ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG

33-35 WANDONG AVENUE WANDONG, MITCHELL SHIRE

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Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG - History

    Contextual History

    Situated on the main train line from Melbourne to the north east region of Victoria, Wandong was established in a valley close to the forests and associated saw mills of Mt Disappointment. From the 1860s Wandong was an integral part of the Victorian timber cutting and milling industries. The completion of the northern railway in 1872, the purchase of Crown land at Wandong by Patrick Morphett, and the opening of his siding in 1876 stimulated selection and settlement in the area, marking the beginning of forestry operations in the region. A sawmilling industry, and a township centred on the railway line, developed from this time.

    Entrepreneur Robert Affleck Robertson arrived in Wandong in c1884 and was instrumental in the development of the township of Wandong. He was at the forefront of forestry exploitation and brought innovative industry to the town by establishing both a timber seasoning and terra cotta lumber works. Robertson migrated to Australia from Canada in 1880 with some knowledge of the timber trade and set about establishing himself in Victoria's sawmilling industry, initially in and around the Ballarat/Blackwood area. His arrival in Wandong resulted in the establishment of extensive forestry and milling operations in the Strath Creek and Mt Disappointment areas. Initially purchasing the existing Derril Mill at Strath Creek, Robertson was involved in a number of saw milling operations in the area. The Comet Mill (VHR H1816), established in 1884, became his flagship operation. This sawmill was reportedly the largest in Australia at this time and the Comet Mill settlement included housing for workers, a school, bakery, butcher's shop and general store. Robertson was also responsible for the construction of tramways that linked the mills to the railway at Wandong itself.

    Robertson's interest in innovation and development led to his association with the Victoria Terra Cotta Lumber Company Ltd, the Australasian Porous Earthernware and Fireproof Brick Company, both in Melbourne, and the creation of the Wandong terra cotta lumber plant, the Ballarat Terra Cotta Lumber Company and the Yarrawonga Saw Mill and Brick and Terra Cotta Lumber Company. It also led to the construction of a large seasoning and timber finishing plant at Wandong to process timber cut at the Comet Sawmills in 1889.

    In April 1892 the private subdivision known as Wandong township was offered for sale by auction on behalf of the owner, Robert A Robertson. The associated plan of the township indicates that few of the 190 allotments, located east of the railway line, were occupied or allocated at this time. A small number of houses had been built by this time and sites had been allocated to a state school, the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic churches, a coffee palace and hall. The auction plan indicates that a number of sites were occupied west of the railway line. The Terra Cotta Lumber Works was located adjacent to Robertson's timber depot and tramway and the seasoning timber works was located to the north-east.

    History of the Terra Cotta Lumber Industry

    A porous terra cotta product, known as terra cotta lumber, was patented in the United States in 1881 and was reportedly being manufactured on a large scale in New York by 1884. It was an innovative product that mixed clay and saw dust to produce a lightweight and fireproof building material that could be easily cut, sawn and nailed. Patents for the product were taken out worldwide and in the United States individual manufacturers received licences for its manufacture from the mid to late 1880s. It was reported in the Kilmore Free Press on 19 May 1887 that in the United States 'at the present time there are 27 factories in full work and 30 new establishments in course of erection, the former turning out 12,000 tons of terra cotta lumber daily'. The following year the first journal of the International Terra Cotta Lumber Co, the International Fire-Proofer, was published.

    There were already moves to establish a factory to produce terra cotta lumber in Melbourne in the mid-1880s, coinciding with an increase in production in the United States. The lightweight and fireproof nature of the product enabled the construction of taller buildings and the late 1880s were optimistic and busy years in the Melbourne construction industry. Many buildings reached new heights in elevation, design and style and as stated by Miles Lewis 'the central city began to be transformed into a high rise business core, like those in the United States, but unequalled in Britain or on the Continent'. The introduction of both elevators and fireproofing materials enabled a copying of American skyscraper trends.

