knox city heritage advice december 2011 · 2012-06-20 · this report register documents the...

KNOX CITY HERITAGE

ADVICE DECEMBER 2011

Final report

11 April 2012

Prepared for

City of Knox

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Report Register

This report register documents the development and issue of the report entitled Knox City Heritage Advice December 2011 undertaken by Context Pty Ltd in accordance with our internal quality management system.

Project Project Project Project No.No.No.No.

Issue Issue Issue Issue No.No.No.No.

Notes/descriptionNotes/descriptionNotes/descriptionNotes/description Issue dateIssue dateIssue dateIssue date Issued toIssued toIssued toIssued to

1540 2 Final report 27/03/2012 Nicole Vickridge

1540 3 Final report (revised) 29/03/2012 Nicole Vickridge

1540 4 Final report (revised v2) 05/04/2012 Nicole Vickridge

1540 5 Final report (revised v3) 11/04/2012 Nicole Vickridge

Context Pty Ltd

Project Team:

Annabel Neylon, Senior Consultant

Dr Aron Paul, Consultant

Natica Schmeder, Senior Consultant

Context Pty LtdContext Pty LtdContext Pty LtdContext Pty Ltd 22 Merri Street, Brunswick 3056

Phone 03 9380 6933 Facsimile 03 9380 4066

Email [email protected] Web www.contextpl.com.au

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CO NTE NT S

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Purpose and scope of this report 1

1.2 Summary of Recommendations 1

1.3 Further work 2

2 BORONIA ACTIVITY CENTRE 3

2.1 Background 3

2.2 Discussion on thresholds for local significance 3

What is a threshold? 3

How is a threshold defined? 3

Conclusion 4

Thresholds of significance for inclusion on the Heritage Overlay 4

2.3 Shops at ‘The Crossing’, 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road 5

History 5

Description 6

Analysis of significance 8

Recommendations 8

2.4 Group of California bungalows at 8, 10, 12 Park Crescent 8

History 8

Description 10

Comparative analysis 11


Recommendations 14

Draft Statement of significance 14

2.5 Former Safeway building at 159 Boronia Road 15

History 15

Description 17

Comparisons 19


Recommendations 21

Draft Statement of Significance for Boronia Safeway 21

2.6 The Boronia Mall 22

Property history 22

Development history 22

Description 24


Conclusion 25

Recommendations 25

Draft Statement of Significance, Boronia Shoppingtown (former) 27

2.7 Boronia Progress Hall 27

Contextual history 27

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Place history 28

Description 28

Comparative analysis 29


Recommendations 32

Draft Statement of Significance 32

3 REVIEW OF SELECTED HO PLACES 34

3.1 HO30 Former Uniting Church, 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater 34

Existing Fabric 34

Existing controls applied to the land 34

Citation/Statement of Significance 34

Planning Scheme/Extent of Listing 35

Identified Issues 35

Recommendations 36

3.2 HO47 Greenlaw Homestead & land (former) 93 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully 37

Existing Fabric 37





Recommendations 39

3.3 HO32 Glenfern Homestead (former) now Coonara House , 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully 39

Existing Fabric 39

Contextual History 40





Recommendations 42

3.4 HO41 One Elm (Ulmus procera) and Poplars (Populus sp.), Kings Park, Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully 42

Existing Fabric 42





Recommendations 44

3.5 HO39 Liquidambar Styraciflua (Liquidambar), 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater 44





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Recommendations 45

3.6 HO9 House, 56 Edina Road, Ferntree Gully 46

Existing fabric 46

Existing controls & extent of listing 46



Recommendations 46

REFERENCES 49

HERITAGE ADVICE MARCH 2012

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose and scope of this report This report arises out of the Heritage Matters in Knox report of 8 November 2011 prepared by the Strategic Planning Committee of the Knox City Council. That report identified and prioritized several heritage issues facing the municipality. Subsequently, Knox City Council commissioned Context to provide the following as part of this report:

• An assessment of the heritage significance of selected places of potential heritage significance previously identified as part of the Boronia Activity Centre structure plan;

• A review of six places currently in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay identified in Appendix A of that report.

This report was commissioned by Knox City Council to assess selected places of potential heritage significance within the Boronia Activity Centre structure plan area (Part 1) and to review six places currently on the Heritage Overlay (Part 2).

Fieldwork and research were conducted during December 2011. The assessment and review of places has been limited to those places nominated.

1.2 Summary of Recommendations The report recommends the inclusion of five new places in Boronia in the Knox City Heritage Overlay:

• The three California Bungalows at 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent

• The former Safeway at 159 Boronia Road

• The former Boronia Shoppingtown, with the ceramic mural/tile mosaic protected under internal controls

• Progress Hall at Boronia Road

The report recommends that current investigation into the social significance of the Boronia Mall (former Shoppingtown) should establish its current social significance. The report did not recommend the inclusion of these other places in the Knox City HO:

• The shops at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road

The report recommends amendments to six individual HO places, discussed in Part 3:

• HO30 Former Uniting Church, 654 Mountain Highway

• HO47 Greenlaw Homestead & land (former) 93 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully

• HO32 Glenfern Homestead (former) now Coonara House , 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

• HO41 One Elm (Ulmus procera) and Poplars (Populus sp.), Kings Park, Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

• HO39 Liquidambar Styraciflua (Liquidambar), 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater

• HO9 House, 56 Edina Road, Ferntree Gully

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1.3 Further work This report suggests that the comprehensive completion of the HO for Boronia Activity Centre should include the following place:

• Maternal and Child Health Centre


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2 BORONIA ACTIVITY CENTRE

2.1 Background The report provides an assessment of the heritage significance of five identified places/objects within the Boronia Activity Centre covered by the Boronia Activity Centre Structure Plan:

• The former Boronia Safeway at 159 Boronia Road.

• The tile mosaic at the Boronia Mall

• The shops at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road

• The group of California Bungalows at 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent

• Progress Hall in Boronia Road

The California Bungalows and the Progress Hall were assessed by the City of Knox: Heritage Study (1993), and the former Boronia Safeway and the Boronia Mall were previously identified by the Boronia Project Study (2005). The need for an assessment of the heritage significance of the Boronia Mall (former Boronia Shoppingtown) and the Boronia Safeway supermarket was identified during that study by members of the community through initial public consultation sessions conducted as part of the Boronia Project. These four places/objects were identified in the subsequent Boronia Structure Plan as places of potential heritage significance.

The purpose of this assessment is to determine whether any of the above places/objects should be protected through the Heritage Overlay.

2.2 Discussion on thresholds for local significance

What is a threshold?

The Heritage Victoria standard brief for Stage 2 heritage studies notes that local significance can include places of significance to a town or locality, however, whether the ‘threshold’ of local significance is achieved depends how relevant heritage criteria are applied and interpreted.

The Advisory Committee Report (2007:2-41) notes that the related questions of the application of appropriate heritage criteria and establishing ‘thresholds’ that provide practical guidance to distinguish places of ‘mere heritage interest from those of heritage significance’ have been the subject of continuing debate in recent times. While there was agreement that the AHC criteria may be appropriate for use at the local level, the question of what establishes a threshold remains open to interpretation.

The Advisory Committee Report defines ‘threshold’ as follows:

Essentially a ‘threshold’ is the level of cultural significance that a place must have before it can be recommended for inclusion in the planning scheme. The question to be answered is ‘Is the place of sufficient import that its cultural values should be recognised in the planning scheme and taken into account in decision-making?’ Thresholds are necessary to enable a smaller group of places with special architectural values, for example, to be selected out for listing from a group of perhaps hundreds of places with similar architectural values.

How is a threshold defined?

The Advisory Committee Report (2007:2-32) cites the Bayside C37 and C38 Panel report, which notes that:

With respect to defining thresholds of significance, it was widely agreed by different experts appearing before this Panel that there is a substantial degree of value judgment required to assess

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a place’s heritage value, so that there is always likely to be legitimate, differing professional views about the heritage value of some places.

There is a wide range of matters that can be taken into account in making any assessment (e.g. a place’s value in relation to historic, social, aesthetic, cultural factors, its fabric’s integrity and so on), leading to further grounds for differences between judgments.

While there are application guidelines for the use of the AHC criteria (Developed in 1990 these are known as the AHC Criteria for the Register of the National Estate: Application Guidelines), they are designed for application at the regional or National level and the Advisory Committee Report cited a report prepared by Ian Wight for Heritage Victoria, which noted that they may require rewriting to ‘make them clearly applicable to places of local significance’.

On this basis, the Panel made the following conclusions:

As also discussed, a fundamental threshold is whether there is something on the site or forming part of the heritage place that requires management through the planning system.

As we have commented, we see the development of thresholds as something which responds to the particular characteristics of the area under investigation and its heritage resources. Nevertheless the types of factors that might be deployed to establish local thresholds can be specified State-wide. They would include rarity in the local context, conrarity in the local context, conrarity in the local context, conrarity in the local context, condition/degree of intactness, age, design dition/degree of intactness, age, design dition/degree of intactness, age, design dition/degree of intactness, age, design quality/aesthetic value, their importance to the development sequence documented in the quality/aesthetic value, their importance to the development sequence documented in the quality/aesthetic value, their importance to the development sequence documented in the quality/aesthetic value, their importance to the development sequence documented in the thematic environmental historythematic environmental historythematic environmental historythematic environmental history. (Emphasis added)

This process is essentially a comparative one within the local area. That area may not coincide with the municipal area (Advisory Committee Report 2007:2-45).

Conclusion

In accordance with the Advisory Committee comments, for this study a series of local ‘tests’ have been developed to determine whether heritage places in Boronia meet the threshold of local significance using the HERCON criteria (see Appendix A). It is noted that a place need only meet one ‘test’ or criteria in order to meet the threshold of local significance. Meeting more than one ‘test’ does not make the place more significant – it simply means that the place is significant for a variety of reasons.

Precedents

Context has employed this methodology in various municipal studies. For the Latrobe City Heritage Study and Stonnington Precincts Review this was reviewed by independent panels who each accepted the recommendations, and the Mitchell Shire Heritage Study and Moreland North of Bell Street Study, which both employed this methodology, have been adopted by the respective Councils, although they have not yet proceeded to amendment. The methodology has also been used in the Baw Baw Heritage Study, where it has yet to be considered by Council, and recently been presented to a recent Planning Panels Victoria forum on the use of thresholds for local government heritage studies

Thresholds of significance for inclusion on the Heritage Overlay

Heritage places in Boronia are considered of sufficient significance for inclusion on the Knox City Council Heritage Overlay if:

• The place is associated with a key theme identified in the thematic framework. The place will have a strong association with the theme and this will be clearly illustrated by the fabric, when compared with other places (Criterion A).

• The place may be rare within the locality. It may contain or be a relatively early building/s, or be of a type that is under-represented within Boronia or Knox more broadly (Criterion B).


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• If it is a representative example of a place type it will usually have the typical range of features normally associated with that type – i.e., it will be a benchmark example – and it will usually have a high degree of integrity (Criteria D or E).

• The place is an exemplar of an architectural style or represents significant technical or artistic/architectural innovation or achievement when compared to other similar places in the municipality. The places will usually have a high degree of integrity when compared to other places (Criterion F).

• The place has strong social or historic associations to an area (Criterion G) or to an individual or organisation (Criterion H) and, in particular:

− There is continuity of use or association, meanings, or symbolic importance over a period of 25 years or more (representing transition of values beyond one generation).

− The association has resulted in a deeper attachment that goes beyond utility value.

