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McCall's Tannery
125 Francis Street, YARRAVILLE VIC 3013 - Property No 4034022600

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Maribyrnong City
HO124(1) - 125 Francis Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO124(1) - 125 Francis Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO124(1) - 125 Francis Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO124(2) - 125 Francis Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO124_McCalls_Tannery.jpg
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Statement of Significance

McCall's tannery is historically significant to the city as the last surviving structure related to an industry which was synonymous with Footscray from the 1850s to the 1970s, as exemplified by the vast Michaelis Hallenstein tannery. (Criterion A3) McCall's Tannery, while converted to other uses, displays the characteristic form and materials of an early tannery in the timber framed and clad building which would once have housed drawing, trimming and drying functions, while the tan pits would have been located in the common fashion beside the creek. (Criterion B2) The site is also one of the few traditional bark tannery sites to have escaped total destruction either for new chrome tanning processes or for reclamation of what was seen as an undesirable industry from the middle of the nineteenth century. (Criterion A4)

Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) criteria

The Australian Heritage Commission criteria consist of a set of eight criteria which cover social, aesthetic, scientific, and historic values. Each criterion has sub-criteria written specifically for cultural or natural values. The relevant criteria are:

A.3 richness and diversity of cultural features

B.2 rarity

A.4 demonstrates well the course and pattern of history, important historic events

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    • Physical Description 1

      McCall's Tannery - Physical Description 1

      The present station building is a hipped roof form with a picturesque central roof gable with overhanging canopy, hipped roof, polychrome brickwork and a basalt plinth. The king-post truss gable roof marks the original entrance to the booking hall facing Birmingham Street and overhangs the footpath by some 1.2 metres, but has since been closed in. Deeply bracketed but shallow canopies extend either side of the gable. The brackets are of carved timber and set in pairs at the gable. Walls are polychrome brick (red, brown, black), set on a dressed basalt plinth. Terra-cotta string moulds and eaves brackets add to the natural clay character of the walls and the chimneys (ribbed and banded with terra-cotta chimney pots) also add to the display of brickwork.

      To the south is an Edwardian parapeted porch which provides a small booking hall. Although red brick is used, the inverted basket-arch parapet form is foreign in style to the original building. With the added porch is a brick-sided ramp with wrought-iron picket balustrade and Chinese brackets supporting the roof fascia. Ogee guttering (bracketed) survived on this roof in 1989 (Butler: 29-30).

      The Edwardian down-side station consists of simple weather-boarded gabled pavilion, with a cantilevered fringed canopy attached. Lock-up shops have been added at the south platform end. Adjacent is a two-level hipped-roof signal box and part of the railway crossing gates - mostly replaced and repositioned with modern automatic booms across Anderson Street. Bluestone paved yards with rail siding north of Yarraville Station and on the east side of the main line once used for loading manufactured good and unloading supplies for the local area in the late 19th century. Part of paving was ripped up in 1988. The station building is distinguished by its picturesque roof gable the down side platform has an Edwardian weatherboard pavilion with cantilevered canopy.

      Physical Conditions

      McCall's Tannery - Physical Conditions

      In good condition, restoration work having been undertaken in recent years by the PTC, although not necessarily to the original configuration of the building. The signal box is disused, disconnected from the system and boarded up.

      Integrity

      McCall's Tannery - Integrity

      Openings have been bricked up or sealed off, otherwise finishes such as pressed metal ceilings and ceiling roses (Edwardian?) survive in the main building. The down-side building's post verandah has been replaced with a cantilever and the north gable sheeted over. Much of the original bluestone pitching has been removed, either by the PTC or have been stolen. The gates
      have been removed and relocated.

      Physical Description 2

      McCall's Tannery - Physical Description 2

      Located adjacent to the local commercial centre of Yarraville focussed on Anderson and Ballarat Streets. A few small contemporary warehouse buildings are on Woods Street, while the major historical and physical connections of the goods yard were with the Yarraville Industries to the west on Whitehall Street. Part of a related complex of buildings including the signal box and railway crossing gates (mostly removed or repositioned). The nearby St. Georges Theatre and shops are contemporary with the Edwardian expansion of the station.

      Historical Australian Themes

      McCall's Tannery - Historical Australian Themes

      Thematic context
      Australian Principal Theme Moving goods and people
      PAHT Subtheme: Moving goods and people by rail
      Local Theme Railways - freight

      Physical Description 3

      McCall's Tannery - Physical Description 3

      Creation date(s): 1870 c.
      Heritage Significance state
      Map (Melway) 42 A8
      Boundary description Site bounded by Woods St. Somerville Road, Birmingham St. and Anderson St.
      Local Government Area: City of Maribyrnong
      Ownership Type State

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Maribyrnong - Maribyrnong Heritage Review

      Author: Jill Barnard, Graeme Butler, Francine Gilfedder & Gary Vines
      Year: 2000
      Grading:

Public contributions

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