TRAWALLA
22 LASCELLES AVENUE TOORAK, STONNINGTON CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Trawalla, a two storey Italianate stuccoed brick mansion, was constructed in two stages, firstly as a 20-room residence for Melbourne merchant George Stevenson in 1867-68. In 1885 it was enlarged to 50 rooms for retired pastoralist John Simson of Trawalla near Beaufort. The architect for the original part was Levi Powell and for the later additions, Powell and Whitaker. Stevenson is thought to have employed David Mitchell, Dame Nellie Melba’s father, as the builder.
How is it significant?
Trawalla is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Trawalla is of architectural significance as a distinguished example of a 19th century Melbourne mansion and as a substantial work of noted mansion house architect, Levi Powell.
Trawalla has an unusual symmetrically disposed composition, most notable for the regency-derived bow front and encompassing double storey composite verandah. Internally, the grand staircase and Serlian motif stained glass window on the landing are attractive features.
Trawalla is of historical significance because it illustrates a process of changing social and economic conditions from the late 19th century. As Melbourne was consolidated towards the end of the 19th century with gold rush and pastoral wealth, Trawalla was substantially expanded. During the depression of the 1890s its value dropped dramatically and its grounds were reduced. During the 1920s the property’s value increased enormously, before passing into the hands of an investment company in 1929 for a quarter of the sum paid the previous year. For the next twenty years the house served as a boarding house, until becoming part of the Melbourne School of Nursing in the early 1950s. In 1976 Trawalla was acquired by the Victorian Academy of General Practice. Trawalla retains the sense of grandeur of its early days, but its changing uses and reduced curtilage illustrate the way that changes within Australian society made maintenance of such large estates virtually impossible for individual families.
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TRAWALLA - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Trawalla has survived the subdivision and redevelopment that claimed many properties in the 1930s. The subdivision of the early 1930s of the Trawalla estate has left the property hemmed in on all sides on a much reduced curtilage. The 1930s boom in flat construction was not popular in some quarters of Toorak. There were approximately 570 flats in Toorak by 1935, despite protests such as those that marked the building of 14 flats on the corner of Toorak Road and Grange Road, close to Trawalla. Numerous letters were written to the council, and Dr Law also spoke against the development from the pulpit of St Johns Church, Toorak.
(Sally Wilde, The History of Prahran, 1993 p.68)
Associated People:
TRAWALLA - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.
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