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FORMER POLICE STATION, BALLARAT
15 CAMP STREET BALLARAT CENTRAL, BALLARAT CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
FORMER POLICE STATION SOHE 2008
FORMER POLICE STATION SOHE 2008
FORMER POLICE STATION SOHE 2008
FORMER POLICE STATION SOHE 2008
DIAGRAM 1544
1 former police station ballarat front view
former police station ballarat detail of verandah
former police station ballarat rear view
former police station ballarat side elevation
former police station ballarat street view
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The Former Police Station, Ballarat (Huyghue House), designed by the Public Works Department and constructed in 1885, a double storey polychrome brick building on a bluestone base with single-storey extension (interiors and exteriors) and cast-iron verandah. 

How is it significant?
• Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s history. 
• Criterion D: Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects. 

Why is it significant?
The Former Police Station, Ballarat (Huyghue House) is of historical significance as one of a small number of two-storey police quarters surviving from the late nineteenth century. It is the only police building surviving in the Camp Street Precinct (former Government Camp) from the nineteenth century, as its outbuildings were removed during the twentieth century. The place provides a reference to the long history of police occupation in the Camp Street Precinct since the 1850s. [Criterion A] 

The Former Police Station, Ballarat (Huyghue House) is of architectural significance as one of the earliest two-storey police stations constructed in Victoria, constructed between April and November 1885. It demonstrates the principal characteristics of smaller Public Works Department Buildings constructed in the late nineteenth century, including red brick construction with contrasting bands and fenestration treatment. It is the only known police barracks from the decade that features decorative cast iron to its verandah. It was constructed by Lewis & Roberts using some material from an earlier police barracks facing Lydiard Street North, an 1860 brick building. [Criterion D] 
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    • History

      FORMER POLICE STATION, BALLARAT - History

      A substantial police barracks building of multi-coloured brick construction on a bluestone base. The verandah iron work is notable. Reference is made to the disposition of the windows of the first floor front elevation.





      This double storey brick building was constructed as a police station for a contract sum of £1623 3s 11d. The northern single storey wing was apparently added at a later date. The brown brickwork is relieved by bands of cream, and rough-faced bluestone is used below grounds floor level along Camp Street. A raised single storey verandah with cast iron columns and balustrading complete the camp street elevation. The use of decorative cast iron (of a type more commonly seen in residential work) makes this police station unique in Victoria. 





      [Sources: Heritage Study Citation and the Australian Heritage Commission.]

      Permit Exemptions

      FORMER POLICE STATION, BALLARAT - 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 
      • Minor repairs and maintenance which replaces like with like. Repairs and maintenance must maximise protection and retention of significant fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements. Any repairs and maintenance must not exacerbate the decay of fabric due to chemical incompatibility of new materials, obscure fabric or limit access to such fabric for future maintenance.
      • Maintenance, repair and replacement of existing external services such as plumbing, electrical cabling, surveillance systems, pipes or fire services which does not involve changes in location or scale.
      • Repair to, or removal of items such as antennae; aerials; and air conditioners and associated pipe work, ducting and wiring. 
      • Works or activities, including emergency stabilisation, necessary to secure safety in an emergency where a structure or part of a structure has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and poses a safety risk to its users or the public. The Executive Director must be notified within seven days of the commencement of these works or activities.
      • Painting of previously painted external surfaces in the same colour, finish and product type provided that preparation or painting does not remove all evidence of earlier paint finishes or schemes. This exemption does not apply to areas where there are specialist paint techniques such as graining, marbling, stencilling, hand-painting. murals or signwriting, or to wallpapered surfaces, or to unpainted, oiled or varnished surfaces. 
      • Cleaning including the removal of surface deposits by the use of low-pressure water (to maximum of 300 psi at the surface being cleaned) and neutral detergents and mild brushing and scrubbing with plastic (not wire) brushes.

      Outdoor events in the courtyard
      • The installation and/or erection of temporary elements associated with short term events for a maximum period of four months after which time they must be removed and any affected areas of the place made good to match the condition of the place prior to installation. This includes:
      o Temporary (lightweight) structures such as shelters, marquees and tents.
      o Temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or to secure public safety.
      o Temporary structures, vendor and toilet vans which are located on existing hardstand and paved/asphalted areas and pathways or on turf areas with a protective surface (board or track mats).
      o Temporary infrastructure, including wayfinding/directional signage, lighting, public address systems, furniture and the like in support of events and performances which do not require fixing into the ground.
      o Non-structural alterations to all existing promotional elements including billboards and flagpoles.
      • Removal and replacement of information, directional and advertising signage.

      Interiors (Former Police Station)
      • Installation, removal or replacement of existing electrical wiring. If wiring is currently exposed, it should remain exposed. If it is fully concealed it should remain fully concealed.
      • Maintenance, repair and replacement of light fixtures, tracks and the like in existing locations.
      • Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings, window furnishings, and devices for mounting flat wall hung artworks.
      • Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen and catering equipment and fittings within the existing kitchen areas.
      • Installation, removal or replacement of bathroom and toilet equipment and fittings within existing bathroom and toilet areas.
      • Removal or replacement of built-in or fixed storage cupboards of the same size and in existing locations.
      • Removal or replacement of smoke and fire detectors, alarms and the like, of the same size and in existing locations.
      • Repair, removal or replacement of existing ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided the central plant is concealed, and that the work is done in a manner which does not alter the building fabric.
      • Installation of plant within the roof space, providing that it does not impact on the external appearance of the building or involve structural changes.
      • Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
      Landscape/outdoor areas 
      • Maintenance, repair and replacement of existing above surface services such as plumbing, electrical cabling, surveillance systems, pipes or fire services.
      • Subsurface works to existing watering and drainage systems.
      • Repair, maintenance and replacement of existing paving and footpaths.
      • Repair, maintenance or removal of courtyard structures. 
      • Removal or replacement of existing external directional signage in the same location.
      • The processes of gardening including mowing, pruning, mulching, fertilizing, removal and/or replacement of dead or diseased plants, disease and weed control and maintenance to care for existing lawns and planter boxes.
      • The installation and/or erection of temporary artworks, banners or signage which are not affixed to the building exterior of the Former Police Station.
      • Maintenance or removal of the sculpture Grand Arch by Inge King.

      Annexe (2000 gallery)
      • All works within the envelope of the single-storey extension to the west of the Former Police Station which do not permanently change its external appearance.
      • All works within the envelope of the four-storey extension to the north of the Former Police Station (Potter & Williamson galleries) which do not permanently change its external appearance.

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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