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ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER
61 RAILWAY PLACE ELMORE, GREATER BENDIGO CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER SOHE 2008
ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER SOHE 2008
ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER SOHE 2008
1 elmore railway station &water tower trackside view jul1984
elmore railway station & water tower front view jul1984
elmore railway station & water tower goods shed jul1984
elmore railway station & water tower side view jul1984
elmore railway station & water tower water tower front view
elmore railway station plan
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Elmore Railway Station and Water Tower were constructed in 1870 by P Cunningham for the Victorian Railways on the Melbourne-Echuca Line. It comprises a single storey Italianate railway Station building and residence with slate-hipped roof and cast iron gutters. The brickwork is relieved by stuccoed window and door dressings and quoins. A brick lamp room/ toilet block adjoins. The square, 20,000-gallon water tower is supported on a trabeated brick base with round base openings. The station currently serves goods trains only, while operating as a local museum.

How is it significant?
Elmore Railway Station and Water Tower are historically and architecturally significant to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
Elmore Railway Station and Water Tower are historically significant for their association with the development of the 'light lines' era, c1869 - c1884. The water tower is historically significant as a reminder of the pre-eminence of the steam era. The tower is a substantially intact example of a railway water tower constructed during the late 19th century to facilitate the operation of the steam engines.

Elmore Railway Station is architecturally significant as an important and intact example of the 'Castlemaine' style of railway stations. The 'Castlemaine' style features architectural devices characteristic of the Italianate school, such as heavy rusticated quoining, eaves corbelling, and low hipped roofs. Built shortly after the opening of the line, it serves as an important contributor to the character of the line and was a precursor for the 'Creswick' and 'Avoca' station groups. The use of timber to the verandahs was also a unique feature. The station buildings are enhanced by the water tower.
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    • History

      ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER - History

      Elmore Railway Station and Water Tower are historically significant for their association with the development of the 'light lines' era, c.1869 - c.1884. Following lavish expenditure of the earlier 'main trunk' lines of the 1850' and 1860's, a determined effort was made to minimise the cost of railway construction. The 'light lines' era was characterised by more restrained station building designs (Harrigan, 1962). The water tower is historically significant as a reminder of the pre-eminence of the steam era. The tower is a substantially intact example of a railway water tower constructed during the late 19th century to facilitate the operation of the steam engines.
      (Beeston, 1995)

      Permit Exemptions

      ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER - 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:

      General Conditions
      1. All alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner that 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 the owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.

      * All basic refurbishment works including repairs to buildings and structures, where works are documented and administered by a recognised conservation consultant
      * Installation of perimeter fencing
      * Installation of new signalling systems and modifications to existing signalling systems
      * Modification and replacement of tracks to the extent of the rails, sleepers and ballast
      * Installation of new landscaping features but excluding earthworks where more than 1m3 of ground is to be altered

      Station Buildings/Water Tower
      Exterior
      *Replacement of decayed fabric with fabric that matches the original design and profile.
      * Installation of new but not removal of existing original significant signage.
      * Installation of temporary protective hoardings, screens and the like for the protection against intrusion of vandals and the like provided that no damage is sustained to significant fabric.
      * Installation of new damp proofing and making good to match existing, adjacent surfaces.

      Interior
      * Interior painting but not stripping of existing paint scheme
      * Installation of new but not removal of existing original significant carpets/flexible floor coverings
      * Installation of new but not removal of existing original significant fixtures and fittings, including clocks, soft furnishings including curtain tracks, rods, blinds and other window dressings, and the like.
      * Installation of new but not the removal of existing original significant signage
      * Installation of new partitions provided that no damage is sustained to significant fabric
      * Replacement of non-original kitchen and toilet fixtures provided that no damage is sustained to significant fabric
      * Installation of insulation to ceiling spaces
      * Installation of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of paintings, mirrors and other wall mounted works of art.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      ELMORE RAILWAY STATION AND WATER TOWER - Permit Exemption Policy

      The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. The Elmore Railway Station and Water Tower is important for its individual buildings as well as its precinct values. The exterior of the buildings are of prime importance. The interior is important if original fittings and fixtures still survive. Track works and maintenance to the buildings are able to be undertaken without a permit.

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