− The connection between a place and a person/s or organisations is not short or incidental and may have been documented – for example in local histories, other heritage studies or reports, local oral histories etc.

By comparison, places that do not meet the threshold of local significance will generally be those where:

• Historical associations are not well established or are not reflected in the fabric because of low integrity, or

• The place is common within the municipality or already well-represented in the Heritage Overlay, or

• It is a typical, rather than outstanding example of an architectural style or technical achievement and there are better comparative examples in the area or municipality.

The social or historical associations are not well established or demonstrated.

2.3 Shops at ‘The Crossing’, 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road

History

The shops at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road were established when the railway line still crossed the intersection of Dorset and Boronia roads. This historical context explains the curving line of this group of shops as they addressed a complex and unusual streetscape until the placement of the railway line underneath the intersection.

Boronia was named in 1915. At this time, the locality was an agricultural area. The land selections began in the Boronia area in the 1870s, and the Ringwood to Upper Ferntree Gully railway was built in 1889, passing through Boronia, but not providing it with a station.

The commercial development of the locality began following the opening of the train station at Boronia in 1920. Boronia’s first general store, a timber shop, opened in 1923.

Significant housing subdivisions occurred in the 1920s as the immediate vicinity attracted workers looking for cheap land within concessional train fares to Melbourne (Sanders 1985).

The commercial allotments at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road were part of the ‘Station Park Estate Boronia’, advertised for subdivision in 1926 (State Library of Victoria Maps Collection). The architectural design and details of the extant fabric however date these shops to the post-war period.

Boronia's census population was 625 in 1933, and 2,057 in 1947.

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Figure 1: View of the Boronia railway crossing, looking west c1927-48. Shops addressing the intersection and the Progress Hall appear in the left hand of the picture. Source: State Library of Victoria.

Figure 2: View across the Boronia crossing c.1948. Shops can be discerned behind the tree on the right hand side of the picture. Source: State Library of Victoria.

Description

The shops appear, from the varying designs features and materials, to have been constructed over a period from the late 1930s to the 1950s. As indicated by the census figures, this was a period of rapid growth in the resident population of Boronia. The shops display an eclectic variety of materials and styles, and as typical of the commercial areas of Boronia, they have been modified and altered over time..


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Figure 3: 130-132 Boronia Road. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 4: 126 Boronia Road. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 5:116-120 Boronia Road. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 6:228 Dorset Road. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 7: 219-221 Dorset Road. Source: Context 2011.

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Analysis of significance

Historic

Criterion ACriterion ACriterion ACriterion A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Knox’s cultural history.

Criterion DCriterion DCriterion DCriterion D Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.

The shops at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road are of local historic interest for their association with the 1930 Boronia Station Park Estate subdivision, and as local examples of shops associated with the commercial development of Boronia over time.

Aesthetic

Criterion ECriterion ECriterion ECriterion E Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

The shops at 217-229 Dorset Road and 114-132 Boronia Road are of local aesthetic interest as typical examples of a variety of post-war commercial styles developed over time.

Recommendations

Heritage protection is not recommended for the shops. This is because their aesthetic values and integrity are not high enough to warrant protection. They are typical rather than outstanding examples of this style and construction, and are not particularly distinguishable in aesthetic or historical significance from many other shops of the same era in Boronia and in Knox City, for example, in the nearby shopping strip along Dorset Road.

The shops were not among the items identified as places of potential cultural significance in the Knox Heritage Study (McInnes 1993).

Historically, the shops are among those built over the period from the late 1930s to the postwar era. The original stores, on the other side of ‘the Crossing’, dating to the establishment of Boronia in the 1920s, which would have been more historically significant, do not appear to have survived.

It is unlikely that these shops would meet the threshold for local significance based on the historical evidence or their aesthetic value. Social significance has not been assessed in this instance.

2.4 Group of California bungalows at 8, 10, 12 Park Crescent

History

The group of California Bungalows at 8, 10, 12 Park Crescent are part of the residential development of Boronia in the interwar period, and sit on land that was among the early residential estate subdivisions in the area after the opening of the train station in 1920. The first subdivision in the suburb, the ‘Boronia Station Estate’ was advertised in 1920. The railway line was electrified in 1925, making Boronia accessible to commuters and increasing demand for residential subdivision (Sanders 1985:14,106).


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Figure 8: Detail of the Station Park Subdivision map, nd. Both the Park Crescent houses and the shops were part of this subdivision. Source: Knox Historical Society 2011.

These three houses were part of the ‘Station Park Estate Boronia’, first advertised for subdivision in 1926 (State Library of Victoria Maps Collection). It was owned and subdivided by Alfred Elliott Chandler, a Ferntree Gully councillor who gave Boronia its name in 1895 (Monash Uni, Australian Places, 1999). Chandler owned a large local nursery and named the suburb after his main product, Boronia plants. He also named some of the streets of his Station Park subdivision in line with his trade: for example, Pine Crescent, Cypress Avenue, Narcissus Avenue. Residential blocks began to be sold from July 1927 (Land Title Vol 5255 Fol 928), with an auctioned recorded on the 27

th December 1930.

Figure 9: Auction advertisement 1930. Source: Knox Historical Society 2011.

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Many of the early dwellings built on the estate were holiday homes, as demonstrated in the 1934/35 Shire of Ferntree Gully Ratebook. A total of 17 holiday homes were listed (two of them ‘huts’) and another 21 principal dwellings, though many more of the 500 or so blocks in the subdivision had already been sold.

The three houses at 8-12 Park Crescent had not been built by this time. There is no mention of the allotments (Lots 66-68, LP 12024) in the 1934/35 Ratebook, as the land was not sold by Alfred Chandler’s heirs until 1937. In September 1937, John William Ash, butcher, purchased adjoining allotments at 8-12 Park Crescent and 5-9 Cypress Avenue. His place of residence was listed as Park Crescent, Boronia, indicating that one or more of the three houses may have been constructed between 1935 and 1937 to serve as his residence. John Ash retained ownership of 8-12 Park Crescent until his death in 1960 (Land Title Vol 6146 Fol 167).

Description

The dwellings at 8-12 Park Crescent are three weatherboard Californian Bungalows. Nos 10 and 12 are nearly identical in form, and their stylistic details suggest that they were built prior to No 8.

Nos 10 and 12 both have relatively high pyramidal hipped roofs, with a projecting front gable on the south side of the façade. These gables have a simplified half-timbering detail with timber shingles in the apex. The hipped-roof front verandahs are supported on dwarf cast-concrete columns set on brick piers. The piers have red brick shafts with a soldier course of clinker bricks at the top. This detail is repeated in the chimneys. The verandahs have a simple slatted balustrade. The two houses differ in minor decorative details, particularly the verandah columns and paired double-hung box windows. No 10 has rectangular fluted columns and windows with margin glazing bars, while No 12 has round (unfluted) columns and horizontal glazing bars in the upper sashes (a fashionable Moderne detail). No 12 has a high-waisted door, while the door to No 10 was not visible. While some decorative details are up-to-date, these two houses would been somewhat retardaire in overall form when constructed in the mid to late 1930s, but this was not uncommon.

10 Park Crescent. Permit application for seven dwellings lodged.


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12 Park Crescent. Two storey apartment development of 10 dwellings approved.

No 8 is more typical of a late 1930s bungalow. Like the other two, it has a pyramidal hipped roof with a hipped verandah. The projecting front gable also has a hipped roof, and a narrow extension of the verandah continues in front of it. The verandah is supported on four heavy masonry piers, with soldier courses of clinker bricks at the top and base and a diaper pattern of clinker bricks on the shaft. The windows are in banks of three in a box frame with a curved meeting rail to the central window sashes (a fashionable detail for the 1930s). The front door is glazed with a timber frame.

All three houses are highly intact, apart from replacement of the roof cladding of all three of them (Colorbond on Nos 8 & 10, and cement shingles on No 12), and a small extension on the south side elevation of No 8.

None of the houses retains its original front fence, though No 8 has a sympathetic one which borrows from the verandah details. There is a mature Sycamore tree in the front yard of No 10, which has an excellent form. Judging by its size, it appears to date from the late 1930s, making part of the original garden plantings.

8 Park Crescent. Second dwelling developed at rear.

Comparative analysis

The Knox Heritage Study (McInnes 1993:150) notes the three houses as being of potential local importance ‘as the only examples of the California Bungalow in the Boronia area built during the subdivision between the wars’. There are very few houses in the Knox City Heritage Overlay, and none appears to be California Bungalows. There are three other houses of similar era and style identified in the 1993 Heritage Study or on HERMES, one in Boronia (Sir Gilbert Chandler’s House of 1930, 34 Boronia Road), and two in Ferntree Gully (47 Station Street of 1934 and 26 Station Street of 1930) – none protected under the Heritage Overlay. From viewing on Google, it appears that the G Chandler House is quite grand in comparison to the Park Crescent houses, while the two in Ferntree Gully are of a similar scale and level of pretension. (NB: The G Chandler House is only visible from the aerial view.)

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Further desktop investigation was made into the number of interwar dwellings surviving in the estate. This was limited in its scope by the fact that the Shire of Ferntree Gully ratebooks only survive up to 1934/35. As noted above, 17 holiday homes and 21 principal residences are recorded as built by 1934. These addresses were checked on Google Streetview to ascertain whether these houses have survived. In some cases, tree cover made it impossible to determine unequivocally. Of the 17 holiday homes erected by 1934, one survives (18 Stonehaven Road, one of the more substantial ones) and another may survive (27 Woodvale Road). Of the 21 principle residences erected by 1934, one survives (10 Cypress Avenue), and another two may survive (11 Pine Crescent, 14 Stonehaven Road). Houses built in the late 1930s (post-1934) identified include 8-12 Park Crescent, as well as 20 Park Crescent, which is quite similar in design to Nos. 10 & 12. There may be a few more dating from 1935-39 yet to be identified (by a windscreen survey of all houses in the estate, which could be narrowed down beforehand by checking all the allotments sold in these years). The six other interwar houses identified are shown below.

18 Stonehaven Ave (Lot 139, sold 1930). A gable-fronted California Bungalow with square concrete columns on brick piers (like 10 Park Cr).

27 Woodvale Ave (Lot 203, sold 1934). The rear gabled section may be a surviving holiday house.

10 Cypress Ave (Lot 93, sold 1933). Gable-fronted California Bungalow (right, rear), may have later side addition (left).

11 Pine Cr (Lot 100, sold 1932). House not visible, but mature trees in front and rear yards suggest and early dwelling.


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14 Stonehaven Ave (lot 117, sold 1930). Gabled timber house, possibly 1930s?

20 Park Crescent (Lot 72, sold 1938). Weatherboard California Bungalow with hipped roof, projecting gable with simplified half-timber detail, verandah supported on brick piers and square concrete columns with slatted timber balustrade, simple double-hung windows. Note roof has been raised and louvered vent added at top (as well as extension on left-hand-side).

Setting aside the houses that are not clearly visible, the houses at 10 & 12 Park Crescent are very similar in their overall form and details to 20 Park Crescent and may have been the work of the same builder. Nos 10 & 12, however, are slightly superior in their level of detail (i.e., the windows), and are far more intact due to the side addition and extensive roof alterations to No 20.

18 Stonehaven Ave and 10 Cypress Ave illustrate an earlier type of California Bungalow: gable-fronted with major and minor gables. 10 Cypress Ave may have been altered by the addition of a side wing, though 18 Stonehaven Ave appears to be intact (apart from the intrusive carport at the front). 18 Stonehaven Ave appears to be comparable in its level of detail and intactness to the three houses at 8-12 Park Crescent.

