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Edward Willis House
242 Ryrie Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No B1148
Edward Willis House
242 Ryrie Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No B1148
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![B1148 Edward Willis House B1148 Edward Willis House](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/070/113.jpg)
B1148 Edward Willis House
![B1148 Edward Willis House B1148 Edward Willis House](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/070/113.jpg)
On this page:
Statement of Significance
Built for the noted pastoralist and merchant Edward Willis in 1847, this house is significant for the following reasons. It is: built of local sandstone; and early work of noted architect John Gill; the City of Geelong's oldest known house; the grandest among the surviving Geelong town-houses of the 1840-50s and retains sufficient detail to allow external restoration to that form; the oldest urban house in the region; particularly significant for its pre-Gold Rush status, a small number of major houses having been verified as constructed before 1851; and significant for its fine early details such as the ususual double-hung cedar window sashes, deep cedar window reveals and skirtings (part) and distinctive bold eaves dentils.
It was created for the noted pastoralist Edward Willis, who, unlike many of his pastoral contemporaries, involved himself in Geelongs early urban development. As one of the colony's foremost merino breeders, Willis epitomizes Geelong's early prosperity as a port, based on wool exports, and underscores the town's later dependence on wool-oriented commercial and industrual activity. It is the only known house to survive which was created for and lived in by Willis.
It was also occupied by prominent members of the town's medical profession over a long period and hence has taken on quasi-public building status as both a residence of the towns elite and the surgery where medical treatment was sought by the general Public.
Classified: 07/07/1960
Upgraded:01/10/1990
Damaged extensivelyby vandalism in 1991 and destroyed by fire in 1993. Removed from Historic buildings register in 1999.Demolished.
It was created for the noted pastoralist Edward Willis, who, unlike many of his pastoral contemporaries, involved himself in Geelongs early urban development. As one of the colony's foremost merino breeders, Willis epitomizes Geelong's early prosperity as a port, based on wool exports, and underscores the town's later dependence on wool-oriented commercial and industrual activity. It is the only known house to survive which was created for and lived in by Willis.
It was also occupied by prominent members of the town's medical profession over a long period and hence has taken on quasi-public building status as both a residence of the towns elite and the surgery where medical treatment was sought by the general Public.
Classified: 07/07/1960
Upgraded:01/10/1990
Damaged extensivelyby vandalism in 1991 and destroyed by fire in 1993. Removed from Historic buildings register in 1999.Demolished.
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FORMER GEELONG WOOL EXCHANGEVictorian Heritage Register H0622
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FORMER SCOTTISH CHIEFS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0662
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CORIO VILLAVictorian Heritage Register H0193
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