FORMER BANK OF AUSTRALASIA
189 NELSON PLACE WILLIAMSTOWN, HOBSONS BAY CITY
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The former Bank of Australasia was built in 1876 by Pearce and Murray to the design of the architectural firm Reed and Barnes. Designed in the Italian Renaissance revival style, it is built on two street frontages, with a side wing set back from the side street. The building's footings are of stone with rendered brickwork above. Both main elevations have smooth rustication at ground floor level behind elaborate pedimented window cases. There is a
balustraded and piered parapet to the two street frontages and deeply bracketed cornice mould. The round headed windows are arranged symmetrically on the main facades. The public entrance to the main banking chamber is near the corner on the Nelson Place facade with a pair of wrought iron gates which can be closed across the door's entry. The side service wing is much simpler in style. The building included living quarters on the second storey.
How is it significant?
The former Bank of Australasia is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The former Bank of Australasia is architecturally significant as an important example of the work of the renowned architectural firm Reed and Barnes. The building is an original and elegant composition in the Italian renaissance Revival style with its rich decoration and detail. Noteworthy features include the ornate upper storey with its balustraded and piered parapet, the window treatment, the wrought iron panels at the base of each window and the deeply bracketed cornice moulding. The significance of the building is enhanced by the retention of much of the original fabric, although some elements such as counters have been removed. Significant features include the banking chamber with its high ceilings, the manager's office and the bank vault.
-
-
FORMER BANK OF AUSTRALASIA - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
The Bank of Australasia first opened a branch at Williamstown in 1854. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Reed and Barnes, the contract for the construction of this bank building was signed on 24 October 1876 by Pearce and Murray. With the merger of several banks in 1951, including the Bank of Australasia, to form the ANZ Bank (Australia and New Zealand Bank Ltd), this branch subsequently became a branch of the ANZ Bank. Since managers no longer lived on the premises, the original staircase was removed and the stairwell was floored over at 1st floor level. The living quarters upstairs was converted to offices with access from a new external staircase built for the purpose at the juncture of the south wing with the front section. The ANZ Banking Group sold the building in the 1970’s. The new owners (the current owners) have basically returned the building to its original form. This included installing a new staircase, though not to original design or configuration and the removal of the external staircase. The building is currently used as a restaurant with a private residence upstairs. The original banking chamber with its high ceilings and massive cedar doors is the current restaurant dining room, with the room to the other side of the staircase lobby/private entrance hall being used as the ‘commercial’ kitchen.
COMPARISON:
Conservative classicism is the oldest and most defined architectural vocabulary that was practised in Victoria and can be unmistakably identified as 19th century banks.
Bruce Trethowan, A Study of Banks in Victoria 1851-1939, for Historic Buildings Preservation Council, December 1976, lists 116 buildings as being in the Conservative Classicism category. The former Williamstown Bank of Australasia is one of 16 that has been identified as important within the general type of conservative classicism. It is one of 16 that is considered by Trethowan to epitomise conservative classicism architecture in Victoria. The others identified are,
Fitzroy NAT, 171 Smith Street Ed resolved not to add 07 May 1990
Melbourne ANZ, 394 Collins Street HBR 33
Ballarat ANZ, 202 Sturt Street HBR 114
Ballarat NAT, 5 Lydiard Street No action taken
Beechworh SSB, Ford Street No action taken Note Beechworth BNSW HBR 349 1856-7 not included by Trethowan
Bendigo BNSW, 21 View Street HBR 403
Geelong f. COL, 8 Malop Street HBR 190
Kilmore f. NAT, Powlett Street No action taken
Kyneton NAT, 111 Mollison Street ED resolved not to add 27 Sept. 1995
Learmont NAT, 334 high Street Nominated, Pending Sector
Merino NAT, High Street No action taken. Note identical to
Wahgunyah & Coleraine.
Stawell f. ORIE, No address readily available ED resolves not to add 09 August 1995
Wahgunyah f. VICT, crn. Ford and Barkly Streets Not recorded on database. Note
identical to Merino & Coleraine
Warrnambool f. NAT, crn. Timor & Kepler Streets Other resolution. Await sector analysis
&
Yackandandah f. AUST. No address readily available No action taken
The former Bank of Australasia, 189 Nelson Place, Williamstown is one of three by the architectural firm Reed and Barnes to epitomise conservative classicism architecture, the other two are also former Bank of Australasia banks, one in Melbourne, the other at Yackandandah.
It has also been identified by Trethowan as being important when considered within the work of a particular architect, in this case Reed and Barnes. Other banks identified in the study as being important works of Reed and Barnes include 8 others in the Conservative Classicism style;
Ballarat SSB, crn. Sturt & Camp Streets ED resolves not to add 19 May 1993
Bendigo SSB, Hargreaves Street ED resolves not to add 25 Feb. 1997
Chiltern f. Aust., Conness Street HBR 277
Echuca B NSW, 545-547 High Street No action taken
Melbourne ANZ (f. Aust.), 394 Collins Street HBR 33
Melbourne f. BNSW Melbourne University ED resolves not to add 04 August 1992
(facade only)
Rochester BNSW, 47 Moore Street ED resolves not to add 12 July 1995
&
Yackandandah ANZ (f. Aust.). No address readily available No action taken
Note: Melbourne ANZ (f. Aust.) and Yackandandah (f. Aust.) banks are on both lists.FORMER BANK OF AUSTRALASIA - 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.Specific Exemptions:EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
(Classes of works or activities which may be undertaken without a permit under
Part 4 of the Heritage Act 1995)
Policy
It is the purpose of the permit exemptions to allow some approved works to the
building without the need to obtain permits, while preserving the significant
elements of the building which are not permit exempt.
General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner
which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of
alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the
place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or
object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the
Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive
Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending
or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the
responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the
responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Demolition or removal of gazebo/covered seating/eating area (but not
replacement or additions to)
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting,
wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or
grouted pocket method.
* Repair or replacement of paling fences and gates.
* Erection of small, plain (not "period") outbuildings including sheds,
aviaries, kennels, poultry sheds and the like provided that they are not
visible from the side street and provided that no new outbuilding is larger
than 10 square metres in floor area or 2.4 metres in height.
* Regular garden maintenance.
* Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems, provided
the installation of the watering systems do not cause short or long term
moisture problems to the building.
* Laying, removal or replacement of paving in the rear gardens and the
courtyards.
* Repair, removal or replacement of existing garden structures.
Interior
* Repairs to staircase. (non original)
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation
or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative
scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors,
architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor
coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and
other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for
the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal,
installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping,
mirrors, wall and floor coverings in existing bathroom areas.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures
including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated
plumbing and wiring in existing kitchens areas.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed
radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing
skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit
is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all
new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords,
push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original
to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain
in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
-
-
-
-
-
FORMER MORGUEVictorian Heritage Register H1512
-
WILLIAMSTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H1639
-
RESIDENCEVictorian Heritage Register H0487
-
"1890"Yarra City
-
"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
-
"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
-
177 Fenwick StreetYarra City
-
19 Cambridge StreetYarra City
-
2 Derby StreetYarra City
-
-