FORMER ESSENDON HIGH SCHOOL
286 BUCKLEY STREET ESSENDON, MOONEE VALLEY CITY
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Statement of Significance
The foundation stone for the Former Essendon High School (now known as Essendon Keilor College) was laid by the Premier of Victoria on 12 June 1912 with a silver trowel presented by the contractor, F. E. Shillabeer. The school opened on 4 February 1913 as a higher elementary school, but was upgraded to high school status on 4 March 1914, making it the first of many such schools in metropolitan Melbourne. Designed by chief Public Works architect, George Watson (1850-1915), the school was adopted from the Quarry Hill plan, a new school near Bendigo that featured an enclosed, but unroofed, verandahed quadrangle. By 1915 the school had an active cadet corps, and when the worldwide influenza epidemic hit Victoria in 1919, the school was requisitioned as a hospital having its own mortuary and army-operated kitchen, and with staffing of forty. An assembly hall, designed by chief Public Works architect, E Evan Smith opened in 1926, one side of which stands a row of Monterey Cypress trees of the early 1930s, and on the other a stone drinking fountain, erected in the memory of James King, Headmaster from 1924 to 1927. Over the years further buildings have been added. In recent years the school amalgamated with Niddrie and East Keilor High Schools.
The Former Essendon High School is of historical, architectural, and aesthetic importance to the State of Victoria.
The Former Essendon High School is important in the history of secondary education in Victoria, as the first suburban State high school in metropolitan Melbourne. Its opening demonstrated a widespread demand for state secondary education in the suburbs, and the school was instrumental in setting the pattern for numerous high schools to follow. The school has further importance for the roles it played during the First World War and the influenza epidemic of 1919, and has close associations with a number of talented principals who furthered its aims, notably James King, whose short term from 1924-1927 is commemorated by a stone drinking fountain which stands in the grounds. A small corrugated iron shed survives to record the period when the school had an active cadet corps.
The Former Essendon High School is architecturally significant as a near intact example of the quadrangle style of school. Featuring Edwardian, single-storey, red brick buildings around an unroofed quadrangle, the design dispenses with corridors and a hall, providing a unifying centre for the school. The later assembly hall is architecturally significant for its bold compositional elements expressed in the Georgian-revival style, and for its layout of classrooms on the lower level, and hall above. The row of twenty two Monterey Cypress trees (Cupressus macrocarpa) on the north side of the hall is aesthetically important for the framing they provide to the building.
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FORMER ESSENDON HIGH SCHOOL - History
Associated People: Owner DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION;
FORMER ESSENDON HIGH SCHOOL - 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.Specific Exemptions:EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
Interior painting of previously painted surfaces.
Replacement of flexible floor coverings such as vinyl and carpet.
Replacement of laboratory benches, library shelving, and other fixed joinery
items.
Management of the row of Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) in accordance
with Australian Standard, Pruning of amenity trees AS 4373 General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan endorsed by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Regular Site Maintenance : The following site maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995: a) regular site maintenance provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) the maintenance of an item to retain its conditions or operation without the removal of or damage to the existing fabric or the introduction of new materials; c) cleaning including the removal of surface deposits, organic growths, or graffiti by the use of low pressure water and natural detergents and mild brushing and scrubbing; d) repairs, conservation and maintenance to plaques, memorials, roads and paths, fences and gates and drainage and irrigation. e) the replacement of existing services such as cabling, plumbing, wiring and fire services that uses existing routes, conduits or voids, and does not involve damage to or the removal of significant fabric. Note: Surface patina which has developed on the fabric may be an important part of the item's significance and if so needs to be preserved during maintenance and cleaning. Note: Any new materials used for repair must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric due to chemical incompatibility, obscure existing fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance. Repair must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
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FORMER CLYDEBANKVictorian Heritage Register H1325
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HOUSE (KIRINGA)Moonee Valley City
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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'NORWAY'Boroondara City
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1 Mitchell StreetYarra City
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