In conclusion, the houses are 8-12 Park Crescent are as good or better than all other interwar houses identified on the Station Park Estate.


Historic


The California Bungalows at 8-12 Park Crescent, Boronia, are tangible illustrations of the interwar development of the Station Park Estate. The estate was created in 1926 by local nurseryman Alfred Chandler, who gave it floral and arboreal street names, with land sales continuing until the 1940s. The estate represents the great increase in subdivision, for holiday and permanent houses, that took place in Boronia after the railway was electrified in 1925, allowing it to become a bedroom suburb.

Criterion Criterion Criterion Criterion BBBB Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Knox’s cultural history.

The California Bungalows at 8-12 Park Crescent, Boronia, are rare surviving California Bungalows in the context of the Station Park Estate – where as few as four such intact houses survive – and in the wider context of the suburb and city (according to the 1993 heritage study).

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The houses at 8-12 Park Crescent demonstrate the principal characteristics of the California Bungalow style in its final phase.


The houses at 8-12 Park Crescent are modest but well detailed, including decorative sash designs, use of red and clinker brickwork, and simplified half-timbering. The sycamore tree in front of No 10 is a large and well developed specimen of its species.

Recommendations

While much of Boronia was subdivided in the interwar era, and there was a fair amount of house construction – both for holiday-goers and permanent residents – at this time, little of this building stock survives. In the Station Park Estate, for example, of the 38 dwellings constructed between 1927 and 1934, only two to five of them survive. The number of houses from the 1935-39 period also appears to be quite small (four-plus), based on a limited windscreen survey and desktop investigation.

Of the interwar houses identified, the most intact examples are 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent and 18 Stonehaven Avenue, all of which are California Bungalows. (While the carport at 18 Stonehaven Drive is visually intrusive, it does not appear to be attached to the house, so could be easily removed.) While these houses are modest in pretension, they are all well detailed and intact. Considering their rarity, both in Boronia and in the wider City of Knox (as noted by the 1993 City of Knox Heritage Study), they appear to meet the threshold for local significance (at minimum to the locality of Boronia) due to their rarity and representativeness of the California Bungalow style.

As the surviving houses in the Station Park Estate are scattered through the subdivision, it is not appropriate to consider them for an HO precinct. They may, however, be suitable as a serial listing, otherwise as individual HOs each with a similar Statement of Significance. An example suited to 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent is given below.

While a permit has already been granted for the replacement of the house at 12 Park Crescent with a 10-unit development, application of the Heritage Overlay to this site is still recommended, as the California Bungalow has not yet been demolished. If the proposed 10-unit development does not proceed by the time the current permit expires, placing it on the Heritage Overlay will allow the City of Knox to refuse to extend the permit. VCAT panels generally find that there must have been a material change to planning controls (or other circumstances) since the original application was lodged in order to refuse extension (or amendment) of a planning permit. Inclusion on the Heritage Overlay (or at least exhibition of an amendment to do so) qualifies as such a ‘material change’.

In conclusion, based on their level of intactness and rarity value, it is recommended that 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent be given statutory protection under the City of Knox Heritage Overlay, as individually significant places. It is also recommended that the other properties dating to the interwar period identified above be investigated for heritage significance as well. If this is done as a comprehensive examination of the Station Park Estate’s heritage, it will also strengthen the case for heritage listing of 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent by unequivocally demonstrating their rarity within the estate.

Draft Statement of significance

What is significant?

The weatherboard houses at 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent, Boronia, to the extent of their 1930s fabric. The three California Bungalows were built for owner John William Ash, butcher, in the late 1930s. Nos 10 & 12 appear to have been built first. All three houses have pyramidal


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hipped roofs, box-framed windows, projecting gables to the façade, and hipped verandah roofs. They differ in their details. Nos 10 & 12 have a gable-fronted projecting bay with simplified half-timbering and timber shingles in the apex. No 10 has round concrete columns set on brick piers supporting the verandah, and margin glazing bars in the double-hung paired sash windows, while No 12 has square fluted verandah columns, and horizontal glazing bars in the paired windows. No 8 has a projecting hipped bay, rendered piers with clinker brick accents to the verandah, and curved meeting rails to the centre window in banks of three.

There is a mature sycamore tree in the front yard of No 10, dating from the late 1930s.

How is it significant?

The houses at 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent, Boronia, are of local historical, architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Knox.

Why is it significant?

Historically, 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent are tangible illustrations of the interwar development of the Station Park Estate. The estate was created in 1926 by local nurseryman Alfred Chandler, with floral and arboreal street names, with land sales continuing until the 1940s. The estate represents the great increase in subdivision, for holiday and permanent houses, that took place in Boronia after the railway was electrified in 1925, allowing it to become a bedroom suburb. (Criterion A) They are also rare examples of intact California Bungalows in Station Park Estate, and in the wider context of Boronia and the City of Knox. (Criterion B)

Architecturally, the houses at 8, 10 & 12 Park Crescent are representative examples of late-interwar California Bungalows, which are highly intact and retain a variety of decorative details. (Criterion D)

Aesthetically, the mature sycamore tree in the front yard of 10 Park Crescent provides an attractive and appropriate setting to the interwar house, and was part of the original garden plantings. (Criterion E)

2.5 Former Safeway building at 159 Boronia Road

History

Local retail context

The former Safeway building at 159 Boronia Road is representative of the development and expansion of motorcar-based commercial facilities in the postwar period. The motorcar exercised an increasing influence over suburban commercial development in the 1960s in particular, and large chain supermarkets and malls came to predominate over the more traditional street based shopping strips of the first half of the 20

th century. From the 1920s to

1950s, retailing in Boronia developed along Dorset Road. The first shops were weatherboard shops of the 1920s at the intersection known as ‘the Crossing’. In the Interwar period, the Boronia Arcade off Dorset Road was among the retail developments in Boronia. Woolworths opened its first supermarket in Boronia in 1964. Safeway followed in 1967. In 1973, the Boronia Shoppingtown opened and included a Kmart (Sanders 1985:28).

Property history

Prior to the construction of the Safeway supermarket at 159 Boronia Road, Boronia, the land was owned by Young & Park Pty Ltd, of Bourke Street, Melbourne. It was described as Lot 70 on Plan of Subdivision 27678. In August 1964 a re-subdivision resulted in a new title and the land then became known as Lot 4 on Plan of Subdivision 63576 (Certificates of Title, Vol. No. 8483, Folio 838, and Vol. No. 8497, Folio 726).

In December 1966, the site at 159 Boronia Road, Boronia was acquired by Tedsen Holdings and Bronsen Holdings of 17 Franklyn Street, Huntingdale, who added the adjoining lot to the west. They took out a mortgage over the property to the Commercial Bank of Australia in October 1967, and again in October 1972 and October 1973. Tedsen Holdings and Bronsen

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Holdings retained ownership until 1982 when Eagle Star Nominees acquired the property (Certificate of Title, Vol. No. 8677, Fol. 660).

In July and August 1985, the sale of the Boronia Shopping Village (excluding Safeway) was advertised in the Age and local newspapers (Age, 31 July, p. 28; Knox News, 6 August 1985). The auctioneer, L R Reed & Co., offered the shopping village on a shop-by-shop basis, ‘the first time in Australia that an entire shopping centre’ was to be auctioned as a whole (Knox News, 6 August 1985). The shopping centre had been built in 1972 by the Hanover Group and was divided into strata titles in 1981. Nineteen of the twenty-one shops sold on the day of auction for $4.8 million (Sherbrooke News, 20 August 1985, p.2). A registered plan of subdivision prepared in 1987 shows the land containing the supermarket as well as shops along the east boundary of the property (Registered Plan No. 27398N).

Development history

The Boronia Safeway store was designed by Architects Alexander Harris & Associates of East Melbourne and the architectural plan is dated November 1966. Little is known of this firm of architects or their body of work, as membership of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects or the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects is not evident.

1 The complex of shops to the west

of the supermarket was constructed by the Hanover Group in about 1972 (Helms 2005:2).

Supermarket development in Victoria

The Safeway chain of grocery stores were part of the major transformation of grocery shopping in the postwar period, particularly in the 1960s when supermarkets and malls had their most rapid expansion. In 1960, Coles and Woolworths opened the first purpose built, free-standing supermarket in Victoria, and thus ‘put in train the transformation of retail culture’ around the suburban mall over the original street based shopping centres (Humphreys 1998:100). In 1963 Coles Myer opened the groundbreaking suburban shopping centre, the Dandenong New World. These designs were significant for their marked modern designs ‘stamped with an American twang’ (Humphery 1998:101).

The Safeway chain

The American company Safeway entered the Australian grocery market in 1963 when it purchased Pratt's supermarkets. The Pratt stores were significant for pioneering self-service and supermarkets in the 1950s (Pratt 2006). The first Pratt supermarket was situated in Frankston, and the first new Safeway to open was in Forest Hill (Humphery 1998:112). The story of Australian Safeway begins with John William Robert (Bill) Pratt, of Pratt’s Supermart. Pratt referred to himself as the ‘reluctant Frankston grocer’ (Age, 4 October 1986, p.2) because he initially studied civil engineering which he abandoned to join the RAAF during the Second World War. He did not return to his degree, instead he took over his father’s grocery business. Pratt’s Supermart was the first in Victoria to adopt the self-service style of grocery, price-cutting, and adding fruit, vegetables and meat to the product line, something unheard of in Victoria. He quickly expanded his business to three supermarkets. In 1962, a serendipitous meeting with two executives from the United States Safeway Group wishing to expand into Australia, changed Pratt’s future (Herald, 29 January 1983, p.11). After visiting America in 1963, Pratt’s Supermart and Safeway Stores Inc. amalgamated. Pratt became Managing Director of Australian Safeway. Rapid expansion of Safeway Australia began in 1963 and ‘continued unabated’. In 1965 he opened his first ‘American style’ supermarket, with ‘money-back guarantee’ and pre-packed items. In 1967 stores were opened in Boronia in July and Glen Waverley in October. When Woolworths acquired Safeway in August 1985, the chain had 140 stores. Pratt remained a member of the Woolworths board as well as a vice-president of Safeway (US) (Helms 2005:4-5).

1 Harris can only be traced in the Melbourne Directories in the alphabetical, suburban and trade

sections as Harris, A & Associates, 14 Lansdowne Street, East Melbourne, C2.


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The early Safeway stores were influenced by American design. Designer Herman Shultz came to Australia as manager of design and construction for the initial expansion. Shultz oversaw the construction of the Safeways in Forest Hill, Croydon, Bentleigh, and Heidelberg (Pratt 2006:123). Croydon (1964) in particular was the first supermarket in Australia featuring ‘the famous USA Safeway curved roof’ (Pratt 2006:123). In 1966 the chain expanded further by opening stores in Newtown, Preston, and Ashwood. In 1967, Schultz returned to America, leaving Lloyd Lewis in charge of construction and design (Pratt 2006:150). In 1967 Lewis designed the new Safeway in Brighton, followed by the store in Boronia (Pratt 2006:159-161). The Boronia store was the first to open under full Pratt management, once the overseeing American executives had returned to the United States (Pratt 2006:161).

Figure 10: Bill Pratt addresses store employees at the opening of the new Safeway in Boronia 1967. Source: Pratt 2006.

Description

The Boronia Safeway at 159 Boronia Road is a small 1960s era supermarket. The building is a small and modest interpretation of the iconic Safeway Inc bow-truss curved roof, stand-alone supermarket. This design was pioneered in the United States, and became known as the ‘Marina’ style after the first example in the Marina district of San Francisco. The design was prototyped by Safeway US in 1959 and proliferated around the West Coast of the United States and spread to other locations in Canada and the United Kingdom, and in Australia.