    A patent was granted by the International Terra Cotta Lumber Company, Chicago to a company in Victoria in 1885. The Victoria Terra Cotta Company of Barkly Street, Brunswick was established and a prospectus of the Terra Cotta Lumber Company Ltd, published in 1885, listed a number of local architects and builders as company directors. Machinery was imported from the United States and production had commenced by mid 1887. On showcasing its products at the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888-89, the Victoria Terra Cotta Company was awarded a first order of merit.

    In 1888 H Turner from the Terra Cotta Lumber Company of Chicago arrived in Australia to licence and encourage the establishment of factories throughout the country. At this time he envisaged the establishment of ten plants in Victoria. In 1889 he wrote home to Chicago from Wandong, Victoria where the Victoria Terra Cotta Lumber Company planned to build its second plant. Others were planned for Yarrawonga and Ballarat however the latter did not proceed.

    Robert A Robertson was a company director of the Brunswick works and was therefore involved in the operations of the company. With sawmilling interests in the Wandong area, Robertson played a significant role in the expansion of operations to the rural locations of Wandong and Yarrawonga. Production continued in Brunswick however Wandong was the primary place of manufacture from 1891-92, or possibly earlier.

    The availability of large amounts of sawdust in Wandong, as a by-product of the timber industry, was an attraction for the production of terra cotta lumber. It was also stated that the quality of the clay at Wandong was superior to that at Brunswick. The first batch of terra cotta lumber was produced in Wandong in July 1889 at which time the operations had two fire kilns and reportedly employed thirty men. The daily output was approximately 15,000 standard size bricks and a doubling of this figure was anticipated when the works were fully developed and operational. The factory also produced terra cotta products (as well as terra cotta lumber) and shaped bricks and elements such as cornices and consoles. By 1891 the Wandong works occupied twelve hectares, with the extensive clay deposits said to be the best in the district for the purpose. The site consisted of an engine and boiler house, numerous drying avenues, four burning kilns, and several other sheds and workshops. Large quantities of sawdust were trucked to the works from nearby sawmills.

    Detailed descriptions of the terra cotta works at Wandong were included in a number of newspapers in the early 1890s, however by the end of 1891 economic conditions were declining in Victoria with the level of anticipated building almost half that of the previous year. In c1891 Robertson established a terra cotta works in Yarrawonga however by 1893 building construction in the state had severely declined. As a result the Australian Seasoned Timber Co absorbed the Terra Cotta Lumber Co and in 1897 Robertson and the company finally liquidated.

    In a brief period, terra cotta lumber helped to transform the centre of Melbourne into a high-rise business core, in a similar manner to cities in the United States. Melbourne architects were keen to incorporate the latest trends in design, fire protection and the use of construction materials. Production of terra cotta lumber continued to a lesser extent in the twentieth century. In 1928 the product was still being advertised by two Melbourne companies, including the Hoffman Brick & Potteries Ltd.

    Terra Cotta Lumber Product

    Terracotta (terra cotta or terra-cotta) comes from the Italian: 'baked earth' originating from the Latin terra cocta. Terra cotta lumber was usually composed of three parts sawdust and two parts clay which produced a lightweight, porous material which could be easily cut, sawn or nailed. Terra cotta lumber was an extruded product, frequently produced in hollow brick form, which was capable of being made to any dimensions. A brick was commonly 12"x9 ½"x4 ½" (31x24x10.7 cm), larger than a typical clay brick. Once mixed, the composite material was rolled, cut to a required size, dried and kiln-baked. The sawdust was burnt out in the final process, resulting in a brick with a porous, 'rusk-like' appearance. The product was about half the weight of an ordinary brick and was fire proof, vermin proof, sound proof and non-shrinkable.

    Terra cotta lumber was used for a number of applications, particularly where the primary purpose was to either prevent or retard fires, insulate from heat or reduce noise. This included sheathing boilers and water pipes and lining furnaces and lift wells. It was commonly used for fireproofing walls, ceilings, floors, arches, roofs and partitions and its lightweight and insulating properties facilitated high rise construction. In Victoria, terra cotta lumber was often advertised in newspapers as 'the only fireproof building material' (for example Argus, 12 December 1890, p 3).

