Shannon Avenue Heritage Precinct
Shannon Ave, Queens Street, William, Margaret and Aphrasia NEWTOWN, Greater Geelong City
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Statement of Significance
Statement of Cultural Significance
The Shannon Avenue Heritage precinct is significant as a distinctive residential area defined by Edwardian, Federation and particularly interwar Bungalow dwellings fronting Shannon Avenue and the western end of Aphrasia Street. These dwellings are all single storey and detached, with simple or complex hipped and/gabled roof forms clad in corrugated sheet metal or terra cotta tiles. Constructed primarily of horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding (with a smaller number built of face brick construction), the dwellings feature front or return verandahs, brick chimneys and architectural details reflective of the stylistic era in which they were built. Shannon Avenue, earlier known as the West Melbourne Road, developed as an important transport route in the mid 19th century. Land subdivisions ensued, including further subdivisions in the early 20th century. These subdivisions, together with the arrival of the tram line in 1912 that terminated at the intersection of Aphrasia Street and Shannon Avenue, appear to have been the impetus for residential growth in the area during the Federation and interwar eras.
The Shannon Avenue Heritage Area is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criterion D.2). It demonstrates original and early design qualities associated with the residential development of the area from the early 20th century until c.1940. These qualities are expressed in the Edwardian/Federation and interwar Bungalow styled dwellings that are predominantly single storey in appearance and have predominantly detached compositions. The buildings include the following design characteristics: hipped and gabled roof forms (with simple or complex roof outlines having a pitch between 25 and 35 degrees), front or return verandahs, corrugated galvanised steel roof cladding and Marseilles terra cotta roof tiles, horizontal timber weatherboard wall construction, brick chimneys (detailed to reflect the design era), brick cladding and brick verandah supports, narrow or wide eaves, timber verandah posts, timber brackets and/or valances, timber framed doorways with sidelights and highlights and timber windows arranged singularly, in pairs or bays. Overall, these dwellings constitute 88% of the building stock in the area. The early engineering infrastructure of bluestone kerb and channel in Nicholas Street also contributes to the significance of the place.
The Shannon Avenue Heritage Area is historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria A.4, H.1). It is associated with important eras of residential development after the subdivision of the area in c.1850's but in particular from early 1900's until the late 1920's period. The subsequent subdivisions from the early 20th century and predominantly 1920's subdivision witnessed the development of the interwar era dwellings that survive today. The construction of the tram line appears to have been an impetus for residential growth in the western part of Newtown, with the properties on the western end of Aphrasia Street (near Shannon Avenue) constructed between 1908 and 1913. In Shannon Avenue the majority of properties were built from the mid 1920s.
Overall, the Shannon Avenue Heritage Area is of LOCAL significance.
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Shannon Avenue Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 1
Physical EvidenceBuilding Character & Appearance
The Shannon Avenue Heritage Area is predominantly a residential area comprised of thirty-six (36) dwellings and one commercial building used to repair motor vehicles.
Height
The dwellings in the heritage area are predominantly single storey in appearance and height (Photo's 6.02, 6.09 and 6.12).
Form, Design and Scale, Construction and Finish
The dwellings in the Shannon Avenue Heritage Area comprise Edwardian/Federation and interwar era (Interwar Bungalow) design style buildings.
There is a significant concentration of Edwardian/Federation in Aphrasia Street and interwar Bungalow era style dwellings in Shannon Avenue within this heritage precinct.
The Edwardian buildings in the precinct reflect the following key characteristics:Asymmetrical compositions and three dimensional composition of the overall form of the building.
Recessive hipped roof forms, and a gable and front verandah that projects towards the street some, with front verandahs formed under the main roof. Alternatively, broad hipped, gabled or gambrel roof forms.
Strapped and/or corbelled brick chimneys.
The verandahs are largely supported by timber posts and feature decorative timber fretwork valances and brackets.
Timber framed double hung windows and timber framed doorways with sidelights and highlights.
Timber joinery and roughcast gable infill.
The dwellings are constructed of horizontal timber weatherboards.
Galvanized corrugated steel (non-zincalume) roof cladding pitched at 30-35 degrees.
Timber eave bracket and exposed rafters.
Timber window hoods.
Rounded picket fence or capped timber picket fence.
Examples of timber Edwardian buildings include 104, 106 and 108 Aphrasia Street (Photo 6.09) and 294 Shannon Avenue.
The Federation era buildings in the precinct reflect the following key characteristics:Asymmetrical compositions and three dimensional composition of the overall form of the building.
Complex hipped and gable roof forms clad in slate or galvanized corrugated steel (non-zincalume) roof cladding (some colourbond) pitched at 25 to 35 degrees.
The dwellings are constructed of horizontal timber weatherboards.
The verandahs are largely supported by timber posts and feature decorative timber fretwork valances and brackets and some verandah's include a side return.
Bowed projecting bay windows.
Timber framed or casement or double hung window
Dominant face red brick chimneys, commonly strapped with terra cotta pots.
