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Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct
Castle Street and Collins Street and Esplanade (part) and Gellibrand Street (part) and Hannan Street and Knight Street and Osborne Street (part) and Swanson Street and Winifred Street WILLIAMSTOWN, Hobsons Bay City

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Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

The Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct, which comprises all land in HO13 and generally includes properties with a frontage to Castle Street, Collins Street, Hannan Street, Knight Street and Swanston Street, Williamstown.

How is it Significant?

The Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobsons Bay.

Why is it Significant?

Historically, Hannan's Farm is significant as a nineteenth century speculative subdivision, which resulted in streets that were not fully developed until the Interwar period. It demonstrates how the expansion of the nearby railway workshops and related industry led to a revival in Williamstown during the early twentieth century after the decline of the port at the end of the nineteenth. The nineteenth century origins of the street are demonstrated by the Victorian era dwellings, while the main period of development is illustrated by the Edwardian and Interwar villas. (AHC criteria A4 and D2)

Aesthetically, Hannan's Farm is significant as an early twentieth century residential precinct, which comprises predominantly Edwardian and Interwar era houses with common or similar characteristics of design, siting and scale that create a cohesive and homogeneous streetscape. Many are externally intact and others, although altered, still retain their distinctive form and siting and hence contribute to the precinct. (AHC criterion E1)

On this basis, the following properties contribute to the significance of the precinct:

- Castle Street (odd) 7, 17, 23 and 25 (even) 10 and 20

- Collins Street (even) 4-12 and 18-26

- Esplanade 108

- Gellibrand Street (even) 34-38

- Hannan Street (odd) 3, 7-21, 25-29, 33, 35, 39-85, 87-95, 101, 105, 107, 111-115, 121 and 123 (even) 2-10, 16, 20, 26, 34, 44, 52, 54, 60-64, 76, 78, 82, 84, 88-92, 100, 102, 106, 110, 112, 118.

- Knight Street (even) 4-10

- Swanston Street 7 and 9

Please note that some heritage places within this precinct may also have an individual citation in this Study.

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    • Physical Description 1

      Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 1

      Hannan's Farm precinct is a regular nineteenth century grid subdivision defined by the main generally north-south Hannan Street and generally includes properties with a frontage to Castle Street, Collins Street, Hannan Street, Knight Street and Swanston Street, Williamstown. Hannan Street has parallel rear laneways.

      The lots in Esplanade and Hannan Street are of regular shape with similar frontages and area, although later subdivisions have created some narrower allotments. Lots in Castle, Collins, and Swanston Streets are generally smaller with narrower frontages.

      At the northern end of the precinct, Collins Street comprises a mixture of predominantly late Victorian and Edwardian villas on the north side of the street, which possess similar setbacks, scale and detailing. There are few post war dwellings. By comparison, Castle Street is less intact, but includes an unusual interwar bungalow at No. 25, which has notable details to the porch and other features. There is a related group of small Victorian workers cottages at 5-9 Swanston Street; No. 9 has been altered.

      Hannan Street is a well-established residential street which predominantly comprises single-storey detached Victorian and Edwardian-era villas, with some inter-war weatherboard houses. The street is notable for the relatively high number of relatively intact double-fronted symmetrical and asymmetrical villas, which share consistent setbacks, siting and scale. There are many good examples of cast-iron and timber fretted verandah detail such as the elaborate verandah to No. 121. No. 47 is a rare example of an asymmetrical villa constructed in polychromatic brick.

      There is a fine brick interwar villa with splendid Canary Island Palm at 108 Esplanade.

      The original bluestone kerbing, guttering and gravel verges in all streets have been replaced by concrete kerbs and a sealed road reserve. The bluestone rear laneways, however, remain.

      Integrity

      Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct - Integrity

      Integrity

      Unrelated postwar development disrupts the complete expression of the precinct as a whole. However, Hannan Street and Collins Street have high integrity with few postwar dwellings.

      Usage/Former Usage

      Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct - Usage/Former Usage

      Context

      The Hannan's Farm or Ramsgate Estate precinct also includes Victoria Street, and in turn is related to the Williamstown Beach precinct, which includes adjoining streets to the south of the railway line and west of the Williamstown Botanic Gardens. (Refer separate citations in this Study)

      Historical Australian Themes

      Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct - Historical Australian Themes

      Principal Australian Historical Theme(s)

      Making Suburbs

      Physical Description 2

      Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 2

      Associations

      AT Clark, John Morgan, John Hannan, others - refer to citations for individual properties where relevant.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study

      Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
      Year: 2006
      Grading:

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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