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BARWON GRANGE
25 FERNLEIGH STREET NEWTOWN, GREATER GEELONG CITY

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.

Victorian Heritage Register

BARWON GRANGE SOHE 2008

1 barwon grange fernleigh street newtown front view apr1997

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Statement of Significance
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Statement of Significance

Barwon Grange was developed by Jonathan Porter O'Brien, merchant, and his wife Ann who first constructed a timber house, then a brick house prior to 1856. No architect has been conclusively linked with the main house, although Snell and Kawerau, Backhouse and Reynolds, or John Gill are all possibilities. The prominent Geelong architects Davidson and Henderson designed the 1871 detached kitchen.

Barwon Grange is set back from the banks of the Barwon River and is now, except for the narrow river frontage, surrounded by industrial development. The house is currently owned by the National Trust and operates as a house museum.

Barwon Grange is of architectural and historic importance to the state of Victoria.

Barwon Grange is important for its associated with early Geelong merchants and businessmen including JP O'Brien and James Chandwick. It reflects the affluence of merchants and business interests in Geelong and its hinterland which was precipitated by the gold rushes of the 1850's and later consolidated in the 1870s. Barwon Grange demonstrates a successful middle class lifestyle of the mid to late nineteenth century. The uses, relative sizes and disposition of the rooms are typical and are now generally interpreted through redecoration and furnishing as a house museum. Barwon Grange is a distinctive example of the Gothic Revival style. It expresses the ideals of the Picturesque movement particularly through its use of architectural details including elaborate roof line, unusual balustraded verandah and through its riverside setting.

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- Barwon Grange - National Trust
- History
  
  BARWON GRANGE - History
  Associated People: Davidson & Henderson;
  
  Permit Exemptions
  
  BARWON GRANGE - Permit Exemptions
  
  General Exemptions:
  General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.
  Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.
  Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.
  Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.
  
  Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.
- Show:
- KARDINIA HOUSE
  
  Victorian Heritage Register H0337
- NOBLE STREET UNITING CHURCH, HALL AND KINDERGARTEN
  
  Victorian Heritage Register H1158
- BARWON BANK
  
  Victorian Heritage Register H0425

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.

Victorian Heritage Register

Record Details

Place ID
2867
Location
25 FERNLEIGH STREET NEWTOWN, GREATER GEELONG CITY
Municipality
GREATER GEELONG CITY
Heritage Listing
Victorian Heritage Register
Level of significance
Registered
Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number
H1102

Heritage Overlay Numbers
HO108
Extent of Registration

AMENDMENT OF REGISTER OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Historic Building No. 1102:
Barwon Grange, Fernleigh Street, Newtown, City of Greater Geelong.
Extent:
1. All of the buildings known as Barwon Grange, comprising the house marked B-1 and the 1871 brick outbuilding marked B-2 on Plan 603246A, endorsed by the Chair, Historic Buildings Council and held by the Director, Historic Building Council.
2. All the land described in Certificate of Title Vol. 9005 Folio 066 and marked L-1 on Plan 603246A endorsed by the Chair, Historic Buildings Council and held by the Director, Historic Buildings Council.
[Victoria Government Gazette No. G36 14 September 1995 pp.2536-2537]
Year Construction Started
1856
VHR Registration
September 14, 1995
Heritage Act Categories
Registered place
Category

Recreation and Entertainment

Residential buildings (private)