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Terminus Hotel
96 Mercer Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 216236

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Statement of Significance

A Listed - State significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Historically, among one of the few near intact, gold-era Geelong hotels which is further enhanced by its physical proximity and design link to the former Geelong Railway station complex. Given its near 140 years of operation it has performed a long quasi-public building role in the Geelong community.

Architecturally, of an unusually sophisticated design for its age, illustrating the distinctive Geelong rounded corner hotel form and the early use of bas-relief decorative face-brickwork in a colony where brick making was still unreliable.

REFERENCES

Railway Line completed in 1857, land acquisition in 1854.

RGO 33287, 21298.

Seaton, The Ashby Story p-53 September 1853 tenders called for stone and brickwork for hotel at Golden Point.

RB 1854-5, 381 - annotated terminus Hotel: MUAI:NTA file.

Seaton p53. Fassert advertises his background in August 184.

MUIA Builder V 13, N 632, 17.3.55 p 126.

IBID
INV 9.81 p.24.

D 1861-90; GHRC note on 2.90 draft GCYCS

D 1910-61

MUAI

INV 9.1981. p93.

Vol 1 p56 (MU Humanities Research Report, 1979)

See GRC Register

INV 9.81, p94.

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    • Physical Conditions

      Terminus Hotel - Physical Conditions

      DESCRIPTION

      Though by Lorraine Huddle (in Architects in Geelong in the 1840's and 1850s) to be the first of Geelong's distinctive rounded corner hotels, this three-storey formerly face-brick shared its designers with the actual terminus (Geelong railway Station) nearby. Sited on a triangle plan, the building takes on an unusual wedge shape. Relief from the otherwise severe geometry is achieved with a decorative brick parapet wall and heavy bracketed cornice. Projecting bays in each street elevation are relatively sophisticated, compared to the simple early hotel buildings elsewhere in Geelong (ie., the former Union Club, now demolished). A stone base and radiating stone steps lead up to an entrance bay, with a dentillated cornice moulding, which has been built up on the lower facade.

      Otherwise the ground level has a string sill and impost mouldings. One elegant iron balconette railing survives on the corner, second storey window. The curved outer door pair also survives. Altered outbuildings, some of rubble basalt, are visible to the west.

      Other surviving Geelong gold era hotels, include the former Somerset Hotel (c1854), Balmoral Hotel (1854), Fyansford Hotel (1854), golden Age (1854) which still possess its decorative brickwork, Bayview Hotel (1854), Star Hotel (1855), Argyle Hotel (1855), and the stone George & Dragon Hotel (1855).

      External Integrity

      An etching used to advertise the hotels shows the parapet walls as continuous, with the proprietor's name attached; the cornice was simpler, also multi-paned glazing was used throughout (six-pane sashes typical). The traditional light, with the hotel's name, hung on an extended bracket over the doorway. The hotel was stuccoed, probably late last century (see golden Age Hotel). Leadlight windows have replaced the originals in 1920s, also the lobby doors date from this era.

      Streetscape

      On a traditional corner site and on the old Melbourne coach road, the hotel is also close to its namesake (the railway station) and the St Paul's complex all the focused as an early community center, adjacent to two forms of transport.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Greater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study

      Author: Graeme Butler
      Year: 1993
      Grading:

Public contributions

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