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PREFABRICATED BUILDING
152 HARRICK ROAD KEILOR PARK, BRIMBANK CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
PREFABRICATED BUILDING SOHE 2008
PREFABRICATED BUILDING SOHE 2008
PREFABRICATED BUILDING SOHE 2008
H01971 1 prefabricated iron cottage exterior
Prefabricated Cottage Boiler
Prefabricated Cottage Boiler
Prefabricated Cottage Boiler
Prefabricated Cottage Context September 2001
Prefabricated Cottage Corner Detail September 2001
Prefabricated Cottage Interior Corner Detail September 2001
Prefabricated Cottage Iron Numbering September 2001
Prefabricated Cottage Side Elevation August 2001
Prefabricated Cottage Stables
Prefabricated Cottage Stables Gate
Prefabricated Iron Building Stables Rubble Wall
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March 2015.jpg
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View of prefabricated building in dismounted state May 2018 at Harrick Road
Context showing Harricks Cottage with the demounted prefabricated building under the tarpaulin May 2018
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The prefabricated cottage is a prefabricated building imported to Victoria in the early gold rush period, most probably from England. 
There is circumstantial evidence that the cottage may have been part of the Keilor Plains police station, which was established three miles along the road to the goldfields from Keilor in 1853. That station is known to have included corrugated iron and timber and iron buildings and must have been located within a cooee of the site of the cottage. The police moved to a site in the township of Keilor in 1858, taking a number of the buildings with them. If the cottage was part of that complex, it is unlikely that it was left on the Keilor Plains site. The station was moved again to a site next to the courthouse in 1862-3, and was closed in 1873. The cottage now stands in the scattered remains of a later homestead complex, with the only other standing building a twentieth century stables/shed.
The cottage is rectangular in plan with external walls and arch roof of galvanised corrugated wrought iron with a 5inch pitch. The structural frame comprises horizontal wrought iron angle top and bottom plates bolted to vertical cast iron corner angles and intermediate supports. The cast iron pilasters have slightly recessed panels terminating in semicircular arches. The interior is lightly framed in timber to take the windows and a timber or fabric lining. Internally there are large hand painted numerals on various components likely to have aided in assembly. The framing, windows and two fireplace openings indicate that the building was probably used for residential purposes.
How is it significant?
The prefabricated cottage is of historical and scientific (technological) significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The prefabricated cottage is of historical significance for its association with the gold rush era in Victoria. The prefabricated cottage is associated with the large-scale importation of prefabricated buildings into Victoria to cater for the shortfall in building stock. It is likely that the building is associated with government use of prefabricated buildings during this period. It is possible the cottage is associated with the importance of the road to the Mount Alexander and Bendigo goldfields, and with the early imposition of law and order on that route.
The prefabricated cottage is of scientific (technological) significance as a rare example of a single storey prefabricated iron cottage with corrugated iron arch roof. 
The Prefabricated Cottage at Keilor is of scientific (technological) significance as a rare example of a corrugated iron clad and timber lined prefabricated cottage with cast iron uprights. The cottage is of particular interest as an example of a relatively unsophisticated prefabrication design. The cottage is significant as a possible antecedent for the more sophisticated buildings with cast iron uprights imported during the gold rushes. 
The prefabricated cottage is a relatively intact and unencumbered surviving example of the prefabricated buildings used during the gold rush era and hence is of scientific (technological) significance for its capacity to demonstrate the technologies of their manufacture and use.
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    • History

      PREFABRICATED BUILDING - History

      See attachment.

      Permit Exemptions

      PREFABRICATED BUILDING - 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.

      General Conditions: 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. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. General Conditions: 4. 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.

       

      * Removal of plants listed as Noxious Weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

      * Removal of loose objects clearly unrelated to the original building which have been stored inside or around the building.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      PREFABRICATED BUILDING - Permit Exemption Policy

      All of the fabric of the Prefabricated Cottage is of primary significance and any alteration or addition has the potential to impact negatively on the significance of the place. Works to conserve the fabric will be encouraged but because of the particular value of the fabric these works will be controlled under the permit process.

      The land around the cottage has been included for two reasons. Firstly, if it is demonstrated conclusively that the Keilor Plains Police station was actually located on this site, then there may be evidence of the fireplaces and/or attached buildings still in place near the Cottage. A wider area around the Cottage has been recorded on the Heritage Inventory to allow for later archaeological investigation if this proves to be the case. Secondly, the land serves as a curtilage to enable control of activities such as further building around the cottage.

Public contributions

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