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HARTWELL RAILWAY STATION
Fordham Avenue CAMBERWELL, BOROONDARA CITY

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Boroondara City
HARTWELL RAILWAY STATION
HARTWELL RAILWAY STATION
HARTWELL RAILWAY STATION
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

Hartwell Station, Fordham Avenue, Hartwell built in Walhalla c.1910 and relocated to its current location in 1938 is significant.

How is it significant?

Hartwell Station is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

Hartwell Station is historically significant for its association with the development, closure and subsequent re-opening of the Outer Circle railway line. Hartwell station is historically significant as a station on the line between Ashburton and Camberwell which, although closed in 1895, reopened in 1898 with the trains travelling from Ashburton to Deepdene given the title of the Deepdene Dasher or the Ashy Dasher. Historically, Hartwell Station is one of a number of stations that are associated the short lived Outer Circle Railway and its subsequent incarnation as the Alamein branch line. Hartwell Station is historically significant as part of the Alamein branch line, with a station being located at Hartwell Hill (later Hartwell) since 1906. The station building is significant as once having been located in the Gippsland goldmining township of Walhalla. Its relocation to Hartwell in 1938 represents the decline in population following mine closures in Walhalla, and the subsequent relocation of approximately 300 buildings from the town. (Criterion A)

Hartwell Station is one of five small timber stations dating from the 1920s - 1930s on the Alamein line from East Camberwell to Burwood (Ashburton is a contemporary structure) and the only one on the line to have an island platform. (Criterion D)

Hartwell Station is aesthetically significant as a distinctive station building dating to c.1915 and featuring timber construction of a highly decorative nature. The station building, originally just one sided, but now adapted for two platforms, is aesthetically significant for its central gable roof and cantilevered platform canopies, one of which has the standard railway curved trusses as supports. The timber structure features gable end and upper wall decorative timber strapping, timber framed windows, a waiting room lined with boarding and a projecting ticket office. Despite later alterations and extensions to the building and the installation of modern platform infrastructure and signage, Hartwell Station still retains much of the form and elements of its c.1910 design. (Criterion E)

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    • Physical Description 1

      HARTWELL RAILWAY STATION - Physical Description 1

      Hartwell Station is located on the Alamein Branch line, originally forming part of the southern section of the Outer Circle Railway Line. This southern section branches just before East Camberwell Station and includes Riversdale, Willison (formerly Golf Links), Hartwell, Burwood, Ashburton and Alamein stations. This section of the Outer Circle is the only part of the former outer circle route that retains a functioning train line following the northern section from Camberwell to Fairfield being de-commissioned. This is now known as the Anniversary Trail and is a walking and cycling path. Constructed landforms of the railway line still exist as well as some infrastructure of the Outer Circle line past Alamein.

      The stations along the Alamein line are more modest than those on the main Camberwell line, being constructed of timber rather than masonry and smaller in size. Hartwell Station is unusual in its configuration as an island platform, the tracks dividing to accommodate the one central station building with dual frontage, this being a modification from the original layout at Walhalla.

      Comparison of early photographs of the station building at Walhalla and at Hartwell indicate that a number of modifications and upgrades have taken place to the building. Those visible include changes to wall cladding and glazed end wall, loss of the original two chimneys (one has been rebuilt in simpler form) and a uniform colour scheme that does not highlight the decorative timber wall strapping. However, the gable roofed form is quite recognisable from the Walhalla photos as is the timber strapping on the gable end and the platform canopy. Elsewhere timber claddings, wall linings and a number of timber -framed windows appear to be original and are in good condition. Small extensions have been carried out at both ends of the main building which has a central waiting room, a ticket office and ancillary spaces.

      The railway-design curved cantilevered trusses support the platform canopy and indicate that it is part of the original construction. The canopy on the alternate side however is differently supported. Hartwell Station is set within an extensive railway reserve with lawn and plantings fronting Fordham Avenue. Modern upgrades of fencing, ramps and platform paving has been carried out.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Boroondara - Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study: Vol. 2 Camberwell

      Author: Context
      Year: 2018
      Grading: Local

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