    As it was a porous material, terra cotta lumber was generally manufactured for internal use. External application was far less common, however a small number of examples can be found in Wandong. These include St Michael's Catholic Church and five houses in the town. All appear to be constructed using hollow terra cotta lumber bricks. As a place of manufacture, it would appear likely that these were an experimental use of the material, possibly varying the amount of sawdust (to produce a less porous material) and to make an otherwise obscured product highly visible. A section of retaining wall on Dry Creek, Wandong, built as part of the timber seasoning works, also uses terra cotta lumber. It is interesting to note that a number of porous earthenware types were discussed in the Australasian, 27 April 1889, all described as machined compositions of earthy and vegetable matters. One, named 'Woodstone', was described as a clay and sawdust product to be used for outside walls.

    In the United States the use of terra cotta lumber or terra cotta for the construction of entire buildings began in 1888 and by 1891 complete terra cotta buildings, including houses, were being constructed by the Denver Terra Cotta and Lumber Company. Dr Miles Lewis notes that it is of interest that the external application of terra cotta lumber seems to predate the use of exposed structural terra cotta in the United States.

    Use of Terra Cotta Lumber in Victoria

    Early uses of terra cotta lumber in Melbourne include the Arcade Building of the Freehold Investment Co in Swanston Street, Melbourne in 1887; the Temperance and General Building, Swanston Street in 1888 and the Empire Buildings, Collins Street, Melbourne in 1888. These buildings have all been subsequently demolished. By 1889 the product was being used for partitions, floors and ceilings in rural Victoria. In July 1889 the Victorian Railways Department accepted tenders for nine rural cool storage sheds (including Kilmore and Wangaratta) using terra cotta lumber. At a similar time a small amount was used as partitioning in the No 3 Goods Shed, Spencer Street railway yards, Melbourne.

    Recorded uses of terra cotta lumber in Melbourne from 1890 include:

    Commercial Bank of Australia, Collins Street, Melbourne National Mutual Life Association headquarters, Melbourne (specified for partitions, encasing of girders and floors which were carried on arches) National Mutual Building, Collins Street, Melbourne (conjunction with rolled steel joists for the floors) Benvenuta, Melbourne (as flat arches to floor the balcony of the house)

    The material was also used in regional Victoria at buildings such as the Tallangatta Shire Hall (1892) and buildings in Wandong. See Table 1 below.

    History of St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong

    A group of local Wandong residents met in September 1883 to discuss raising funds towards the building of a Catholic Church at Wandong. However it was not until February 1891 that a notice appeared in the Kilmore Free Press advertising the intention to hold a meeting for those interested in building a Catholic Church in Wandong. At this meeting Robert A Robertson was thanked for providing a centrally located, half acre site near the state school, for the intended church and it was reported that funds exceeding £100 were received towards construction of a church at this time. The donated allotment (Lot 33) was transferred to Archbishop Thomas Carr and Father Michael Farrelly in May 1891 and is clearly labelled on the Wandong Township Auction Plan of 1892.

    In the Kilmore Free Press on 14 May 1891, it was reported that a 'handsome brick church was being erected to accommodate the Roman Catholic Church at Wandong, with Mr McKay as the contractor'. The cost of construction was £365.0.0 and the foundation stone was laid in May 1891. The church was unusually constructed from hollow, locally made terra cotta lumber bricks. As reported in the Kilmore Free Press , funds had been raised by the community for the cost of seats in the church by 1893 and the first mass was conducted that year. In 1924 a piece of land adjoining the church was purchased to provide accommodation for vehicles. The last church service was held in 2013.

    KEY REFERENCES

    L R Dore. 'Terra Cotta Lumber: an Archaeological Study of Rural Trade'. School of Archaeology, La Trobe University, 1996

    L R Dore. Wandong - Remnants of an Innovative Past. Kilmore 2012

    M B Lewis. 'Australian Building: a Cultural Investigation', (section 6.09 Bricks and Tiles: Terra Cotta Block & Lumber) December 2014

    Kilmore Free Press, 14 May 1891, p 2, record of church building & various newspaper references

    'Mitchell Shire Heritage Study Amendment C56 Heritage Citations', April 2014

    Context. 'Mitchell Shire Heritage Amendment, review of heritage precincts', December 2012

    L Huddle Pty Ltd. 'Mitchell Shire Stage Two Heritage Study', 2006

    Amendment C56 to the Mitchell Planning Scheme. Panel Report. December 2013

    Plaque Citation

    ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG - Plaque Citation

    St Michael's Catholic Church (1891) is a rare example of a building constructed from terra cotta lumber, a light weight innovative construction material manufactured in Wandong and Brunswick during Victoria's economic boom of the late nineteenth century. The external use of terra cotta lumber is an unusual feature of the building.

