Cairns Avenue Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
The Cairns Avenue Heritage Precinct is significant for its notable number of interwar era dwellings and smaller number of Edwardian dwellings. These dwellings are largely single storey and detached, and feature gabled and/or hipped roof forms, front verandahs, wide eaves, corrugated sheet metal roof cladding, timber weatherboard wall cladding, timber framed double hung windows and detailing reflective of the stylistic era in which they were built. Cairns Avenue was transformed into an area of interwar Bungalows after the First World War from 1923, although some Edwardian dwellings had been built before the war, including the house at 38 Cairns Avenue (built in c.1912-13), which represents the earliest surviving dwelling in the street.
The Cairns Heritage Precinct is architecturally and aesthetically 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 1920's until c.1940. These qualities are expressed in the predominant interwar Bungalow styled dwellings that are single storey in appearance and have predominantly detached compositions. The buildings include the following design characteristics: 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, verandahs are mainly supported by timber posts and brick piers, or solely with brick piers, brick chimneys (detailed to reflect the design era), with some featuring rendered or soldier-coursed tops, rough cast gable infill and gable infill comprising timber shingles with gable ventilator. The buildings are constructed of horizontal timber weatherboards and, with a 25 to 35 degree roof pitch form and wide eaves with exposed timber rafters, and the rear and side location of carports and garaging. Overall, these dwellings constitute 64% of the building stock in the area.
The Cairns 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 the early 1920's. It was from 1923 when Cairns Street was transformed into a residential area. Vacant land in the street was initially advertised for sale at this time, showing 4 subdivided allotments on the east side of Cairns Avenue, north of Percy Street. Plan of subdivision LP9518 also outlines the subdivision layout of this section of the street. Ten additional home sites were offered for sale in Cairns Avenue between Mervyn Street and Fairview Avenue in 1923. Further subdivision occurred a year later in 1924 as part of LP 10347 for 4 allotments south of Mervyn Street.
Overall, the Cairns Heritage Area is of LOCAL significance.
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Cairns Avenue Heritage Area - Physical Description 1
Physical Evidence
Building Character & Appearance
The Cairns Heritage Area is a residential area comprised of 33 dwellings.
Height
The dwellings in the heritage area are predominantly single storey in appearance and height (Photo's 10.01, 10.02, 10.03 and 10.04).
Form, Design and Scale, Construction and Finish
The dwellings in the Cairns Heritage Area largely comprise interwar era (interwar Bungalow and interwar Californian Bungalow), dwellings, apart from the Edwardian house at 38 Cairns Avenue.
The interwar Bungalows and interwar Californian Bungalows in the area include the following characteristics:
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.
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 and rendered finish).
25 to 35 degree pitched roof forms.
Wide eaves with exposed timber rafters.
Examples include the dwellings at 10, 21 and 42 Cairns Avenue.
Residential Garages and Carports
The dwellings have front vehicular street access. The garage and carports are located at the side or rear of the dwelling.
Significance of Dwellings
Twenty one dwellings of the thirty three dwellings (64%) within the Cairns Heritage Area are considered to have significance within the area. Further details and a photograph of each of the dwellings are provided in the Inventory of Places Volume 2.
The properties that have contributory significance (D) listing within the heritage precinct are:
10 Cairns Avenue
12 Cairns Avenue
14 Cairns Avenue
17 Cairns Avenue
18 Cairns Avenue
19 Cairns Avenue
20 Cairns Avenue
21 Cairns Avenue
22 Cairns Avenue
23 Cairns Avenue
24 Cairns Avenue
25 Cairns Avenue
26Cairns Avenue
28 Cairns Avenue
29 Cairns Avenue
30 Cairns Avenue
31 Cairns Avenue
32 Cairns Avenue
35 Cairns Avenue
38 Cairns Avenue
39 Cairns Avenue
42 Cairns Avenue
The properties that are NOT considered to have significance within the precinct are at:
15 Cairns Avenue
14A Cairns Avenue
16 Cairns Avenue
27 Cairns Avenue
33 Cairns Avenue
34 Cairns Avenue
36 Cairns Avenue
37 Cairns Avenue
40 Cairns Avenue
51-53 Cairns Avenue
53 Mervyn Street
69 Percy Street
Urban Design & Engineering Infrastructure
Layout and Subdivision
The allotments within the Cairns Heritage Area 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.
All dwellings have side setbacks with clear visual building separation.
Engineering Infrastructure
The Cairns Heritage Area is characterised by concrete kerb and channel and predominantly concrete footpaths. There is part asphalt footpath on the west side of the street.
Front Fences
The Cairns Avenue properties are characterised by low (1.0 metres) fences (Photo 10.01 and 10.02). There are a number of sympathetic and appropriate fences to the era of the dwelling including those at:
12 Cairns Avenue;
17 Cairns Avenue;
21 Cairns Avenue;
24 Cairns Avenue; and
30 Cairns Avenue.
There are also some properties with introduced timber picket or other fences that do not relate to the design and construction of the interwar dwellings.
Landscaping
The setbacks to the properties include grassed areas, often bordered with flower beds or shrubbery and trees.
The street is devoid of street trees and grassed nature strips.
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MITRE TAVERNVictorian Heritage Register H0464
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MELBOURNE SAVAGE CLUBVictorian Heritage Register H0025
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FORMER LONDON CHARTERED BANKVictorian Heritage Register H0022
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