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Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct
Esplanade (part) and Forster Street and Garden Street and Giffard Street (part) and Gellibrand Street (part) and Langford Street and Laverton Street and Little Osborne and Osborne Street (part) and Railway Crescent (part) and Stewart Streets WILLIAMSTOWN,

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Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct, Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

The Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct, which comprises all land within HO34 and is generally bounded by Esplanade, Giffard Street, Railway Crescent and Victoria Street, Williamstown.

How is it Significant?

The Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobsons Bay.

Why is it Significant?

Historically, this precinct is significant for its ability to demonstrate the extent of the speculative subdivision that occurred in Williamstown during the 'land boom' of the late nineteenth century and the development of this area, which was related to the now demolished Alfred Woollen Mills. It is also of interest for the historical associations of early residents with maritime and railway industries that were important themes in the development of Williamstown as well as nationally known activities such as Wirth's Circus. (AHC criteria A4 and D2)

Aesthetically, this precinct is significant as an intact late nineteenth and early twentieth century residential area comprising predominantly Victorian and Edwardian era houses with common or similar characteristics of design, siting and scale that create cohesive and homogeneous streetscapes. Many are externally intact and others, although altered, still retain their distinctive form and siting and hence contribute to the precinct. Osborne Street is notable for its nineteenth century street layout (the only example of this outside of the Government Survey) and its large villas with established gardens and mature trees. Williamstown Beach Station and its related group of shops form a distinct sub-precinct in Railway Crescent. (AHC criterion E1)

[NOTE*] Many of the shops that were in this location no longer exist and the sites have been developed. Consequently the quality of the locality as a sub-precinct has significantly diminished.On this basis, the following properties and other elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:

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

- Esplanade 81, 89, 92, 93 and 104 and 106 (Note: Nos 4-20 are located in the Esplanade Residential Heritage Precinct (HO6) and Nos 107-111 are located within the Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct (HO13))

[NOTE*] Properties beyond 111 Esplanade are not within the Heritage Overlay.

- Forster Street (odd) 1-25 (even) 4, 8, 10 and 14-34.

- Garden Street (odd) 3, 5, (even) 4, 6 and 30.

- Gellibrand Street (odd) 17,19, 23, 25, 27, 29 and 31 (even) 2, 12, 20, 22, 34, 36 and 38.

- Langford Street (odd) 1.

- Laverton Street (odd) 1, 5-17, 21-27 and 31-35 (even) 4-32, 36 and 42.

- Little Osborne Street (odd) 17.

- Osborne Street (odd) 189-201, 209 and 217, 219, (note: 219a is non-contributory) 221, 223 (even) 90, 92, 94, 100-102, 110, 122, 130-136, 144-150, 154-166, 170, 172, 176, 180, 186, 188, 190, 192-198, 202, 204, 208, 212-218, 222, 226 and 228 (Note: Osborne Street east of Giffard Street is within the Government Survey Heritage Precinct (HO8).

- Railway Crescent (odd and even) 33-48, 51-57, 60-68, 77, 79-81, 83-85, 88, 89, 97, 98, 100 and 101 (Note: Railway Crescent east of Giffard Street is within the Government Survey Heritage Precinct (HO8))

- Stewart Street (odd) 5, 9, 15, 19, 21-25, 29 and 31 (even) 6 and 16

- Streetscape elements such as the nineteenth century street layout in Osborne Street, mature trees and bluestone guttering and lanes throughout the precinct.

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

      Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 1

      This is generally bounded by Esplanade, Giffard Street, Railway Crescent and Victoria Street, Williamstown. It predominantly comprises detached, single storey weatherboard Victorian and Edwardian era houses, interspersed with some interwar housing that is related in terms of scale, siting, roof forms and materials and setbacks.

      The following additional comments are made for key streets within the precinct:

      § Laverton Street is a well established residential precinct comprising predominantly Victorian-era houses, with some Edwardian and a smaller number of interwar dwellings as well. The northern side comprises mainly Victorian single and double fronted weatherboard houses with similar built form and setbacks and generally low wooden fences of picket or similar. The houses on the southern side embrace a wider range of housing styles on generally larger allotments than on the northern side, but which are related in terms of their scale, siting, roof forms and materials. There are few postwar dwellings in the street.

      § Osborne Street retains its nineteenth century street layout, which includes basalt (bluestone) guttering, a grassed verge with Ash trees and a central roadway. It contains a number of notable larger Victorian and Edwardian villas such as Nos. 217 and 219 as well as intact groups of single fronted weatherboard cottages in the block between Garden and Forster Streets. The street trees are complemented by many mature specimens in private gardens such as those at No. 197.

      § Railway Crescent includes cohesive groups of double and single-fronted weatherboard Victorian and Edwardian era villas. There is a notable Queen Anne villa at No. 100 and an unusual interwar 'Swiss chalet' attic-style house at No. 88. Formerly the Williamstown Beach Station had a related group of Federation and interwar shops that formed a distinctive sub-precinct However this sub-precinct has experienced gradual change with a greater residential emphasis.

      Few front fences are original, but most are low and many are in a related reproduction period style such as timber pickets. Some streets retain features such as bluestone kerbing and bluestone laneways, which enhances the nineteenth century character.

      Integrity

      Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct - Integrity

      Integrity

      High.

      Physical Description 2

      Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 2

      Context

      The Williamstown Beach Precinct is related to the adjoining Hannan's Farm (Ramsgate) Precinct that was subdivided and developed at around the same time, which includes Hannan Street, Osborne Street, Railway Crescent and Victoria Street.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct - Historical Australian Themes

      Principal Australian Historical Theme(s)

      Making Suburbs

      Physical Description 3

      Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct - Physical Description 3

      Associations

      Edwin Gaunt. Refer to individual citations.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study

      Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
      Year: 2006
      Grading: Local

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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