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Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former)
59 Champion Road WILLIAMSTOWN NORTH, Hobsons Bay City
Hobsons Bay Railways Heritage Precinct

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Hobsons Bay City
Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

The Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former), designed by the Victorian Railways and constructed by AJ Maddock in 1916, at 59 Champion Road, Williamstown North.

How is it Significant?

The Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former) is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobson's Bay. It is also of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria (Refer VHR H1840).

Why is it Significant?

Historically, the Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (former) is significant for its strong associations with the Newport Railway Workshops, one of the most important surviving nineteenth century railway workshops in the world. They were the main workshops of the Victorian Railways for over a century and were one of Victoria's largest and best equipped engineering establishments. The workshops were so important to the Railways and to the Victorian economy that it was considered necessary to provide official railway residences near the complex (AHC criterion A4)

Aesthetically, the Newport Railway Workshops Managers residence (former) is of architectural importance as an intact example of a Bungalow style suburban villa of the late Federation/Edwardian period. The hierarchy of spaces and related hierarchy of finishes and materials are demonstrative of the type of lifestyle considered appropriate for an occupant of the status of the railway yards manager. At the same time, the plan and form are well adapted to the orientation of the site (AHC criteria D2 and F1)

Note: Included on the Victorian Heritage Register as VHR H1840.

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    • Physical Description 1

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Physical Description 1

      This is one of two matching Federation style, single-storey brick houses with tiled roofs set on large blocks of land on the south side of Champion Road, opposite the Newport Railway Workshops.

      The refined design displays Californian and Craftsman Bungalow influences, as well as remnants of Melbourne's Queen Anne style. It shows treatments of planning and circulation, dominant ridge and gable with projecting secondary gables, and relation of roofs to the plan, which are typical of the Bungalow of this period. Other typical features are window bays with lead-lights, red brick, Marseilles tile, expressed structural timber-work, roughcast and shingles in the gables, and abstracted brackets to the eaves, porches and verandahs.

      Physical Conditions

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Physical Conditions

      External Condition

      Excellent

      Integrity

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Integrity

      External Integrity

      High

      Physical Description 2

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Physical Description 2

      Context

      Set on flat land bounded by other later suburban development and directly opposite the massive Newport railway workshops.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Historical Australian Themes

      Making Suburbs

      Physical Description 3

      Newport Railway Workshops Manager's residence (Former) - Physical Description 3

      Associations

      Victorian Railways, Robert James Ferguson, Edward Arthur

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study

      Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
      Year: 2006
      Grading:

Public contributions

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