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ICI Housing Estate Precinct
City Place, Sun Crescent and Durham Road, Sunshine. Brimbank City

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Brimbank City
45845 ICI Housing Estate Precinct
45845 ICI Housing Estate Precinct
45845 ICI Housing Estate Precinct
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Statement of Significance

This Sunshine commercial precinct is of historical and social significance as a part of a suburb created by Australia's leading industrialist, which set a milestone in the development of the industrial suburb under the influence of the Garden City movement. Sunshine became a yardstick for planning and housing reformers, with H.V. McKay being regarded as an expert on plannedindustrial housing. The McKay estate is of historical significance as it marks a crucial phase in the development of Sunshine, reflecting a period when McKay encouraged or directly provided services to the resident work force , such as recreation and retail facilities, in order to develop a stable local ecomomy.

The precinct is of architectural significance in representing the prevailing interwar style of relatively unadorned parapeted single storey shop fronts. The precinct includes community, civic and commercial premises. While the building stock provides a representative sample of generally typical small shops of the period, Sunshine does contain some more elaborate designs (such as the Derrimut Hotel), some of which can be ascribed to J Raymond Robinson,who fulfilled the role of company architect for the McKay Sunshine Harvester Works.

Characterised generally by low flat corrugated iron cladroofs, cantilevered verandahs, the buildings are also set on typical narrow frontage allotments, with small rear yards (now generally redeveloped for storage or parking). The provision of commercial allotments close to the station was consistent with the garden suburb character that was intended in the original town planning designs, and perpetuated in the perceptions of Sunshine's character. ln the early 20th century Sunshine's generous suburban estates were atypical of working class housing of the period.

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    • Physical Description 1

      ICI Housing Estate Precinct - Physical Description 1

      This group of c.1950 houses built as part of the ICI housing estate, on curvilinear streets, is based on the Garden City approach with streets named accordingly relating to other examples of the movement such as 'Welwyn Garden City', 'Slough Industrial Estates' and Millbank and Billingham. Other streets relate to Nobel's parent company and original plant in Scotland (Irvine, Ardeer, Kynoch, Dumfries).

      The original subdivision was bounded by Billingham Road to the north and west, Station Road on the East and Kororoit Creek on the south, although the early development was confined to the area south of Sassella Reserve, later expanding beyond Dumfries Street, Welwyn Parade and Millbank Drive, to the west and then north.



      By the time these areas were built, however, it appears ICI no longer was involved in the development. The houses are generally weatherboard, terracotta -tiled roofed with alternating hipped and low gabled roof forms and simple rectangular floor plans. They are built on generous blocks with substantial reserves provided in the subdivision along the creek (only one side of Millbank Drive has been developed) and at Sassella Reserve.



      The surviving places that are contributory to the precinct include the following:



      ADDRESS, PLACE, DESCRIPTION, DATE

      1 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      7 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      9 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      11 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      13 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      15 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      17 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      19 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      21 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      23 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      25 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      27 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      29 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      31 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      33 Dumfries Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      1 Huddersfield Road, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Huddersfield Road, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Huddersfield Road, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      1 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      2 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      4 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      6 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      7 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      8 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      9 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      10 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      12 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      13 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      14 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      15 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      16 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      17 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      18 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      19 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      20 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      21 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      22 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      23 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      24 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      25 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      26 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      27 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      28 Irvine Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      1 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      2 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      6 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      7 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      8 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      9 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      10 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      11 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      12 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      13 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      14 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      15 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      16 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      17 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      18 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      19 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      20 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      21 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      22 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      23 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      24 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      25 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      26 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      27 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      28 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      29 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      30 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      31 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      32 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      33 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      34 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      35 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      36 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      27 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      38 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      39 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      41 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      43 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      45 Kynoch Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      2 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      4 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      6 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      8 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      12 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      14 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      16 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      18 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      20 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      22 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      24 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      26 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      28 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      30 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      32 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      34 Millbank Drive, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      1 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      6 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      7 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      8 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      9 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      10 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      11 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      12 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      13 Slough Street, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      119 Station Road, Sassella Park war memorial, Park with grandstand (1960s - 70s.), 1950c

      Station Road, Vic Weaver Sugar Gum plantations, plantation in median, 1930s

      1-17, 2-36, Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      2 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      3 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      4 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      5 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      6 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      7 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      8 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      9 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      10 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      11 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      12 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      13 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      14 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      15 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      16 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      17 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      18 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      20 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      22 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      24 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      26 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      28 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      30 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      32 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      34 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c

      36 Welwyn Parade, ICI House, Timber houses, 1950c



      While not built at the same time as the ICI houses, some other community services were soon established, including the Kindergarten and Anglican (now Uniting) Church. While not essential contributory elements of the precinct, they relate to the later growth and development of the community.



      ADDRESS, PLACE, DESCRIPTION, DATE

      1, Millbank Drive, Deer Park Kindergarten, Timber clad low-pitched roof, 1960c

      44-8, Welwyn Parade, Deer Park Uniting Church & Kindergarten, Timber houses, 1960c



      Other houses of the period are also present on the north side of Dumfries Street, (Numbers 2-26), 1 Blakley Street, on Welwyn Parade (Numbers 19-31, 32-42) north of Salmond Street and along the west side of Station Road between Dumfries Street and Billingham Road. These are outside of the proposed precinct boundary. Also the Vic Weaver plantation in the Station Road median, was formerly part of the Albion Explosives Factory and contributes to the wider landscape character of the precinct.

      Physical Conditions

      ICI Housing Estate Precinct - Physical Conditions

      Almost all of the original houses from the first stage of the estate are still extant although many have undergone cosmetic changes and some are more substantially altered. The most common alterations are imitation brick fibro cement cladding, replaced windows, extended or enclosed verandahs, and additional rooms at the rear.

      Historical Australian Themes

      ICI Housing Estate Precinct - Historical Australian Themes

      4 Building settlement, towns and cities
      4.1 Planning urban settlements

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Brimbank - Brimbank City Council Post-contact Cultural Heritage Study

      Author: G. Vines
      Year: 2000
      Grading: State

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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