investigator magazine.
4. Geelong Advertiser.
5. Geelong Waterworks & Sewerage Trust Maps, Barwon Water.
6. John McNeill, A Journey to Destiny 1890 - 1990, 100 years of cement manufacturing at Fyansford, Australian Cement Limited, p41
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE - Processing Plant
The Geelong Cement Processing Plant at Fyansford is scientifically significant at a Regional level for its potential to yield evidence in the form of archaeological deposits which are likely to contain evidence of technological value with particular regard to the former processing plant and of changes to the cement making processes and machinery, over a period of 100 years.
It is historically significant at a Regional level for its association with Fyansford and Geelong communities in the production of cement in one of Geelong's oldest and largest industrial plants, for over 100 years,. It is also significant for its evolution of the production of Portland cement of one hundred years. The cement works has been integrally related to one of Geelong's most pioneering industrial families, the McCann family business, since they purchased it in 1888. From 1912 the first rotary kiln plant was built on the original site with a complete change of process.
It is socially significant at a Local level for its association with thousands of families, often several generations of each family, for whom most of their livelihood was gained as employees. Employees also had a strong recreation club and sporting clubs, and a museum over a long period. The close association of the local community was reinforced by the strong visual presence of the plant from within Fyansford and to as far as the chimney stacks are visible around Geelong.
Overall, the Geelong Cement Processing Plant is of Regional Significance.
Recommendation:
That a Conservation Management Plan be carried out on the site, which should further investigate the industrial archaeological potential of the site and comparative analysis with similar sites in Victoria and Australia and the impact on these things if the plant is closed and developed for other purposes. Further investigation by an Industrial Archaeologist is most important. Also see Note under Description.
REFERENCES
1. Wynd, So Fine A Country: A History of the Shire of Corio, p.88.
2. Information from Geelong Cement Museum.
3. Geelong Advertiser.
4. John McNeill, A Journey to Destiny 1890 - 1990, Australian Cement Limited, 1990.
-
-
Former Geelong Cement First Head Office - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION - Head Office
The free standing simplicity of the rectangular form is accented by the encircling verandah which is under the broad clean lines of the hipped roof. The symmetry of the design is emphasised by the rhythmic window fenestration set within plain concrete walls, and the slender stylized classical concrete columns of the verandah. The style was first used in Australia in the 1920s, largely through the influence of designs by William Hardy Wilson. These designs were based on the early designs of Australian homesteads and this is also seen in the Cement Works Head Office building.
Most Interwar Georgian Revival buildings in Australia were houses and other domestic scale buildings. This building is consistent with that trend. The low and transparent fence constructed with capped columnar concrete posts and cyclone wire fencing complements the domestic simplicity of the building design.
The site location, building form and materials, and boundary fence, are an important statement about the historical connection with the original construction of this building.DESCRIPTION - Processing Plant
The cement works at Fyansford have evolved over a one hundred year period. They consist of buildings of various ages and construction materials and designs. They are predominantly industrial buildings constructed of concrete and/or steel and designed as functional buildings to house large equipment. On the McCurdy Road site there are masses of railway tracks leading to the storage silos, the smaller ones dating from about 1900, which are also next to the bagging equipment and fed by the cement conveyor. The former head office is also located on this part of the site.
On the site to the north of High Street there are numerous large buildings and equipment such as the general office, engineers office, personnel offices, canteen laboratory, OPS centre, amenities, electrical workshop, boilermakers workshop, maintenance shop, stores, riggers, carpenters and plumbers workshop, oil tank, rotating kilns no, 6, 7, and 8, slurry silos and basins, residue handling, clinker conveyor, clinker storage, raw mills, cement mills, limestone storage and recover, cement conveyor and power station.
The boundaries of this site include both sides of High Street, in particular that area on which the early works were constructed, especially the vertical kilns and chimney stacks. The base of the No. 3 stack and associated ruins, located on the boundary of High Street is particularly important as it is clearly identified with incised lettering "A.P.C. Established 1890", and is visible from the road.
NOTE: It is acknowledged that the company has already produced some excellent interpretative material such as videos and a book. The recent videos produced by the company are particularly helpful in interpreting the site and the manufacturing process and the changes that have occurred over the one hundred year period. The history of the site and company, written by John McNeill and commissioned by the company for their one hundred year celebration is an outstanding reference and interpretative tool.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:
-
-
-
-
-
OLD SWAN INNVictorian Heritage Register H0267
-
BRIDGEVictorian Heritage Register H1108
-
FYANSFORD HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0744
-
-