Back to search results

OLD STATE NURSERY OFFICE
SAWPIT ROAD CRESWICK, HEPBURN SHIRE

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.
Victorian Heritage Register
1 state nursery office creswick front view sep1989
1 state nursery office creswick front view sep1989
1 state nursery office creswick front view sep1989
h01192 state nursery office creswick plan
On this page:

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The Old State Nursery Office is a diminutive two storey timber building, hexagonal in plan with an encircling verandah at both levels. The building was designed by John Johnstone and constructed around 1911 by Adam Coulson, a carpenter employed by the Forests Commission.

How is it significant?

The Old State Nursery Office is architecturally, aesthetically and historically important to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The Old State Nursery Office is architecturally significant as an extraordinary example of a purpose built State Nursery building. It utilises local, natural building materials and demonstrates influences from the Shingle and Stick designs popular in America at the time. The building is the oldest purpose built structure connected with forestry education in Victoria and it has a distinctive form which became an icon for the forestry profession. The building is aesthetically significant for the way in which it expresses a utilitarian function in a picturesque manner. The Old State Nursery Office is an important example of a building type, which is picturesque yet still manages to provide function and form. The fountain and landscape elements are of significance for their contextual relationship to the building and for their ability to express an aesthetic appreciation of forestry practices in Victoria.

The Old State Nursery Office is historically important for its associations with the development of the forestry industry in Victoria. The building is part of the Creswick Sawpit Gully site which was initially developed as part of a strategy to establish State Forests and Timber Reserves in Victoria. After the School of Forestry was established in 1910, (housed in a former hospital), Creswick became known as the 'Home of Forestry'; the Nursery produced stock for forest plantations and operated as the technical arm of the school. The Old State Nursery Office represents the emergence of a commitment to forestry education and practice in Victoria and is of significance for its pivotal role in the practical aspects of nursery management.

Show more
Show less

    • History

      OLD STATE NURSERY OFFICE - History

      Associated People: Owner FORESTRY COMMISSION;

      Permit Exemptions

      OLD STATE NURSERY OFFICE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

  • Notes See all notes

    Desginer of the Nursery??

    Gerard Fahey • 03/10/16

    I am not sure where the information about Coulson being the designer comes from. Other information shows that Coulson may have been the builder but that John Johnstone, the Superintendent of State Plantations was the designer. he also designed a house in Bacchus Marsh in the 1890's and designed the layout of the Nursery at Creswick in the early 1900's.

    Tours involving this place See all tours

    Melbourne to Clunes

    15/02/16

    HUMBUG HILL HYDRAULIC GOLD SLUICING SITE - NEW AUSTRALASIAN NO. 2 DEEP LEAD GOLD MINING SITE AND MEMORIAL - RAIL BRIDGE - CALEMBEEN PARK - CRESWICK RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX - FORMER CRESWICK GOLD OFFICE - CRESWICK TOWN HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL OFFICES - SCHOOL OF FORESTRY - OLD STATE NURSERY OFFICE - BACCHUS MARSH EXPRESS OFFICE AND PRINTING WORKS - AVENUE OF HONOUR - FORMER BLACKSMITH'S COTTAGE AND SHOP - CHICORY KILN

Public contributions

Notes See all notes

Desginer of the Nursery??

Gerard Fahey • 03/10/16

I am not sure where the information about Coulson being the designer comes from. Other information shows that Coulson may have been the builder but that John Johnstone, the Superintendent of State Plantations was the designer. he also designed a house in Bacchus Marsh in the 1890's and designed the layout of the Nursery at Creswick in the early 1900's.

Tours involving this place See all tours

Melbourne to Clunes

15/02/16

HUMBUG HILL HYDRAULIC GOLD SLUICING SITE - NEW AUSTRALASIAN NO. 2 DEEP LEAD GOLD MINING SITE AND MEMORIAL - RAIL BRIDGE - CALEMBEEN PARK - CRESWICK RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX - FORMER CRESWICK GOLD OFFICE - CRESWICK TOWN HALL AND FORMER MUNICIPAL OFFICES - SCHOOL OF FORESTRY - OLD STATE NURSERY OFFICE - BACCHUS MARSH EXPRESS OFFICE AND PRINTING WORKS - AVENUE OF HONOUR - FORMER BLACKSMITH'S COTTAGE AND SHOP - CHICORY KILN

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
Timeline browser

< to 1849
< - 1849
1850 to 1879
1850 - 1879
1880 to 1909
1880 - 1909
1910 to 1939
1910 - 1939
1940 to 1969
1940 - 1969
1970 to 1999
1970 - 1999
2000 to >
2000 - >