The central section of the store is roofed by a shallow curved vault. To each side are flat “wings.” The frontage under the arched roof is a glass curtain wall, with solid panels at the bottom. The walls of the remainder of the building are plain brick, which is expressed in bands along part of the front elevation. Both internally and externally, the building appears to be very intact.

The former Safeway is currently operated as a Dan Murphy’s liquor store outlet.

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Figure 11: The former Boronia Safeway. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 12: Intact brick facade. Source: Context 2011

Figure 13: Detail of the glass curtain wall and bow-truss curved roof. Source: Context 2011.


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Comparisons

The heritage significance of the Boronia store is enhanced by a lack of comparable surviving examples, which provides a level of rarity to the place that justifies heritage protection. The Croydon Safeway for example, is no longer extant. Supermarket buildings rarely survive intact without significant and ongoing renovations and reinventions over time. Thus it is significant when a supermarket retains notable vestiges of its original appearance. The comparative analysis for this report was done through a desktop survey using Google Streetview to examine a list of early supermarkets opened by Safeway during the 1960s. This list was gleaned from Pratt 2006. Discussion generated from a message posted on Heritagechat, an on-line discussion forum for heritage professionals in Victoria, revealed that there appear to be few surviving early examples of post-war freestanding shopping centres in Melbourne. Those that survive have usually been redeveloped several times over to the extent that little original fabric remains.

The former Boronia Safeway appears to be the only surviving Safeway building in Victoria with the bow truss roof (Simon Reeves, personal communication 2011). The original Safeway at Forest Hill has been rebuilt. Although the old Arndale centre at Croydon still exists, it has been virtually rebuilt from scratch. The Dickins supermarket (now Coles) at North Balwyn has also been remodelled. None of the 1960s Coles supermarkets - designed by the office of Harry Norris - remain intact (Simon Reeves, personal communication 2011).

Figure 14: The first Marina-style Safeway, San Francisco. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office.

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Figure 15: The Arndale Road Safeway, Croydon c.1964. Source: National Library.

Figure 16: Advertisement from the Montana Standard, 7 November 1963. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office.

Figure 17: An intact Marina-style Safeway in Hamilton, Montana, USA. Source: Wikimedia 2008.


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Historic

Criterion A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Knox’s cultural history.

Criterion D Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.

The Boronia Safeway is significant as a representative and now rare early example of the new American-style supermarkets that were introduced to Australia from the early 1960s onwards and revolutionised shopping habits. It was among the first wave of Safeway supermarkets to be constructed in the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Criterion H

Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Knox’s history.

The Boronia Safeway is significant for its associations with Safeway and its Australian co-founder, Bill Pratt, who played an important role in the establishment of the company in Australia.

Aesthetic

Criterion E Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

The Boronia Safeway is significant as a very intact example of an early supermarket, which is notable for the distinctive curved bow-truss roof profile. It appears to be the only surviving intact supermarket of this design in Victoria.

Conclusion

The former Safeway is representative of a wave of stand-alone retail outlets surrounded by car parks that proliferated around suburban Melbourne from the 1960s onwards. This building is not the first supermarket for Melbourne, nor is it the first supermarket in Boronia. However, its value is enhanced by its comparative rarity and intactness. In the context of the history of the Safeway company in Australia and its development by Bill Pratt in the 1960s, the store is also one of several early supermarkets that opened in the period. From an aesthetic and architectural perspective, the supermarket is derivative of the standard and iconic American Safeway Inc. design, with a curved roof known as the ‘Marina Design’, after the original in San Francisco’s Marina district. Compared to that, and to other surviving examples of the style in America, however, the design of the Boronia store is more understated, suited to its more modest outer suburban context as part of Boronia’s postwar development, with a lower and smaller scale bow-truss roof. Due to its rarity, intactness, and its historical associations, the supermarket is worthy of consideration for the Heritage Overlay.

Recommendations

The former Safeway at 159 Boronia Road is of local historic significance to the municipality of Knox City and should be added to the Heritage Overlay for Knox City with the Statement of Significance drafted below.

Draft Statement of Significance for Boronia Safeway


Boronia Safeway at 159 Boronia Road is a post-war supermarket that was designed by the architectural firm of Alexander Harris & Associates and was constructed 1966-67. Safeway commenced operations in Australia in 1963 with Australian Bill Pratt as Managing Director. Pratt had pioneering the supermarket concept in Australia and he oversaw the rapid expansion of Safeway in Victoria. This store, opened in 1967, it was one of two Safeway stores opened

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that year (the other was in Glen Waverley) and among the first to be opened in Melbourne. By the time Woolworths acquired Safeway in August 1985, the chain had 140 stores. The building, which is constructed of brick with a distinctive curved bow-truss roof, remains remarkably intact both externally and internally today.


Boronia Safeway at 159 Boronia Road is of local historic and aesthetic significance to Knox City.


The Boronia Safeway is historically significant as a representative and now rare early example of the new American-style supermarkets that were introduced to Australia from the early 1960s onwards and revolutionised shopping habits. The Boronia Safeway is significant as one of the first Safeway supermarkets to be constructed in the metropolitan area and has important associations with Safeway and its Australian co-founder, Bill Pratt, who was Managing Director of the firm during its initial period of establishment and expansion in Australia. (Criteria A, D, H)

The Boronia Safeway is aesthetically significant as a very intact example of an early supermarket design, which is notable for the distinctive curved bow-truss roof profile. (Criterion E)

2.6 The Boronia Mall On 10

th September 1973, Victorian premier Rupert Hamer opened the Boronia Shoppingtown

(Sanders 1985:28). This was the complex now known as the Boronia Mall. The Boronia Mall ‘tile mosaic’ is notable as an internal decorative feature of the Mall.

Property history

The Boronia Shoppingtown (later renamed Boronia Mall Shopping Centre) site is bounded by Boronia, Dorset, Chandler and Allandale roads. The land on which the Boronia Shoppingtown was built was originally part of a large parcel of land first owned by the Chandler family. It was subdivided into suburban blocks in 1922. From the mid-1920s these lots were sold as housing blocks (LP 8825). Prior to the auction of the land, part of the 5 1/2 acre (2.8 hectares) block was used as a Council car park. In October 1971, Knox City Council announced that they would convert the car park behind the shops into a 1 and 2 storey multi-million dollar shopping complex (Knox News, 20 October 1971). The land was rezoned commercial. Marvon Nominees began acquiring the 20 lots within the area bounded by Chandler Road, Floriston Road and the rear lots facing Boronia Road and Dorset Road. Most of the lots were acquired by December 1972 and mortgages taken over every property on 21 December 1972.

2

Development history

K-Mart announced in August 1972 that they would develop a major supermarket complex in Boronia. T H Lustig & Co. were the developers of the site and the architect was the practice Buchan Laird & Buchan of South Yarra (Knox News, 28 August 1972), whose aim was to blend the total development with existing shops in the area (Herald, 11 September 1973:34). Consulting engineers were Milton, Johnson and Partners and Stastra Page & Associates. Construction was supervised by Mr Max Moar, civil engineer and a director of Lustig & Co (Knox News 7 March 1973).

The architectural practice Buchan Laird & Buchan, now The Buchan Group, began as Buchan & Laird of Geelong in 1906. Thomas J Buchan was articled to J Angus Laird, architect, in

2 Certificates of Title: Vol 4575 Fol. 976; 4589/657; 4597/295; 4605/295; 4622/351; 4682/236;

4702/322; 4765/878; 4801/076; 4899/749; 5043/598 & 5355/846.


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1891. In 1906 Buchan became a partner in the leading provincial practice, known as Buchan & Laird until 1922. During the 1930s, the practice designed private residences in and around Geelong. Other work included the new wing of the Geelong Art Gallery, the Bank of New South Wales in Geelong, workshops for Cheetham Salt Pty Ltd in Geelong, a new wing at the Geelong Hospital, Erskine House, Lorne, The Farmers Arms, Gordon, and the School of Music at Geelong Grammar School. Buchan was elected President of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in 1930. Another notable building designed by this practice was the first Shell House, William Street, Melbourne. In 1936 the practice changed its name to Buchan Laird & Buchan (Miles Lewis Architectural Index). In the post war period, the firm took on large scale commercial and industrial projects such as the Ford administration building in Broadmeadows (1964), and other shopping centres at Southgate (1988-91) and Box Hill (1985). (Goad & Willis 2012:111)

Construction began in December 1972 and Shoppingtown was built in nine months from the time excavation began. It was completed three months ahead of schedule. This, according to Max Moar, was due to the use of 6.7 metre high solid pre-cast concrete walls and the special form work adopted.

3

Inside Boronia Shoppingtown, features included a sculpture in light and a ceramic mural. The 8,000 disc chandelier or lighting sculpture, said at the time to be the only one of its kind in Australia, was imported from Italy at a cost of $20,000 (Herald, 11 September 1973, p.34). The idea was conceived by the architects and the developers and was designed by Mercator Trading Company who completed the installation (Age, 11 September 1973, p.19). The sculpture was formed by 8,000 acrylic discs, each 139.7 mm in diameter and coloured in varying shades of pink, lime and purple. The structure consisted of three concentric circles. From each circle were suspended long strands of plastic discs. Twenty mercury vapour lights, each of 275 watts, diffused the light. The light cylinder was hung 6.096 metres from the ceiling. The exact date of its removal from the building is not known, however it is likely to have occurred during the 1986 renovation.

Details of the designer of the ceramic mural have not been found, although the tiles laid in the complex are credited to the company of Bruno Fortuno of Moonee Ponds (Knox-Sherbrooke Gazette, 18 September 1973).

Externally, the shopping complex featured parking for approximately 1,350 cars and landscaping of the carpark. Internally the complex was cooled by an air-conditioning system (Free Press, 11 September 1973). Two 1,000 kilowatt electrical sub-stations supplied power to the centre. Additional features included a centralized clock system, a sound system in the public area, piped music and an intercom system through K-Mart, a fire and burglary alarm system and an under-floor electrical duct system. Electricity generated from the sub-stations powered the ‘custom designed’ light fittings (Knox News, 12 September 1973).

Mr Rupert Hamer, Premier of Victoria (1973-81), officially opened Boronia Shoppingtown on 10 September 1973. A plaque commemorating the opening was fixed to the ceramic mural. Mr Hamer, on opening the Shoppingtown, commented that ‘the most impressive part of the centre was the huge chandelier’.

4

Boronia Shoppingtown was reportedly sold in November 1981 to the State Electricity Commission’s Superannuation Fund for $7 million.

5 The SEC Superannuation Fund spent $1

million on extensions and renovations in 1986. The Mall Boronia Shopping Centre as it became known was again sold in September 1988 for $16.8 M. The name of the purchaser is unknown. In 1992, a new entrance was created to allow K-Mart shoppers direct access into

3 Knox Historical Society Newspaper Collection ‘Boronia Shoppingtown’. Unsourced paper, dated

11 September 1973; Herald, 11 September 1973, p. 32. 4 Knox Historical Society Newspaper Collection, paper unknown but dated 18 September 1973.

5 Ibid., newspaper unknown, dated 11 November 1981.

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the Mall specialty shops via the upper level (Knox News, 10 March 1992). Further renovations took place in 1993, the year of the Centre’s 20

th birthday (Helms 2005:2-3).

