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ORDERLY ROOM AND RESIDENCE
8 KEPLER STREET WARRNAMBOOL, WARRNAMBOOL CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
H543 orderly room residence kepler st1
H543 orderly room residence kepler st1
H543 orderly room residence kepler st1
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H543 orderly room residence
H543 Warrnambool Orderly Room and Residence Plan
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The Warrnambool Orderly Room was constructed in 1868 on the Warrnambool Government Reserve and expanded to include a Gun Room and Residence in the late 1880s. The masonry Orderly Room was designed by the Shire Engineer A. Kerr and was regarded to be one of the most elegant of the volunteer defence association buildings in Victoria.

A sense of isolation and the vulnerability of Victoria's gold wealth precipitated the development of the volunteer movement in the colony, and in 1854, the Volunteer Act was passed. In Warrnambool there were attempts to form a volunteer unit as early as 1855; however it appears these were unsuccessful.

The Orderly Room on Kepler Street was built and used by the Warrnambool Detachment of the Western Corps Royal Victorian Volunteer Artillery. After the 1858 Amending Act, the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps was established, disbanded in 1863, before the new Warrnambool Detachment was formed in September 1866. Before a permanent building was provided, the Volunteer corps met and trained in the Royal Exchange Hotel. A public appeal was made in 1867 and in 1868 a site was reserved for an Orderly Room on the Kepler Street edge of the government reserve. The building designed by council engineer, Andrew Kerr and was opened with a grand ball on New Year's Eve 1868, with the celebrations were deemed so successful that another ball was staged the following evening. The then Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Manners Sutton, claimed it to be the finest Orderly Room he had seen in the Colony. In early 1869, the Orderly Room grounds and land adjacent to it were permanently reserved for the militia by the Government.

The hall, aside from its military purposes, was a popular venue for social and cultural functions, and was the temporary home for two schools between 1870 and 1872.

In 1884, new legislation was passed which abandoned the volunteer system in favour of a partly paid Militia Force to supplement the Colony's small permanent defence force. The Warrnambool facilities were retained for use by the new militia. The addition of the Gun Room and the adjacent cottage to the Orderly Room in September 1888, were part of the Public Works Department major upgrade of orderly room facilities, headed by S.E. Bindley.

During both WW I and WW II the Orderly Room was used as the headquarters of the local military authorise to enlist volunteers and for medical examinations. The Warrnambool Orderly Room was used for military training until after the Second World War, and later used as an assembly hall and venue for concerts held by the Warrnambool Technical School, and as the main venue for the local basketball competition. The Warrnambool Technical College took over the premises in February 1960 and the Orderly Room currently houses the Student and Learning Centre of the South-West TAFE.

How is it significant?

The Warrnambool Orderly Room and Residence is of historical and architectural significance to the state of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The Warrnambool Orderly Room and Residence is of historical significance as one of only two surviving masonry Orderly Rooms from the period of volunteer defence in Victoria. It is historically significant for its association with the colonial volunteer defence movement which reached its peak during the mid-nineteenth century. Its continual usage throughout the peak of the nineteenth century volunteer movement, through to the militia system after 1884 and usage by defence force authorities during World War I and II is also important.

The Warrnambool Orderly Room and Residence is of architectural significance as an early masonry orderly room, and as an example of a mid-nineteenth century Volunteer Forces complex, encompassing the Orderly Room, Gun Room and Residence. It is important an example of the development of Orderly Rooms after the 1884 change in legislation which disbanded the volunteer forces in favour of a partly paid militia. Between 1885 and 1889, Public Works Department embarked on a construction program which saw many Orderly Rooms demolished or upgraded. The Warrnambool Orderly was considered worth retaining by the department, and the Gun Room and Residence were constructed during this period, expanding the facilities for the Warrnambool militia.

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    • History

      ORDERLY ROOM AND RESIDENCE - History

      Customs in Victoria

      The revenue collected from Customs was particularly important for Victoria from the 1850s, as a recently separated colony now responsible for the cost of government administration. Tariffs continued to be placed on such items as spirits, wine, beer, sugar, tobacco, coffee and tea. The customs department in Victoria grew steadily, with the construction and improvement of customs facilities at the ports along the coast. After the 1850s gold rush boom, Victoria fell into recession in the 1860s, and a protectionist trade policy was introduced to encourage local industries. In the 1870s, Customs Houses were built along the Murray River and grand and imposing Customs Houses were built in Williamstown and Melbourne, both of which demonstrated civic pride and the prosperity of the colony. By the 1890s, Portland had eclipsed both Port Fairy and Warrnambool as the principal port of the Western District. At Federation, the need for separate Customs operations in each of the colonies disappeared, and a national Customs department was created.