Decorative timber fretwork, brackets and posts to verandahs.
Timber joinery and roughcast gable infill.
Timber window hoods.
Timber shingling.
Examples of a more elaborate Federation dwellings include 105 and 107 Aphrasia Street and 322 Shannon Avenue (Photo 6.11 and Photo 6.12).
The interwar era dwellings are designed as interwar Bungalows and include the following types:
A gable or hipped roof form that traverses the site, together with a minor gable and/or verandah that project towards the street frontage or at the side.
Timber framed double hung windows, arranged singularly, in pairs.
Galvanized corrugated steel roof cladding and Marseilles terra cotta tiles.
Verandahs are mainly supported by timber posts and brick piers, or solely with brick piers.
There are plain rectilinear brick chimneys, with some featuring rendered or soldier-coursed tops.
The gable infill comprises timber shingles.
Gable ventilator.
Constructed in horizontal timber weatherboards (some in brick).
Low pitched roof forms.
Wide eaves with exposed timber rafters.
There is a high concentration of interwar Bungalows in Shannon Avenue. Examples of an interwar style Bungalow are the dwellings at 314 Shannon Avenue, 320 Shannon Avenue and 324 Shannon Avenue.
Residential Garages and Carports
The majority of dwellings have front vehicular street access. The exceptions are those dwellings located between No's 105-109 Aphrasia Street which have rear laneway access. There are only a small number of carports and/or garages that protrude forward of the dwelling that creates a visual impact on the streetscape.
Significance of Dwellings
Thirty dwellings of the thirty four dwellings (88 %) within the Shannon Avenue Heritage Area are considered to have significance within the area. There are two buildings that have individual significance. Further details and a photograph of each of the dwellings are provided in the Inventory of Places Volume 2.
The dwellings that have individual Local Significance C listing are:
105 Aphrasia Street;
107 Aphrasia Street; and
10 Queens Road.
The dwellings that have contributory significance (D) listing within the heritage precinct are:
103 Aphrasia Street
104 Aphrasia Street
106 Aphrasia Street
108 Aphraisa Street
109 Aphrasia Street
290 Shannon Avenue
292 Shannon Avenue
294 Shannon Avenue
296 Shannon Avenue
314 Shannon Avenue
316 Shannon Avenue
318 Shannon Avenue
320 Shannon Avenue
322 Shannon Avenue
324 Shannon Avenue
326 Shannon Avenue
330 Shannon Avenue
332 Shannon Avenue
300 Shannon Avenue
304 Shannon Avenue
308 Shannon Avenue
310 Shannon Avenue
312 Shannon Avenue
334 Shannon Avenue
336 Shannon Avenue
338 Shannon Avenue
342 Shannon Avenue
The properties that are NOT considered to have significance within the precinct are at:
298 Shannon Avenue 328-328a Shannon Avenue (motor repair business)
306 Shannon Avenue 38-40 William Street
(new units)Urban Design & Engineering Infrastructure
Layout and Subdivision
The allotments within the Shannon Avenue Heritage Precinct follow a traditional grid pattern layout of subdivision.
The allotment sizes are generally uniform within the street and the precinct as a whole.
Setbacks
Throughout the precinct are regular front setbacks. Most dwellings form a consistent front setback pattern.
All dwellings have side setbacks with clear visual building separation.
Engineering Infrastructure
The Shannon Avenue Heritage Precinct is characterized by some early engineering infrastructure. There is bluestone kerb and concrete and bluestone channel on the south side of Aphrasia Street. The remaining areas including Shannon Avenue have concrete kerb and channel
Front Fences
The Shannon Avenue Heritage Precinct has a substantial number of introduced front fences. The Shannon Avenue properties are characterized by medium height fences (1.5 metres) (Photo 6.06) to high fences (1.8 metres) (Photo 6.03 and Photo 6.07). The Aphrasia Street properties are characterized by low height fences (1.0 metres) to medium to high height fences (1.5 to 1.8 metres) (Photo's 6.10, 6.11, 6.12 and 6.17).
The few fences that relate to the era and design of the dwellings include the timber post and woven wire fence (although introduced) at 103 Aphrasia Street (Photo 6.12).
There are also some properties with introduced high timber infill fences (particularly in Shannon Avenue), low timber picket or other fences that do not relate to the design and construction of the interwar and postwar dwellings. There are also several dwellings that have significant hedges that define the front boundaries including those at 314 and 324 Shannon Avenue.
Landscaping
Within the narrow nature strip in Shannon Avenue and Aphrasia Street are planted Queensland Brush Box trees - Lophostemon confertus.
The setbacks to the properties include grassed areas, often bordered with flower beds or shrubbery and trees on the larger allotments. There are several properties that have well developed hedges planted on their front boundary.
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MATTHEW FLINDERS SCHOOL NO.8022Victorian Heritage Register H1645
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GEELONG RAILWAY STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1604
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FORMER TELEGRAPH STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1527
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