Description

The tile mosaic, or ceramic mural, is a decorative internal feature of the Boronia Mall (former Shoppingtown, 1973). Boronia Shoppingtown is, by present-day shopping centre standards, a relatively small free-standing shopping centre complex. L-shaped in plan, it comprises an enclosed mall building with individual speciality shops on two levels along the Chandler Road frontage, with two large tenancies including K-mart along the eastern frontage to Floriston Road.

Externally, the building is orientated to face towards the central car park and the main entrances are via a portico with an angled roof. The façade to the internal car park features an over-scaled chunky fascia with a row of panels above glass shopfronts. By contrast, the main facades to external roads are mostly blank walls. There is some detailing in the form of textured surfaces and expressed fins. A notable detail is the pre-cast stairway leading to the roof-top car park at the north-east corner.

Internally, the mall area comprises shops grouped around a central plaza with a longer east-west axis. The two main entrances from the south and west lead to a large open space placed off-centre in line with the south entry. Clerestory windows set high in the wall provide natural light. As described in the history, a number of changes have been made to the layout of the mall since it was opened, but the following original features remain:

• The large ceramic mural, which occupies the whole of the upper wall at the east end - Refer to Figures 4 & 5. There is also some ceramic tiling along the ramp leading to the upper level from adjacent to the main entrance.

• The plaque commemorating the opening of the building by Rupert Hamer.

• The coffered ceiling, which includes a flat circular section that was presumably the location of the fabled ‘chandelier’ described in the history (now removed).


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Historic



Boronia Shoppingtown is significant as a representative example of the free-standing shopping centres based around car transport that were developed in Knox to service the rapidly expanding suburbs around Boronia during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Criterion HCriterion HCriterion HCriterion H Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Knox’s history.

Boronia Shoppingtown is of interest as an example of the later commercial work of the notable architectural firm of Buchan Laird & Buchan.

Aesthetic


Boronia Shoppingtown is of interest as a representative example of a post-war freestanding shopping centre. Although altered, the design of the interior is notable for the surviving ceramic mural on the east wall and the coffered ceiling, which is typical of shopping centre design in the post-war period and illustrates relative importance of the centre at the time it opened.

Social

Criterion GCriterion GCriterion GCriterion G Importance as a place highly valued by a community for reasons of religious, spiritual, symbolic, cultural, educational, or social associations.

Boronia Shoppingtown has strong associations with the local community as a meeting place, which contributes to the identity of Boronia village.

Conclusion

The tile mosaic and plaque are representative of the social significance of the opening of large stand alone shopping centres surrounded by car parks that proliferated around Melbourne’s suburbs from the 1960s to 1970s. The tile mosaic and plaque are historically significant on a local level as part of the Boronia Mall, which is itself a representative of the stand alone shopping centre designed in the 1970s. No evidence of the artist or of particular artistic merit has been found in relation to the tile mosaic itself. Rather, the mosaic is representative of the internal artistic decoration of shopping malls of this period and design.

Recommendations

The tile mosaic should not be protected as an individual item on the Knox City HO. Rather, the mosaic is a significant feature of the Boronia Mall (former Boronia Shoppingtown) of 1973. It is recommended that the best way of protecting the tile mosaic is for the Boronia Mall be considered for addition to the Heritage Overlay, with internal controls over the tile mosaic and the coffered ceiling in particular.

It is recommended that Council consider protecting the heritage significance of the Boronia Mall as a whole, as the place appears to be substantially intact and is historically, aesthetically and socially significant on a local level to Knox City. Previous studies (the Boronia Project

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2005) appear to have established a level of social significance for the mall, but this social significance should be confirmed with more current community consultation.

Figure 18: Tile mosaic in Boronia Mall. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 19: Plaque and detail of the tile mosaic. Source: Context 2011.

Figure 20: The coffered ceiling inside Boronia Mall. Source: Context 2011.


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Draft Statement of Significance, Boronia Shoppingtown (former)


Boronia Shoppingtown (former) is a freestanding suburban shopping centre, which comprises a complex of buildings designed by Buchan Laird and Buchan. The complex was completed three months ahead of schedule, a fact that was attributed to the use of pre-cast concrete walls and special formwork. Notable features of the interior included a large ceramic mural along an upper wall, and a coffered ceiling, which featured a dramatic chandelier (later removed) as its centrepiece. The complex was opened by the Premier of Victoria, Rupert Hamer, on 10 September 1973.


Boronia Shoppingtown (former) is of local historic and social significance, and of aesthetic and architectural interest, to Knox City.


Boronia Shoppingtown (former) is historically significant as a representative example of the free-standing shopping centres based around car transport that were developed in Knox to service the rapidly expanding suburbs around Boronia during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Boronia Shoppingtown (former) is of historic interest as an example of the later commercial work of the notable architectural firm of Buchan Laird & Buchan.

Boronia Shoppingtown (former) is of aesthetic and architectural interest as a representative example of a post-war freestanding shopping centre. Although altered, the interior is notable for the surviving ceramic mural on the east wall and the coffered ceiling, which is typical of shopping centre design in the post-war period and illustrates relative importance of the centre at the time it opened.

Boronia Shoppingtown (former) has social significance for the strong associations with the local community as a meeting place, which contributes to the identity of Boronia village.

2.7 Boronia Progress Hall

Contextual history

Around the 1920s, urbanisation of Ferntree Gully Shire increased. Between 1920 and 1924 there were 200 subdivisions principally in Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, Boronia, and Scoresby. In Boronia, this was spurred by the creation of a railway station in 1920. This was after 25 years of campaigning by the Boronia Progress Association, which was founded in the same year the new suburb was named (Argus 01/02/1926:7). The line was electrified in 1925, which made the area suitable for commuter suburbs. Development followed the north-south alignment of the railway. It was relatively slow, however, and many blocks remained un-serviced, some until the 1950s.

New public buildings followed the coming of the railway. Three churches were built in Boronia between 1921 and 1923, and the first public school and general store opened in 1923 (Monash Uni, Australian Places, 1999).

In relation to community action in the area now known as Knox, the City of Knox Heritage Study (McInnes 1993) says the following:

The people of the foothills have always been known for their tenacious ways in achieving goals. The Progress Associations of which there were about 20 in the hills were instrumental in the formation of the first Kindergarten, and Infant Welfare Centre (later to be called the Maternal and Child Health Centre) in the modern day city of Knox. The associations lobbied for better roads, transport, general amenities, and electrification in the towns which was connected unevenly; one area in Boronia was not connected until 1956.

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The entrepreneurial activities of Sir George Knox, Sir William Angliss, Sir Gilbert Chandler [son of Alfred Chandler], and their wives were responsible for many of the services Knox has today.

The Boronia Progress Hall was one such place that provided a community venue from which to lobby for improvements to their local area. Typically, community halls such as the Boronia Progress Hall also served other community functions and activities.

Place history

The first meeting of the Boronia Public Hall Committee was held at the Boronia railway crossing on 26 March 1921. Mr George Ward was elected President, Mr J. Maher Secretary, and Mr Harmer, Treasurer (McInnes 1993:169).

In 1921, Alfred E. Chandler donated a block of land in Dorset Road to be used for a local hall. Mr George Green, a local builder, estimated a hall would cost 600 to 1200 pounds to build. (It eventually cost 1,300 pounds in total (Argus 01/02/1926:7).) The Ferntree Gully Shire was approached to provide 600 pounds. The trustees, appointed in 1922, were Messers. A. E. Chandler, G. Ward, Mr Harmer, G. Green, Sutton, A. Zeising, and R. L. Bettles (McInnes 1993:169).

On the 2 September, 1922, it was decided to name the hall the Boronia Progress Hall and the Trustees be appointed from the Boronia Progress Association. A committee of twelve was appointed to control the affairs of the hall, five members to be trustees (McInnes 1993:169).

In June 1924, A. E. Chandler donated another block of land near the corner of Dorset and Boronia Roads where the hall now stands. The building was finally opened in 1926 by the Minister for Public Works, Mr Goudie, M.L.A. Electricity was connected in 1927, the residents having to pay 252 pounds to supply electricity to the township (McInnes 1993:169).

The recreation reserve to the south of the hall was created by the Progress Association at the same time and was controlled by it. Once the debt to establish the hall and reserve were paid off, they were presented to the Shire of Ferntree Gully Council (Argus 01/02/1926:7).

Many important events occurred at the hall including the formation of the Boronia Bush Fire Brigade following the disastrous fires of 1939. It was a central town focus. It suffered a second fire in 1991, but was restored under the supervision of architect Jack Braunstein. Restoration was completed in April 1992, and the building officially reopened in August of that year (McInnes 1993:169).

Description

The Boronia Progress Hall is located in the centre of town near the railway station and the intersection of Boronia and Dorset roads. It is a long, gable-fronted timber building, with a small setback from Boronia Road. The corrugated-metal clad roof is punctuated by two rows of six tall round metal ventilators, one on each side of the ridge, which are typical of public buildings for this period. The building is clad in weatherboards, apart from the front gable. The gable has a small area of timber shingles in the apex above a row of modillions, and below that is fibro-cement sheeting with vertical cover straps. In the centre of this area is a round window with nine panes. The bargeboard is simple, but has a tall finial/flagpole at the top and a decorative crossbrace.

The windows to the façade are paired four-over-one sashes, with a bottom hopper sash (overpainted). These windows have Japanese-inspired architraves which was very fashionable for California Bungalows at the time. Between the windows is an open entrance porch supported on a low masonry wall and piers and posts above, again typical of the current residential style, as is the flat roof of the porch and the decorative exposed rafter ends. The entrance, beneath the porch, is a pair of ledged doors, with a Japanese-inspired architrave.


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While fashionable details are concentrated on the façade, the side and rear elevations have six-over-one windows (with a hopper at the bottom) in plain, rectangular frames, as do the ledged doors.

There are small, skillion-roof additions, one on the east and the west elevations, which are later in date and intrusive. While the building suffered a fire in 1991, its subsequent restoration appears to have been quite sympathetic and has not introduced any jarring elements. Ther roof has recently been reclad.

Figure 21. Boronia Progress Hall (Context Pty Ltd, 2008)

Comparative analysis

Comparative examples were sought from limited resources:

• The Department of Infrastructure Library (DOI), Infralib (typological studies)

• Heritage studies covering local government areas on Melbourne’s outskirts

• Knox Historical Society

• Online picture collections (State Library of Victoria, Picture Australia, Picture Victoria).

Community halls were important meeting places for the local community, and held a wide range of activities from dances and working bees to clubs, lectures and religious services. Progress Associations, of which there were about 20 in the modern day City of Knox, were instrumental in the lobbying for better roads, transport, general amenities, and electrification.

As the following limited sample of other Progress and Public Halls in outlying areas of Melbourne shows, typically, these buildings were of a relatively similar, generally lightweight timber, and modest construction, within fairly modest and practical landscaped settings.

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Boronia Progress HallBoronia Progress HallBoronia Progress HallBoronia Progress Hall Basin Progress HallBasin Progress HallBasin Progress HallBasin Progress Hall, The Basin (Source: Context Pty Ltd 2007). Opened 1929

Cardinia Public HallCardinia Public HallCardinia Public HallCardinia Public Hall (Source: Context Pty Ltd, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study 2008). Built in 1924.

Officer Public HallOfficer Public HallOfficer Public HallOfficer Public Hall, Tivendale Road, Officer (Source: Context Pty Ltd, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study 2008) Built 1915, modified 1922.

YaYaYaYanathan Public Hallnathan Public Hallnathan Public Hallnathan Public Hall, Yanathan (Source: Context Pty Ltd, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study 2008). Built 1933.

