Narre Warren North Township
A'Beckett Road and Main Street and Memorial Drive and Tom Jones Court and Robinsons Road NARRE WARREN NORTH, Casey City
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Statement of Significance
Narre Warren North township.
How is it significant?
Narre Warren North Township is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Casey.
Why is it significant?
Historically, Narre Warren North township is significant as an example of a planned nineteenth century township. The unusual triangular plan retains its important built and landscape features, located in the context of the surrounding pastoral and agricultural land uses. The townscape retains evidence of early land use patterns, including Claire Robinson Reserve (The site of the former Anglican Church), the adjacent site of the Wesleyan Chapel and later church building, the building once occupied by the post office and general store, and the adjacent rural land.
Aesthetically, Narre Warren North township is significant as a picturesque rural township. The key characteristics of the Narre Warren North Township precinct which contribute to its heritage significance are:
- The original triangular plan of the town, with an emphasis on the relationship between the two early church reserves one on either side of Main Street.
- The avenue of oaks along Memorial Drive which create a picturesque avenue approach that provides a spectacular canopied entry into the town's main street.
- The open rural landscape to the east of Memorial Drive, allowing views of the adjacent hill slopes and historically serving to contain the residential development to the west and north of the town.
- The views of significant buildings as observed from the roads which intersect around Claire Robinson Reserve, these places being, Randle's Cottage, the former Post Office & Store and the Uniting Church hall.
- The tree plantings on the Claire Robinson Reserve, which has historical significance as the site of the 1876 St. John's Church.
- The hawthorn hedge roadside plantings along a'Beckett Road and continuing along to Belgrave-Hallam Road.
On this basis, the following places contribute to the significance of Narre Warren North Township precinct:
- English Hawthorn hedges in a'Beckett Road and Tom Jones Court
- Narre Warren North Reserve trees, a'Beckett Road
- Narre Warren North Primary School, 15-31 a'Beckett Street*
- Claire Robinson Reserve, Main Street*
- Uniting Church, 1-13 Main Street*
- Post Office and store (Former), 15 Main Street*
- Cottage, 23-25 Main Street*
- Avenue of Honour, Memorial Drive*
- Randle's Cottage, 1-3 Randle Court*
*Refer to individual citation in this Study.
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Narre Warren North Township - Physical Description 1
Narre Warren North township is nestled against a gentle hillslope, over looking plains to the south-east and retaining a picturesque rural character. The main road from Narre Warren enters the township from the south via Memorial Drive while other traffic bypasses the centre on an arc to the west, continuing as Belgrave-Hallam Road.
The form of the town centre is created by the dominant diagonal alignment of Main Street, diverging from Robinson Road at 45 degrees and joining a'Beckett Road in a similar manner.
The triangular block bounded by Main Street, a'Beckett Road and Tom Jones Court represents the section of the town gazetted around 1867. This forms the core of the town with subdivision of land to the west of Tom Jones Court and south of Robinson Road occurring much later. The triangular block of Claire Robinson Reserve, adjacent to the Randle's Cottage property, and the Memorial Drive are all features of the precinct. The open rural land to the south-east contributes to the setting of the town, having historically created a boundary to the expansion of the residential area.
Memorial Drive creates a spectacular entry, enclosed on both sides by mature oaks, extending from the memorial near the bend in Memorial Drive, across Robinson Road to Main Street, continuing along the southern side of Main Street for about 30 metres. The east side of the avenue is in good condition, but the opposite line of trees is in poor condition (1).
Historically, the majority of early residential and community development occurred along Main Street. A dominant feature is the former post office and store, situated at the north end of Memorial Drive, and pictured in historical photographs dating from 1895 (2).
The elevated site of the Uniting Church was originally reserved for the Wesleyan Chapel in 1865, while the triangular block to the south, now Claire Robinson Reserve, was gazetted in 1868 as land for the Anglican Church. Located on the main road axis and elevated above the town, these two churches would have been important landmarks.
At the perpendicular corner of the plan, a square allotment, now a Recreation Reserve, once accommodated the Mechanics' Institute (c1887), and is still marked by a stand of mature pine trees. The Narre Warren North Primary School, which continues to be a community focus today, is located adjacent to the reserve. Hawthorn hedge plantings extend along the north side of a'Beckett Road, around the corner and north along Tom Jones Court and Belgrave-Hallam Road.
The extent of the Narre Warren North Township precinct is defined as:
- The area with the original township plan, bordered by a'Beckett Road to the north, Main Street to the south-east and Tom Jones Court to the west.
- The streetscapes of a'Beckett Road and Main Street, including the hawthorn hedge plantings bordering the properties north of a'Beckett Road.
- The hawthorn hedge plantings bordering the properties east of Tom Jones Court between a'Beckett Road and the junction at Belgrave-Hallam Road.
- The Claire Robinson Reserve and the streetscapes of Main Street, Memorial Drive and Robinson Road which bound it.
- The property known as Randle's Cottage at 1-3 Randle Court.
- The entire extent of the Memorial Drive, from Main Street to the memorial at the bend in the Drive.
SOURCES
1. P. Lumley, Tree assessment: City of Berwick Heritage Conservation Study, p.7.
2. Max Thomson, 'Little Hills', p.23.Narre Warren North Township - Historical Australian Themes
Developing settlements, towns and cities
Heritage Study and Grading
Casey - Casey Heritage Study
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2004
Grading: LocalCasey - Heritage of the City of Berwick
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 1993
Grading:
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HillsleyCasey City
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WallerviewCasey City
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House and Garden (former Treeby)Casey City
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