      Development of Warrnambool

      Warrnambool was officially surveyed by William Pickering in 1846. The date of proclamation of Warrnambool town lands is listed as 30 January, 1847, and the first land sales took place in July that year in Melbourne (Osburne 1980: 1). The commencement of town development was signalled by the construction of the Warrnambool Hotel in August 1847, built at the corner of Banyan and Merri Streets, and it was soon followed by the Royal Hotel, and later establishing of a general store by John Chisholm and Richard Osburne. The Warrnambool Public Wants Committee was formed in 1850 to accelerate the provision of roads and other important public works. In that year the town had a population of 342. The discovery of gold at Ballarat in 1851 resulted in an increased need for primary produce, which left Warrnambool in a good position to cater for the diggings. This early trade relationship contributed to the progression of Warrnambool as Victoria's leading southwest port in the 1870s and 1880s. Communications with Melbourne and Geelong were via steamer services which began in 1854, while Cobb & Co. established its first coach route through the town in the same year. To increase the trade potential of Warrnambool, and combat the rise of silting in the port, the eminent British engineer, Sir John Coode was invited to examine and formulate a scheme for the port's improvement. Works commenced in 1884 to construct a breakwater, and although completed by the end of the 1880s, subsequent works were necessary to upgrade and maintain the earlier efforts. In order to transport goods across then swampy Lake Pertobe to the town, a tramway was constructed in 1855, which was abandoned in 1899 with the extension of railway line to Terang. The constant problem of silting meant that the Warrnambool port never regained the prominence in the southwest that it had held in the 1870s.

      HISTORY OF PLACE

      Warrnambool was officially surveyed by William Pickering in 1846. The date of proclamation of Warrnambool town lands is listed as 30 January, 1847, and the first land sales took place in July that year in Melbourne (Osburne 1980: 1). The commencement of town development was signalled by the construction of the Warrnambool Hotel, on the corner of Banyan and Merri Streets, in August 1847. The discovery of gold at Ballarat in 1851 resulted in an increased need for primary produce, which left Warrnambool in a good position to cater for the diggings. This early trade relationship contributed to the progression of Warrnambool as Victoria's leading southwest port by the 1870s.

      The 1847 Pickering plan clearly marks Section IV as a Reserve for government purposes, and many Government buildings were subsequently erected on this block. In the early 1850s, plans were drawn up to build more permanent buildings to house the Court House and Watch House on part of the large Government Block bounded by Timor, Kepler, Liebig and Merri Streets.

      The outbreak of the Crimean War and the scare of September 1854, during which Victoria's defence forces were exposed as inadequate, saw the recommendations by Defence Committee result in the Volunteer Act of November 1854. The Act allowed for the raising of 2000 men in a number of rifle corps to supplement the imperial forces. That year, Victoria's first home grown military force, the Volunteer Rifle Regiment was raised in Melbourne, and included the 1st (Metropolitan) Rifles, Carlton Rifle Corps, Pentridge Rifle Corps, East Collingwood Rifle Corps, Richmond Rifle Corps and the Southern (Prahran and South Yarra) Rifle Corps.

      There were early attempts to form a volunteer unit in Warrnambool as early as 1855, during the Crimean War, however it appears these were unsuccessful. After the Amending Act of 1858, which raised a further ten companies in Melbourne, the first Volunteer Rifle Corps in Warrnambool was established in 1859, along with Rifle Corps in Portland and Belfast (Port Fairy).The Warrnambool Detachment of the Western Corps Royal Victorian Volunteer Artillery was established in September 1866, with officers appointed in November 1866. The site for the Orderly Room was reserved in 1868, and the corps members were 'indefatigable in their efforts' over two years to raise funds for its construction through public subscription (Warrnambool Examiner: 1.1.1869). Prior to the construction of the Orderly Room, the Detachment met and trained in the Royal Exchange Hotel.

