Railway Place Precinct

1-43 Railway Precinct COBURG, MORELAND CITY

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Railway Place Precinct Map

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • Physical Description 1

    Railway Place Precinct - Physical Description 1

    The Railway Place Precinct primarily consists of single-storey, Victorian Italianate boom era terraces with shared party walls. They are presented in two groups of buildings, one set of four terraces at 1-7 Railway Place and one set of thirteen terraces at 19-43 Railway Place. Original facade characteristics of the terraces include a pointed parapet with decorative floral and geometric motifs, a dentil moulding below the parapet, a curved verandah awning in corrugated iron, filigree lacework to the awning, off-centre timber front door with a single double-hung timber window in the centre of the facade. Typical to this style of dwelling and extant on some of the Railway Place properties is a low-scale timber picket fence to the front boundary. While the dwellings retain many key characteristics, there have been notable changes to each individual property over time. Some have been rendered, most polychromatic brickwork has been painted, all chimneys are missing their urns and most awnings are missing their lacework. These changes have been identified in further detail in the table below.

    A range of paint colours have been used on the terraces. As a uniform group, they would benefit aesthetically from a consistent colour scheme. This could either be matching or within a similar colour palette. As an indication, the Colour schemes for old Australian Houses book states that the types of colours you would expect for a (painted) Victorian boom-era terrace would be Biscuit (369) for the walls, window frames, door frames and chimneys; Venetian Red (445 gloss) for the base course, cast iron, masonry sills, guttering, sashes and doors; and Light Buff (358) for verandah beam and mouldings to chimneys (Evans, Lucas & Stapleton 1984, 46-47). This does not represent the full list of colours noted in the book, but rather, provides an overview of the approach. Note: all colours are based on British Standards 2260 and 381c.

    Wedged between the two groups of terraces are the following dwellings of varying styles:

    - 9-11 Railway Place - a late twentieth century red brick dwelling with a black tile hipped roof and a red brick front boundary fence. It occupies two lots of the original subdivision.

    - 13-15 Railway Place - a pair of semi-detached Victorian terraces constructed of brick with hipped galvanised iron roofs. No. 15 is more intact, with di-chrome brickwork, iron lacework and an intact chimney.

    - 17 Railway Place - a highly modified Victorian Italianate terrace, which was built as part of the terraces at 19-41 Railway Parade but remodelled to include a geometric form to the parapet, rounded porch cover and Corinthian style column. The dwelling has been rendered and painted in a green and cream colour scheme.

    - 43 Railway Place - a faux heritage c.1990s infill building which has been constructed to look similar to the terrace row but with a non-decorative, geometric shaped parapet. The building does not share a party wall with its neighbour, unlike the other terraces in the row, and has been constructed of recent materials.

    It is noted that the site at 43 Railway Place is located on the end of the terrace row, and therefore is a contender for exclusion from the heritage curtilage. However, the form and scale of the site contributes towards the overall streetscape pattern of the precinct and its inclusion in the curtilage would lend to sympathetic works being undertaken on site in the future.

    The landscape surrounding the precinct is highly suburban, with the row of terraces framed by a laneway to the rear which extends onto additional residential buildings. The terrace row is fronted by the Upfield Line which carries a large quantity of commuter railway traffic. There are only two mature elms in the nature reserve in front of the terraces.

    Physical Conditions

    Railway Place Precinct - Physical Conditions

    On the most part, the dwellings have been well maintained and are in good condition. Though, some were noted as being in fair condition.

    Integrity

    Railway Place Precinct - Integrity

    Every dwelling has undergone some form of alteration over time, resulting in varying styles of front fences, some alternative awnings, rear extensions. They retain a high level of visual cohesiveness as a set but have moderate physical integrity overall.

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Moreland Heritage Nominations Study

    Author: Extent Heritage
    Year: 2022
    Grading:

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