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FRYERSTOWN METHODIST CHURCH HALL
9-11 HERON STREET FRYERSTOWN, MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Register
1 fryerstown methodist church hall heron street fryerstown entrance 1997
1 fryerstown methodist church hall heron street fryerstown entrance 1997
1 fryerstown methodist church hall heron street fryerstown entrance 1997
fryerstown methodist hall.jpg
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Statement of Significance

The Fryerstown Methodist Church Hall is a prefabricated timber building of a type which was used for Courthouses and Gold Warden's offices in the goldfields in the mid to late 1850s. The original use and position of the building is uncertain, but it has probably been on this site since at least the early 1870s. Only three other examples of this type remain, none of which are in such good condition - the former Ararat Gold Wardens Office (now at Cardigan), the former Moliagul School and the former Skipton Court House. The "old style portable" schools of the late 1870s, such as Kerrie Primary School, used a similar semi-panelised construction technique, though with quite different layouts and dimensions.

The simple timber hall with unlined iron gable roof is 33 foot long by 19 feet wide, divided into a large and small room, with a central gabled porch at one end. The walls are constructed of short lengths of horizontal shiplap boards dropped between rebated posts and held in place by cover mouldings. The timber vertical sash windows fit the full width of the panels. The walls are unlined on the interior, with exposed diagonal timber bracing cut in to the posts. Panel size between posts varies to accommodate windows. The eaves are clad with vertical tongue and groove boards of similar dimension to the walls, with alternate lower ends cut to a point to create a decorative effect.

The Fryerstown Methodist Church Hall is of architectural importance to the State of Victoria.

The Fryerstown Methodist Church Hall is of State importance as a rare example of a timber prefabricated building of a type used as courthouses and gold warden's offices in the late 1850s. The Hall displays the simplicity and adaptability which were characteristic of buildings provided by Government in the 1850s goldfields, where populations were too temporary and shifting to justify investment in more substantial buildings. The Hall is the most intact and unaltered of the few remaining examples of this prefabricated timber building type.

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    • Permit Exemptions

      FRYERSTOWN METHODIST CHURCH HALL - 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)

      General Conditions:
      All alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents
      damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
      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.
      If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director,
      all works shall be in accordance with it.
      Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or
      rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
      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.

      Interior
      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.
      Removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks,
      stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and
      wiring.
      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 smoke detectors.

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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