      The Warrnambool Orderly Room was designed in a 'Grecian' style, by Andrew Kerr. Kerr was the Warrnambool Town Surveyor and Shire Engineer from 1856 until 1887, designed a number of Warrnambool's buildings including the Oddfellows Hall, the Masonic Temple and the Western Hotel in the late 1860s. The Orderly Room's location on the Government Reserve placed it with other important civic buildings including the original Court House (1856) and the Customs House (1860). It was built of local stone, with a rendered facade in a classical Italianate manner. A grand ball on New Year's Eve, 1868, celebrated the building's opening and the Warrnambool Examiner reported that Sir Henry Manners-Sutton described it as the finest Orderly Room he had seen in the Colony (SWTafe site). For the opening celebrations, the hall was decorated with pink ornamental paper, mottos hanging from two windows 'Long live Prince Alfred' and 'Advance Warrnambool' and a large stuffed albatross. The Orderly Room boasted impressive internal fittings, with seven chandeliers of various sizes, and a large Crown of Swords at the end of the hall (Warrnambool Examiner, 1.1.1869). The ball was so successful that it was decided to continue festivities the following evening.

      In early 1869, the Orderly Room grounds and land adjacent to it were permanently reserved for the militia by the Government (Warrnambool Examiner: 26.3.1869).

      The hall was used for a number of purposes from soon after its inauguration. Many social gatherings were held there, particularly during early part of 1869, and it was the temporary home for two schools; Ira Aldridge's Day School in November 1869 and James Kirby's Commercial School between 1870 and 1872. The Dramatic Society and the Warrnambool Musical Union were also based at the hall and Warrnambool's first major 'Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures' was held there in 1876 (SWTafe). In 1873, improvements to the Orderly Room were undertaken, which included panelling, the construction of an inner porch and an ornamental fence (Warrnambool Examiner. 17.1.1873).

      In 1884, new legislation was passed which abandoned the volunteer system in favour of a partly paid Militia Force, which was to supplement the Colony's small permanent defence force. The Public Works Department (PWD) embarked on a large construction program to upgrade the Military Orderly Room facilities, and a number were demolished or altered. In his role as Grade II Architect for the PWD Buildings Division, S.E. Bindley designed many of the new Orderly Rooms built between 1885 and 1901, including the East Collingwood Rifles Volunteer Orderly Room and the Ranger Barracks in Ballarat. Bindley's initials appear next to drawings showing the additions to the Warrnambool Orderly Room in September 1888, which include the Gun Room and the adjacent cottage. Warrnambool's first major 'Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures' was held there in 1876 (SWTafe).

      The Warrnambool Orderly Room was used for military training until the Second World War, and later as an assembly hall and venue for concerts held by the Warrnambool Technical School. From the 1950s until the mid-1960s the Drill Hall housed the main local basketball competition, before matches moved to Henna Street. It now houses the library and the Student Learning Centre of the South-West TAFE.

      Plaque Citation

      ORDERLY ROOM AND RESIDENCE - Plaque Citation

      The 1868 Orderly Room and the 1880s Gun Room and Residence are significant for their association with the colonial volunteer defence movement, at its peak in the mid-nineteenth century.

      Permit Exemptions

      ORDERLY ROOM AND RESIDENCE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan endorsed by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

      Exterior:
      Minor repairs and maintenance to buildings, structures and services within the registered land (but not new buildings and structures).

      Any works to non-registered buildings and structures within the extent of registration, but not additions.

      Installation or removal of external fixtures and fittings such as, hot water services and taps.

      Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.

      Repair and replacement of fences and gates.

      Interior: Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of any original paint or other decorative scheme.

      Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.

      Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted art or religious works or icons.

      Installation of honour boards and the like.

      Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.

      Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring.

      Installation, removal or replacement of curtain tracks, rods and blinds.

      Removal or installation of notice boards.

      Removal or replacement of non-original door and window furniture including, hinges, locks, knobsets and sash lifts.

      Installation, removal or replacement of electric clocks, public address systems, detectors, alarms, emergency lights, exit signs, luminaires and the like on plaster surfaces.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      ORDERLY ROOM AND RESIDENCE - Permit Exemption Policy

      The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the heritage significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. The cultural heritage significance of the Orderly Room and Residence is principally due to their historical importance as early colonial volunteer defence buildings. Works which alter the facade of the Orderly Room and Gun Room will require permits. Works which will alter the interior features, walls and ceiling of the Orderly Room will require a permit. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to them being undertaken or a permit is applied for. Discussing any proposed works will assist in answering any questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is undertaken to assist with the future management of the cultural significance of the place. Permits would be required for any new buildings and structures on the registered land.

Public contributions

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