Taggerty HallTaggerty HallTaggerty HallTaggerty Hall, Taggerty (Source: Context Pty Ltd, Murrindindi Shire Heritage Study 2008). Opened 1898, modified 1920s.


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Merlynston Progress HallMerlynston Progress HallMerlynston Progress HallMerlynston Progress Hall (colour Polaroid 7cm by 9cm) in recent years was leased as Post-Tel Institute. (Source: Coburg Historical Society.) No date.

Shoreham Progress HallShoreham Progress HallShoreham Progress HallShoreham Progress Hall, Flinders Road. Photograph by John T. Collins. (Source: State Library of Victoria, Accession No: H98.251/509, Image No: jc015217.) Image taken c.1968.

Within the City of Knox, Boronia and The Basin have the only two identified surviving progress halls, both from the 1920s. Both halls are clad in weatherboards, with fibro-cement sheet and cover straps in the front gables, influenced by the California Bungalow style. The Boronia example, however, is a more substantial structure with more fashionable architectural details (to the façade). It is also far more intact, as the one in The Basin has most of its façade covered by an intrusive addition.

Looking further afield, at early halls in other municipalities, it is clear that again the Boronia Progress Hall incorporates the architectural fashion of its time to a much greater extent, and it is a larger building overall (particularly long).


Historic


Boronia Progress Hall, of 1926, is one of a group of early public buildings in Boronia, which were built shortly after the Boronia Railway Station opened in 1920. (NB: It is not known how many others from the 1920s – the three churches and primary school – survive, but none are listed in the 1993 Heritage Study, so it is likely that they have been demolished.)

It has historical associations with the Boronia Progress Association. The BPA was formed in 1895, when Boronia was first named, and spent the next 25 years campaigning for a local railway station. When it finally opened, in 1920, they could devote their energies to creating community facilities to meet demands from current and new residents. Apart from the Hall, the BPA was also responsible for establishment of the adjacent recreation reserve.

Criterion HCriterion HCriterion HCriterion H Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Knox’s history.

Boronia Progress Hall has associations with Alfred Chandler, the ‘father of Boronia’. The Chandlers ran a large nursery in Boronia, and Alfred was both a councillor of the Shire of Ferntree Gully and responsible for many residential subdivision in Boronia in the 1920s. In 1924 he donated a block of land near the corner of Dorset and Boronia roads, where the hall now stands. He was also a member of the hall committee and president of the committee of guarantors for funding its construction.

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Aesthetic/Architectural


Boronia Progress Hall is representative of a substantial small-town community hall of the early twentieth century, with typical features such as a gable-front, its original roof ventilators, a front porch, and linear plan.


Boronia Progress Hall is one of two interwar community halls identified in the 1993 Heritage Study. It is far more architecturally distinguished and intact than the other, The Basin Progress Hall. The Boronia example has fashionable details borrowed from the California Bungalow style, such as Japanese-style window and door architraves. It is one of the very few interwar public buildings in Boronia, and this and its location near a major intersection make it a local landmark.

Social

Criterion GCriterion GCriterion GCriterion G Importance as a place highly valued by a community for reasons of religious, spiritual, symbolic, cultural, educational, or social associations.

Boronia Progress Hall has been a centre of the local community since its opening in 1926. The decision to restore it after a fire in 1991 indicates continuing attachment to and valuing of the building by the community. It is still available for hire for local events.

Recommendations

It is clear, based primarily on its historic and social significance that the Boronia Progress Hall meets the threshold for local heritage significance, and it should be protected under the City of Knox Heritage Overlay.

It would also be worth investigating the heritage significance of the adjacent recreation ground, which was established by the Boronia Progress Association at the same time.

Draft Statement of Significance


Boronia Progress Hall, 134 Boronia Road, Boronia, to the extent of its 1920s fabric. It was constructed on land donated by local councilor and nursery-owner, Alfred Chandler, to the Boronia Progress Association. The hall was opened in 1926 by the Minister for Public Works, Mr Goudie, MLA.

The Progress Hall suffered a fire in 1991, and was restored the following year under the guidance of architect Jack Braunstein.


Boronia Progress Hall is of local historical, architectural, aesthetic and social significance to the City of Knox.


Historically, it is one of a group of early public buildings in Boronia, which were built shortly after the Boronia Railway Station opened in 1920, and is one of the only ones to survive to the present day. The building has historical associations with the Boronia Progress Association, and was their major project following the success of a 25-year campaign to open a railway station in Boronia. It also has associations with ‘the father of Boronia’, Alfred Chandler, who donated the land the hall stands on and was president of the trustees who raised money for its construction. (Criteria A, B, H)


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Architecturally and aesthetically, it is a representative example of an interwar outer-suburban community hall which is intact, and incorporates details drawn from the California Bungalow style, such as timber shingles and fibro sheeting in the front gable, Japanese-inspired window and door architraves, and front porch posts resting on low piers. It is located next to a major Boronia intersection and its rarity in its current setting of post-war and late twentieth-century commercial buildings makes it a local landmark. (Criteria D, E)

Socially, it as been a centre of the local community since its opening in 1926. The decision to restore it after a fire in 1991 indicates continuing attachment to and valuing of the building by the community. It is still used for local events. (Criterion G)

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3 REVIEW OF SELECTED HO PLACES

3.1 HO30 Former Uniting Church, 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater

Existing Fabric

A small symmetrical weatherboard church dating from the late nineteenth century, with Gothic pointed-arch windows. The church was moved to Bayswater in 1898 from Mitcham. It is considered to be a rare surviving example of a modest Gothic timber church within the municipality. A mature Quercus palustris (Pin Oak)

The citation in HERMES (ID 42684) states that in 1993, when the place was assessed, the site comprised the 1898 timber church, a large timber hall (c1933) in a setting of mature exotic trees. No hall survives on the site, as it was moved to the City of Maroondah shortly after 2007, although there are a number of mature exotic trees still on the site.

Existing controls applied to the land

The land to which HO30 currently applies (being 1D Alwyn Street and 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater) has the following overlay controls applied:

• Design Development Overlay Schedule 6 (DDO6)

• Heritage Overlay (HO30)

• Vegetation Protection Overlay Schedule 2 (VPO2) (adjacent)

• Vegetation Protection Overlay Schedule 3 (VPO3)

Citation/Statement of Significance

A review of HERMES indicates that there is no complete citation or statement of significance (which meets current standards). There is no listing of the criteria or thresholds used to make an assessment of the significance of the place, or justify its inclusion under the Heritage Overlay.

This makes the heritage place difficult to understand, justify or defend its retention on the Heritage Overlay, or to manage through the Knox Planning Scheme.

A revised history of the place was prepared by Context Pty Ltd in 2007 (and updated here):

Methodists in Bayswater met together in a variety of locations from 1890. In 1898 the church trustees purchased an allotment on the south-east corner of High Street and Bayswater Road (now Mountain Highway). On 18 April of that year, they moved a small timber church by bullock dray from Mitcham to this site. A skillion-roof wooden vestry was added to the back of the Methodist Church in 1921. The builder was James Edmond.

In a drive to attract more families to the congregation, a timber Kindergarten Hall was constructed behind the Methodist Church by builder GA Eastwood of Bayswater. The official opening was 4 November 1933.

By the early 1960s the church’s membership had grown. The trustees purchased three adjacent blocks of land at the south-east corner of Elm Street and Mountain Highway and on Alwyn Street in 1960 and 1961. The land was purchased from Mrs Stephenson, owner of Elm House, and was mostly bush at the time. They then sold the site at High Street, three streets away. The Methodist Church and Kindergarten Hall were moved by truck to their new site on Alwyn Street in 1963. The contractor for the relocation and re-erection of the two buildings was GL Hill of Boronia, under the supervision of architect James Earle.

A new brick church was constructed on the corner of the new site in 1965-66. The architect was Keith J Butler of Blackburn and the builder, FH Jennings of Oakleigh. Bayswater Methodist


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Church became Bayswater Uniting Church in 1977. The old timber church and Kindergarten Hall were refurbished in 1993.6 the Kindergarten Hall was moved to another site shortly after 2007.

Planning Scheme/Extent of Listing

The Heritage Overlay currently covers 1D Alywn Street (where the Kindergarten Hall stood) and a small portion of 654 Mountain Hwy directly north of it (where the timber church stands).

VPO 3 (relating to remnant over storey vegetation) is applied to all of the land in the area. It does not have particular bearing or relevance to this site, and may be an appropriate control for the area. VPO 2 (Significant Exotic and Non Indigenous native trees) has been applied to a small polygon at 5 Alwyn Street (over the Fraxinus sp.), once part of the church property; VPO2 has also been applied to a small portion of land spanning 656 and 654 Mountain Highway (both originally part of the church).

Identified Issues

Heritage Overlay

The schedule to the HO has the following errors:

• The Heritage Place is not adequately described (should be Uniting Church (former), 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater)

• The Heritage place is listed with an incorrect address (1 Alwyn Street, Bayswater, adjacent to Uniting Church). It should be listed as 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater

• No tree controls are activated, despite there being significant trees which are clearly related to the development of the heritage place.

The HO Layer of the GIS has the following errors:

• HO incorrectly applied to 1D Alwyn Street (now a modern residence; this was the former site of the Hall)

Vegetation Protection Overlay

The appropriateness of VPO3 and DDO6 have not been considered in this assessment.

The following errors have been identified with the application of VPO2 to the land at 654 Mountain Highway and 5 Alwyn Street (both originally part of the Uniting Church complex):

• The polygon applied to the land at 654 -656 Mountain Highway covers one tree (Quercus robur) and a large portion of the new church at 654 Mountain Hwy, and part of the new building (non-significant) 656 Mountain Hwy.

• The Schedule to VPO2 lists street names without addresses. VPO2 as it applies to the Quercus robur at 654 Mountain Highway is not clearly shown, nor is it clear which tree/s the VPO strives to protect.

General

The following is a list of trees which make a contribution to the proposed VPO2 (Significant Exotic and Non Indigenous native trees) viewed in a brief site inspection and their location:

• Pair of Pinus radiata (Monterey Pine), Elm Street

6 From the collections of the Knox Historical Society: ‘Memories – Bayswater Methodist Church’,

undated; ‘Orchard Days of Yesteryears’, compiled by Evelyn Hodgkin, [1998], pp 82-83; ‘Bayswater Methodist Church Historical Notes’, compiled by HS McComb, in ‘Opening and dedication of the new church building’ program, 3 April 1966.

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• Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Palm) road reserve, Elm Street

• Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), rear garden 1B Alwyn Street

• Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), between timber church and fence of 3 Alwyn Street

• Quercus robur (English Oak), between east wall of modern church and fence at 656 Mountain Highway

• Grevillia robusta (Silky Oak), rear garden, 3 Alwyn Street

• Grevillia robusta (Silky Oak), rear garden, 3-Alwyn Street

• Fraxinus species(?) (Ash), 5 Alwyn Street

• There are also a number of less significant native Eucalyptus which post date most of the exotic plantings.

Recommendations

• Remove VPO2 layer polygon from 5 Alwyn Street.

• Remove VPO2 layer polygon from 654 & 656 Mountain Highway

• Reapply VPO2 layer to include all land in title at the following properties: 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater 1a Alwyn Street, Bayswater 1b Alwyn Street, Bayswater 1c Alwyn Street, Bayswater 1d Alwyn Street, Bayswater 3 Alwyn Street, Bayswater 5 Alwyn Street, Bayswater

(Green boundary below = proposed new VPO2 for area)

• Undertake inspection of trees to confirm correct species and make appropriate changes to Schedule to VPO2.

