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VIEWBANK HOMESTEAD
290 BANYULE ROAD VIEWBANK, BANYULE CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
VIEWBANK HOMESTEAD SOHE 2008
VIEWBANK HOMESTEAD SOHE 2008
VIEWBANK HOMESTEAD SOHE 2008
H01396 1 viewbank homestead view bank foundations mar1997
viewbank homestead plan
Viewbank Area A 97
Viewbank Area C section drawing 97
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The Viewbank site was first settled in 1837 by Edward Willis (1816-1895).A homestead was constructed on the site in 1839, on part of a large 1830s pastoral holding at the confluence of the Yarra Yarra River and the Plenty River, by James Williamson, pastoralist. It was Williamson who chose the name 'Viewbank', named after a property in Scotland. The property was acquired by Dr Robert Martin (1798-1874)in 1842. In 1850, Martin constructed a large single-storey homestead on the site. It is unclear whether Martin incorporated much of the fabric of Williamson's former property into his design, although the archaeological investigations revealed evidence of the incorporation of an earlier four-room structure into Martin's homestead.
From 1922-1974 the site was owned by the Bartram family, who ran a model dairy. It comprises the remains of a house constructed c.1839 and extended in 1850, remnant plantings, remains of outbuildings, tracks, gateposts, archaeological deposits and structures associated with the 1930s dairy notably the silage silos and depot shed. The remnant garden landscape includes many of the tree species introduced in the nineteenth century. The extensive plantings of English Oak trees (Quercus robur), Fastigiate Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa 'Fastigiata') and the Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubignosa) define the extent of the formal garden and driveway. The garden also contains a pair a Funeral Cypress (Chamaecyparis funebris) and an uncommon Cook's Pine (Araucaria columnaris).
How is it significant?
Viewbank is of historic, archaeological, aesthetic and social importance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Viewbank is historically and socially important as one of the earliest pastoral settlements on the Yarra River and Plenty River within the metropolitan area, and for its associations with the earliest development of the Heidelberg (Warringal) area. It is important for its association with Dr Robert Martin and his family who were members of Port Phillip society. It is also important for its continuous occupation as a farming property until the 1990s within the metropolitan area.
Viewbank is archaeologically important for the extensive below ground remains of the main homestead, the associated farm buildings, servants' quarters, cistern, tip and remains scattered throughout the area. The foundations, deposits and associated artefacts have the potential to provide a greater understanding of nineteenth century material culture, building construction techniques and social history. The survival of sites associated with early pastoral settlement in Victoria which have not been subsequently disturbed is rare.
Viewbank is aesthetically and historically important for its contribution to the landscape and to an understanding of 1840s agricultural and garden history. Viewbank retains formal terracing of the garden and driveway, paths to the house and its remnant plantings. The surrounding grasslands are important for understanding the early pastoral settlement of Viewbank and the landscape seen in the paintings of the Heidelberg school of painters.
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    • Permit Exemptions

      VIEWBANK HOMESTEAD - 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 exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which 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 owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.

      No permits are required for the following classes of works.

      * Minor repairs and maintenance to existing buildings (not archaeological features) which replace like with like.
      * Regular garden maintenance.
      * Fire suppression duties
      * Weed and vermin control
      * Public safety

Public contributions

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