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Fortuna Villa
22-48 Chum Street, GOLDEN SQUARE VIC 3555 - Property No 179571

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Greater Bendigo City
Fortuna Villa
Fortuna Villa
Fortuna Villa
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Fortuna Villa is significant as one of Australia's best examples of a Victorian/Edwardian era mansion associated with the gold rush period. (Criterion 3.2). 


How is it significant?
It is one of the few such residences to be closely associated with a workplace, industrial site, and significant for its location on the site of the 180 mine. (Criterion 2.2) It is significant for its associations with millionaire George Lansell, also known as the Quartz King, who lived there and transformed the original villa cottage into a mansion. (Criterion4.1). 

It is significant in an aesthetic and creative sense for its architecture, decorative treatments and its situation in a Victorian garden of considerable interest. (Criteria 5.1 and 5.2).

Significant Associations - George Lansell (owner) & Beebe, W (designer)
Why is it significant?
Fortuna Villa is significant as one of Australia's best examples of a Victorian/Edwardian era mansion associated with the gold rush period. (Criterion 3.2). 

It is one of the few such residences to be closely associated with a workplace, industrial site, and significant for its location on the site of the 180 mine. (Criterion 2.2) It is significant for its associations with millionaire George Lansell, also known as the Quartz King, who lived there and transformed the original villa cottage into a mansion. (Criterion4.1). 

It is significant in an aesthetic and creative sense for its architecture, decorative treatments and its situation in a Victorian garden of considerable interest. (Criteria 5.1 and 5.2).

Significant Associations - George Lansell (owner) & Beebe, W (designer)
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    • Physical Description 1

      Fortuna Villa - Physical Description 1

      A complex three-storey mansion of rendered brick with cast- iron verandahs, erected in stages as additions to an 1860 villa, bought by George Lansell with the adjacent 180 Gold Mine. The house has elaborately decorated rooms surviving from the three main periods of construction, including plaster and pressed metal decoration, and stained and etched glass. A battery dating from1874 joins the house, illustrating the mixture of home and work environment. A Victorian garden surrounds the villa and battery. The garden includes a Roman baths and utilises one of the mine lakes (ponds).

      (Australian Heritage Commission citation)

      Physical Conditions

      Fortuna Villa - Physical Conditions

      Lansell added to the original villa between 1870 and 1880, then with his second wife extended the villa again between 1887 and1905. From 1906 to 1920 Mrs. Lansell added further. The decorative surfaces inside are being revealed and restored.

      (Australian Heritage Commission citation)

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Greater Bendigo - Eaglehawk & Bendigo Heritage Study

      Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
      Year: 1993
      Grading: A

Public contributions

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