• Amend citation and statement of significance to include Quercus palustris immediately adjacent

• Remove polygon for HO30 from Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Apply new polygon for HO30 to Knox Planning Scheme Maps.

The polygon is to be bound on the north side by the title boundary of 656 Mountain Hwy, the east side by the boundary of 3 Alwyn Street, the south by the title boundary of 1D Alwyn Street, and on the west, in line with the western boundaries of 1D Alwyn Street and 656 Mountain Highway (see above).


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Red boundary denoting proposed new HO30 polygon

• Update Schedule to Heritage Overlay by replacing existing text in the following fields with: Heritage Place:Heritage Place:Heritage Place:Heritage Place: Uniting Church (former), 654 Mountain Highway, Bayswater Tree Controls:Tree Controls:Tree Controls:Tree Controls: Yes, Quercus palustris (Pin Oak) on east side of Church

3.2 HO47 Greenlaw Homestead & land (former) 93 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully

Existing Fabric

HO47 is a large irregular polygon covering a large area of land fronting Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully. Only a small portion of original HO47 survives as undeveloped land. The Heritage Overlay was applied on the strength of the association of the place (Greenlaw Homestead and land) with the Honourable Sir George Knox, an important local identity and Member of the Legislative Assembly. The site now consists of a small area of land, 44 x 60metres fronting Scoresby Road, planted with the remnants of a small plantation of Pinus radiata (Monterey Pine), and one Quercus robur (English Oak) which dates from the mid Twentieth Century.

The plantation (which has lost several trees in various locations) appears to have originally been 8 rows of 11 trees. Another incomplete row of five Monterey Pines survive on the northern boundary fence. New works have occurred within the area, including the construction of paths, the removal of a front fence and the construction of a timber boardwalk. Modern residences have been constructed on much of the area to which the current Heritage Overlay applies.

A new road, Houghton Drive, intersects the existing Heritage Overlay area. A masonry plinth with a bronze memorial plaque commemorates George Knox and mentions his ownership of Greenlaw. It is difficult to appreciate any sense of being in a historic place, although there is a strong aesthetic impact on the approach from Scoresby Road, and the trees are clearly visible from the new surrounding subdivision, despite the new development being predominately two storey.

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The land to which HO47 currently applies has the following overlay controls applied:







Somewhat unusually, the land has the Heritage Overlay applied, with Tree Controls activated, as well as a Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO2).

The Heritage Overlay is applied to the following properties:

• 493 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully

• 2 Houghton Drive, Ferntree Gully (part)









• Houghton Drive Road Pavement

• 475 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully (part)

• 477 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully (part)

The VPO2 applies to all of the properties listed above, and the following additional properties:

• 23 Houghton Drive, Ferntree Gully




• 25 Watling Grove, Ferntree Gully (part)


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Identified Issues

Heritage Overlay

The Heritage Overlay has been applied to an unusual shaped area of land, which no longer relates to existing title boundaries or physical fabric. It appears to follow a previous line of ‘designed’ landscape (as seen in photographs in the Knox Significant Vegetation Study, p. 164).

It is unlikely that this site would now be considered to meet the threshold of significance required to be included under the Heritage Overlay. There is no Statement of Significance which addresses the What, How and Why the place is significant, nor is there any assessment against the HERCON Criteria. The Significance attributed to the site is for its association with George Knox. Panels have been sceptical about including places under the Heritage Overlay simply for their association with important local people.


The following errors have been identified with the application of VPO2 to the land at 493 Scoresby Road, Bayswater:

• The irregularly shaped polygon applied to the land at 493 Scoresby Road no longer relates to existing title boundaries or physical fabric. It appears to follow a previous line of ‘designed’ landscape with a ‘buffer zone’ (as seen in photographs in the Knox Significant Vegetation Study, p. 164).

General

There is little physical fabric to demonstrate any historic theme or HERCON criteria which may be relevant. The trees generally make an aesthetic contribution due to their size, density of planting and proximity to Scoresby Road.

Recommendations

• Remove the polygon for HO47 from the Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Remove the polygon for VPO2 as it is currently applied to the land on the Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Apply the Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO2) to all of the land known 493 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully (Lot 2, Plan PS533798) and Lot CM1, Plan PS529282.

• Amend the Schedule to VPO2 of the Knox Planning Scheme to include two separate new lines as follows: LocationLocationLocationLocation: 493 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully Common name:Common name:Common name:Common name: Monterey Pine Botanical name:Botanical name:Botanical name:Botanical name: Pinus radiata Number of trees: Number of trees: Number of trees: Number of trees: Plantation (8 x 11 rows) LocationLocationLocationLocation: 493 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully Common name:Common name:Common name:Common name: English Oak Botanical name:Botanical name:Botanical name:Botanical name: Quercus robur Number of trees: Number of trees: Number of trees: Number of trees: 1

3.3 HO32 Glenfern Homestead (former) now Coonara House , 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

Existing Fabric

Coonara House is an asymmetrical farmhouse, dating from the 1860s constructed of fieldstone and rubble with handmade brick quoins around the window and door openings. It is believed to have been constructed by Charles James Dawson in 1864 as the principal residence of his Glenfern Estate (Dusting-Laird (ed.), 2006(?);18). The house is sited immediately south of a

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seasonal creek and faces Willow Road. The house is surrounded by a variety of mature trees, including fruit trees, Cedar, Elms, Oaks and Poplars. A sealed road immediately south of the residence and sealed car park to the west divides Coonara House from Kings Park proper. A number of the mature trees within Kings Park are believed to be remnant nineteenth century plantings from the Glenfern Estate period.

Contextual History

The property was broken into smaller titles in the 1890s and was subsequently farmed by a variety of families until 1950, when the Inverno family sold 50 acres of land (south of the residence) to the Shire of Ferntree Gully to develop for a sporting and recreation complex (Dusting-Laird; ibid), a further 16 acres (north of the residence) was donated to the Education Department. The house was used as the Caretaker’s residence for Kings Park until 1975, and later became the Coonara Community House.


The land which HO32 currently applies to (being 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully and RES1\PS411130 and RES2\PS411130, Willow Road, Ferntree Gully) has the following controls applied:

• Design Development Overlay (Schedule 1) DDO1


• Significant Landscape Overlay (Schedule 2) SLO2



In addition, another Heritage Overlay (HO41) is set within HO32 (see discussion below for HO41).


A review of HERMES indicates that there is no citation or statement of significance (which meets current standards). There is no listing of the criteria or thresholds used to make an assessment of the significance of the place, or justify its inclusion under the Heritage Overlay. To add to the confusion, the datasheet prepared for the Ulmus procera ( HO41) is linked to HO32 in HERMES.



This report does not consider the merits or application of DDO1 (Dandenong Foothills: Foothills backdrop and ridgeline area), SLO2 (Dandenong Foothills: Foothills backdrop and ridgeline area) or VPO1 (Remnant vegetation with a high degree of naturalness) as all three overlays are applied broadly to the broader area beyond the subject site, and while important do not have specific bearing on the appropriateness of the application of the HO or VPO2 on the site.

The Schedule to the Heritage Overlay for the Knox Planning Scheme lists the heritage place HO32 as Coonara House, Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully. There are no additional controls applied (paint, trees etc.).

The current polygon for HO32 on the HO Layer of the Knox Planning Scheme Map is a roughly square (but irregular on the north side) polygon. It covers the stone residence and surrounding garden, a portion of the adjacent creek, the main entrance and car park for Coonara Community House facilities and a number of significant nineteenth-century trees.


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It excludes (through the application of HO41) a portion of a community hall and other buildings now part of Coonara House and several significant nineteenth-century trees which line the main entry, including a Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), a Cedrus deodara (Cedar of Lebanon) and two other trees in the driveway.

VPO2 (Significant exotic and non-indigenous trees) is applied to a small area of land, mainly including the sealed roadway and includes part of the Quercus palustris covered by HO41, a small part of the canopy of a mature Ulmus glabra ‘Lutescens’ (Golden Elm) and a number of other smaller trees. The Schedule to VPO2 lists the overlay applying to ‘a number’ of Ulmus procera (English Elms) and ‘a number’ of Populus sp. (Poplars) at Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully. It is presumed that VPO2 is meant to apply to a larger area than is shown on the polygon for VPO2 on the subject site, with an application covering most of the eastern part of Kings Park.

Identified Issues

Heritage Overlay


• The Heritage Place is not adequately described in the Schedule (it should be Glenfern Estate Homestead (former) and trees, 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully)

• The Heritage place is listed with an incomplete address. It should be listed as 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

• No tree controls are activated, despite there being significant trees which are clearly related to the development of the heritage place.


• The polygon needs to be revised based on a detailed inspection of the significant trees on the site.

• HO41 has no additional use or function in its current location at the centre of HO32.


The following errors have been identified with the application of VPO2 to the land at 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

• The small polygon applied to part of the subject site does not appear to relate to significant exotic or non-indigenous vegetation on the site.

• The Knox Significant Vegetation Study (Environs Groups Pty Ltd 2003:127) prepared a citation on a significant Ulmus procera close to the current location of VPO2. It is possible that VPO2 may intend to apply to that tree (HO41 is also intended to apply to that tree).

The Schedule to VPO2 lists the trees throughout the municipality to which the overlay applies. In Willow Road, it lists Elm and Poplar species, neither of which are included in the existing polygon for VPO2.

General

The subject site has a strong case for the retention of the Heritage Overlay. The residence is early, a rare surviving example of its type architecturally within the municipality, relatively intact externally and has further social significance as an early alternative education centre and community facility within the municipality, and state context. The trees which are currently included under HO32 (and HO41) have a tangible relationship with the early house, and provide an important contextual setting. Several trees, particularly some specimens of Ulmus procera (English Elm) and Populus nigra var. Italica (Lombardy Poplar) and Quercus palustris (Pin Oak) are of particular significance for their age and size. Other specimens may be found to be significant after a detailed site inspection.

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The ongoing use of Kings Park as a recreation space adds to the social value of the place.

The application of a single Heritage Overlay is considered the most appropriate tool to protect the significant fabric (of the residence, the trees, the creek, reserve and land). The VPO2 is not considered necessary for this site, and complicates matters.

Recommendations

• Remove VPO2 layer polygon from 22 Willow Road on the Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Update the Schedule for VPO2 to remove the references to Elms and Poplars in Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

• Undertake further research to develop a comprehensive citation and full statement of significance for the heritage place, including a determination of the appropriate extent (HO Polygon) to be included under the HO layer of the Knox Planning Scheme, and a full list of the significant trees to which the tree control applies.

• Expand the Extent to cover the area currently covered by HO41 (to be removed from HO)

• Amend the fields in Schedule to the Heritage Overlay for HO32 as follows: Heritage Place:Heritage Place:Heritage Place:Heritage Place: Glenfern Estate Homestead (former) and trees, 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully Tree Controls: Tree Controls: Tree Controls: Tree Controls: Yes

• Remove HO41 from the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Knox Planning Scheme.

• Remove HO41 from the GIS Heritage Overlay layer of the Knox Planning Scheme.

3.4 HO41 One Elm (Ulmus procera) and Poplars (Populus sp.), Kings Park, Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

Existing Fabric

HO41 is a small area of land located within the larger HO32, associated with Glenfern Estate Homestead (former) now Coonara House.

HO41 appears to have been incorrectly applied, as it covers a portion of a community hall and other buildings now part of Coonara House and several significant nineteenth-century trees which line the main entry, including a Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), a Cedrus deodara (Cedar of Lebanon) and two other smaller trees in the driveway.