    Assessment Against Criteria

    ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG - Assessment Against Criteria

    Criterion How is it significant?

    St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong is of historical and scientific significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:

    Criterion B

    Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria's cultural history.

    Criterion F

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

    Why is it significant?

    St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong is significant at the state level for the following reasons:

    St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong (1891) is significant in Victoria as a rare, experimental and highly intact example of the use of a new and innovative construction product, terra cotta lumber, in the late nineteenth century economic boom period. The building remains highly intact to clearly demonstrate the unusual external use of this product. The terra cotta lumber industry in Victoria played a role in transforming Melbourne into a centre for high-rise construction in the 1880s and 1890s and St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong has a clear association with the development of the manufacturing and building industry in Victoria at this time. [

    Criterion B & F]

    Permit Exemptions

    ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG - 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:

    It should be noted that Permit Exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42(4) of the Heritage Act). Permit Exemptions can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act)

    General Condition 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 Condition 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.

    General Condition 3

    All works should be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.

    General Condition 4

    Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.

    General Condition 5

    Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.

    Specific Permit Exemptions

    Exterior

    . Minor patching, repair and maintenance which replace like with like.

    . Removal of non-original items such as pipe work, ducting, wiring and making good in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation or removal of non-original external fixtures and fittings such as hot water services and taps in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Painting of previously painted surfaces provided that preparation or painting does not remove the original paint or other decorative scheme.

    Interior

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

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

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

    . Removal or installation of notice boards.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in situ.

    . Installation of new fire hydrant services including sprinklers, fire doors and elements affixed to plaster surfaces.

    . Installation of new built-in cupboards providing no alteration to the structure is required.

    LANDSCAPE

    . The process of gardening, including mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead shrubs and replanting the same species or cultivar, disease and weed control, and maintenance to care for existing plants.

    . Subsurface works involving the installation, removal or replacement of watering and drainage systems or services outside the canopy edge of significant trees in accordance with AS4970.

    . Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

    . Vegetation protection and management of possums and vermin.

    . With the exception of the Cyprus trees on the northern boundary, the pruning and replanting of trees is permit exempt.

    Cyprus trees on the northern boundary:

    . The removal or pruning of dead or dangerous trees to maintain safety.

    . Replanting of removed or dead trees and vegetation with the same plant species.

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373-2007.

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Protection of Trees on Development Sites AS 4970-2009.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, WANDONG - Permit Exemption Policy

    Preamble

    The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.

    The extent of registration of St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 2357 including the land, all buildings (exteriors and interiors), roads, trees, landscape elements and other features. Under the Heritage Act 1995 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.

    If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.

    Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).

    It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.

    Conservation management plans

    It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is developed to manage the place in a manner which respects its cultural heritage significance.

    Aboriginal cultural heritage

    If any Aboriginal cultural heritage is discovered or exposed at any time it is necessary to immediately contact the Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria to ascertain requirements under theAboriginal Heritage Act 2006.

    Other approvals

    Please be aware that approval from other authorities (such as local government) may be required to undertake works.

    Archaeology

    Ground disturbance may affect the archaeological significance of the place and, subject to the exemptions stated in this document, requires a permit.

    Cultural heritage significance

    Overview of significance

    The cultural heritage significance of St Michael's Catholic Church, Wandong lies in its rare, experimental and unusual use of a new building product, terra cotta lumber, as an external structural material. The highly intact form of the church clearly demonstrates the use of this product.

    St Michael's Catholic Church and all of the land identified in Diagram 2357 is of primary cultural heritage significance.

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