The land which HO41 currently applies to (being 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully and RES1\PS411130 and RES2\PS411130, Willow Road, Ferntree Gully) has the following Overlay controls applied:

• Design Development Overlay Schedule 1 (DDO1)


• Significant Landscape Overlay Schedule 2 (SLO2)



In addition, another Heritage Overlay (HO32) is set around HO41 (see discussion above for HO32).


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A review of HERMES indicates that there is no citation or statement of significance for this heritage place. There is no listing of the criteria or thresholds used to make an assessment of the significance of the place, or justify its inclusion under the Heritage Overlay. To add to the confusion, the datasheet prepared for the Ulmus procera (HO41) is linked to HO32 and HO41 in HERMES, although HO41 does not apply to the land on which the tree stands.



This report does not consider the merits or application of DDO1 (Dandenong Foothills: Foothills backdrop and ridgeline area), SLO2 (Dandenong Foothills: Foothills backdrop and ridgeline area) or VPO1 (Remnant vegetation with a high degree of naturalness) as all three overlays are applied broadly to the broader area beyond the subject site, and while important do not have specific bearing on the appropriateness of the application of the HO or VPO2 on the site.

The Schedule to the Heritage Overlay for the Knox Planning Scheme lists the heritage place HO41 as Kings Park, Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully, One Ulmus procera (Elm) and Populus sp. (Poplars). The schedule applies Tree Controls to the site, and no other additional controls.

VPO2 (Significant exotic and non-indigenous trees) overlap the north-west corner of the land covered by HO41, which is mainly a sealed roadway and small part of the Quercus palustris. The remainder is located in HO32 and covers a small part of the canopy of a mature Ulmus glabra ‘Lutescens’ (Golden Elm) and a number of other smaller trees. The Schedule to VPO2 lists the overlay applying to ‘a number’ of Ulmus procera (English Elms) and ‘a number’ of Populus sp. (Poplars) at Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully. It is presumed that VPO2 is meant to apply to a larger area than is shown on the polygon for VPO2 on the subject site, with an application covering most of the eastern part of Kings Park.

Identified Issues

Heritage Overlay


• The Heritage Place is not adequately described in the Schedule

• The Heritage place is listed with an incomplete address

• The Heritage Overlay for HO41 does not appear to serve a specific function


• The polygon does not apply to any specific significant fabric which warrants tree controls more than the land covered by HO32 (which does not currently have the tree controls activated)


The following errors have been identified with the application of VPO2 to the land at 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

• The small polygon applied to part of the subject site does not appear to relate to significant exotic or non-indigenous vegetation on the site.

• The Knox Significant Vegetation Study (Environs Groups Pty Ltd 2003:127) prepared a citation on a significant Ulmus procera close to the current location of VPO2. It is possible that VPO2 may intend to apply to that tree (HO41 is also intended to apply to that tree).

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The Schedule to VPO2 lists the trees throughout the municipality to which the overlay applies. In Willow Road, it lists Elm and Poplar species, neither of which are included in the existing polygon for VPO2 at the subject site.

General

There is no clear reason to retain HO41, or VPO2 at 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.

The objectives of HO41 are to protect the significant Elms and Poplars on the site. Due to the mapping errors discussed above, HO41 is not performing this function.

VPO2 seeks to protect significant exotic and non-indigenous trees. At present, it provides very limited protection for a number of trees with questionable significance.

The application of HO32 to the whole of the site, with tree controls activated and a comprehensive citation and statement of significance would achieve the objectives of HO41, HO32 and VPO2 under one simple control. As a single unified place, the land at 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully has a strong case for the re-application of the Heritage Overlay.

Recommendations

• Remove HO41 from the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of Knox Planning Scheme

• Remove HO41 polygon from the HO layer of Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Remove VPO2 polygon from 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully of the Knox Planning Scheme Maps

• Apply revised HO32 polygon to all of the land formerly covered by HO41 and VPO2

• Update the Schedule for VPO2 to remove the references to Elms and Poplars in Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully

3.5 HO39 Liquidambar Styraciflua (Liquidambar), 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater

HO39 is applied to all of the land in the title at 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater. The heritage place is recorded as ‘Corner of Sasses Avenue and Boronia Road, Bayswater. Liquidambars (Liquidambar styraciflua)’.

385 Boronia Road, Bayswater, has no apparent specimens of Liquidambar. There are four individual specimens of Cupressus macrocarpa, planted on the west boundary fence of the property. The specimen closest to Boronia Road appeared to be multi-stemmed, and in fair to poor condition. One of the three stems of this specimen was exhibiting clear signs of stress including several snapped limbs, canopy dieback and significant amounts of dead or dying wood. The other two stems were in fair condition. The other three trees appeared to be in good condition, with relatively dense canopies. Both the east and west side of the canopies were all exhibiting random areas of limited (patchy) foliar dieback. The trees appear to date from c. 1900-1935, and are not particularly outstanding examples of their species in terms of height, canopy spread, girth, form, age or other recognised criteria.

There is a modern (1970s) residence and associated outbuildings located on the land. These are not considered to have any cultural heritage significance.


The land which HO39 applies to (being 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater has the following Overlay controls applied:


• Vegetation Protection Overlay Schedule (VPO2)


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A review of HERMES indicates that there is no citation or statement of significance for this heritage place. There is no listing of the criteria or thresholds used to make an assessment of the significance of the place, or justify its inclusion under the Heritage Overlay. This makes the heritage place difficult to understand, justify or defend its retention on the Heritage Overlay, or to manage through the Knox Planning Scheme.

A page from the Knox Heritage Study (1993:51) lists a number of trees within the municipality. The following entry is recorded:

Sasses Avenue/Boronia Road, Boronia – Group of Liquidambar


The Schedule to the Heritage Overlay for the Knox Planning Scheme lists the heritage place as ‘Corner of Sasses Avenue and Boronia Road, Bayswater; Liquidambars’. The schedule applies Tree Controls to the site, and no other additional controls.

VPO2 (Significant exotic and non-indigenous trees) is applied to the south-east portion of the subject land, which covers mainly a modern (1970s) residence of no apparent heritage significance.

Identified Issues

Heritage Overlay

The Schedule to the HO has the following errors:

• The Heritage Place described in the Schedule does not exist (there are no Liquidambars at 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater)

• The Heritage place is listed with an incomplete address

• The Heritage Overlay for HO39 does not appear to be justified


The following errors have been identified with the application of VPO2 to the land at 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater

• The small polygon applied to part of the subject site does not relate to significant exotic or non-indigenous vegetation on the site.

• The Schedule lists Liquidambars as located at the corner of Sasses and Boronia roads. None exist within the polygon specified by VPO2 at that address.

General

The trees cited as significant (Liquidambars) and used to justify the application of HO39 and VPO2 are not present at 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater. The Heritage Overlay should be removed. The surviving Monterey Cypress on the boundary fence contribute as visually prominent exotic trees within the municipality, though one of the four is in fair to poor condition, and none are particularly outstanding examples of their species. The VPO should be removed from this site, or, alternatively, the polygon can be moved and reapplied to cover these trees along the west boundary fence of the subject site.

Recommendations

• Remove HO39 from the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Knox Planning Scheme

• Remove HO39 polygon from the Knox Planning Scheme

• Remove VPO2 polygon from the subject site, or, if it is retained, move the polygon to cover the Cupressus macrocarpa on the rear fence, from the west boundary fence to the outer edge

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of their drip line. If this second option is chosen, then update the Schedule to VPO2 to include Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterey Pines) at 385 Boronia Road, Bayswater.

3.6 HO9 House, 56 Edina Road, Ferntree Gully

Existing fabric

The house at 56 Edina Road, Ferntree Gully, is situated on the north-west corner of Edina and Wattletree roads. It is a very small weatherboard structure with a transverse gable roof and skillion rear addition, of the type commonly described as a ‘miner’s cottage’. According to the HERMES citation (ID 42629), it dates to 1868, and was built for George Pickett the Elder, a brickmaker by trade.

According to HERMES, apart from the cottage, there was a ‘filled-in well at the rear and the garden has remnants of old roses, briars and a hedge of pittosporums’.

The cottage, and a modern garage, are situated at the front (south) part of the block. Recently, the rear two-thirds of the block were subdivided off, creating 39 & 41 Wattletree Road, where two new dwellings have been constructed (duplexes).

Considering this subdivision, it is not known if the well survives at the rear of the house. Considering the site coverage of the new duplexes at 39 & 41 Wattletree Road, it is highly unlikely that it survives on either of these blocks. Little of the garden plantings survive.

Existing controls & extent of listing

The land to which HO9 applies now encompasses 56 Edina Road, 39 Wattletree Road and 41 Wattletree Road. There are no additional controls indicated in the HO Schedule (e.g., Tree Controls, Outbuildings or Fence Controls).



There is also no analysis of the fabric of the cottage. For example, it appears that the verandah is a recent one. And the history is entirely based on hearsay, without any documentary evidence (e.g., the house is given a firm construction date of 1868 based on a comment in 1958 that it was 90 years old).


Identified Issues

The following issues have been identified in regard to the HO and the HERMES citation:

• The extent of HO9 now includes two properties at the rear of the cottage which have no heritage significance and do not warrant HO protection.

• The place citation no longer reflects the current state of the property.

Recommendations

• Remove the HO9 polygon from the Knox Planning Scheme maps

• Apply new polygon for HO9 to Knox Planning Scheme maps that excludes 39 & 41 Wattletree Road, and only applies to the current extent of 56 Edina Road (Lot 1 PS605304)


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(Pink shaded area = current extent of HO9 Red boundary below = proposed new extent of HO9)

• Update the place citation in HERMES to reflect the current extent and condition of HO9, as well as bringing it up to current standards.

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Appendix A – HERCON criteria

Criterion A:Criterion A:Criterion A:Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.

Criterion B:Criterion B:Criterion B:Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history.

Criterion C:Criterion C:Criterion C:Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.

Criterion D:Criterion D:Criterion D:Criterion D: Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.

Criterion E:Criterion E:Criterion E:Criterion E: Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

Criterion F:Criterion F:Criterion F:Criterion F: Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

Criterion G:Criterion G:Criterion G:Criterion G: Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions.

Criterion H:Criterion H:Criterion H:Criterion H: Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria’s history.


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REFERENCES Newspapers

Age, Herald, Knox-Sherbrooke Gazette, Free Press, Knox News

Archives

Knox Historical Society

Royal Australian Institute of Architects

State Library of Victoria

Books

Humphery, Kim, (1998) Shelf Life: Supermarkets and the Changing Culture of Consumption, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.

Pratt, Bill (2006) My Safeway Story, Brolga Publishing, Melbourne.

Sanders, Neville, (1985) A brief history of Boronia, Boronia.

Shears, Richard & Gidley, Isobelle, eds. (1985) The Pursuit of Excellence, Methuen Australia, Melbourne.

Taylor, Malcolm (ed.), Twenty-One Years of Safeway 1963-1984 (publisher unknown).

Reports

McInnes, Margaret, (1993) Knox Heritage Study, Knox City Council.

Helms, David, (2005) Boronia Project – Supporting Review Boronia Shoppingtown (former) & Boronia Safeway, Context Pty Ltd.

Lands Victoria

Certificates of Title: Volume 4575 Folio 976; 4589/657; 4597/295; 4605/295; 4622/351; 4682/236; 4702/322; 4765/878; 4801/076; 4899/749; 5043/598 & 5355/846.

Certificates of Title, Vol. 8483, Fol. 838, and Vol. 8497, Fol. 726.

Certificate of Title, Vol. 8677, Fol. 660.

Registered Plan No. 27398N.

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