FORMER MACARTHUR COURT HOUSE
31 HIGH STREET MACARTHUR, MOYNE SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Former Macarthur Court House was designed by G.B.H. Austin of the Public Works Department in 1891 and constructed by William Wilkinson to house the local Court of Petty Sessions. The three roomed courthouse is built of red brick with tuckpointed string courses, segmented arched lintels and plinths. The roof is corrugated iron and there is a small timber verandah above which is a large carved stone inscribed 'Court House'. Weatherboard porches give access to the Clerk's and Magistrate's rooms. Internally the Court room walls are finished in plaster, lined out to simulate stone and the ceiling is cored and lined with stained and varnished pine boards. In the Magistrates' and Clerk's rooms the walls are lined in plaster and the ceilings in lath and plaster. Both rooms have marble fireplace surrounds and cast iron fenders.
The building ceased being used as a courthouse in 1983.
How is it significant?
The Former Macarthur Court House is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The Former Macarthur Court House is historically significant for demonstrating the spread of law and order across the state, which is indicative of the progress of Victoria's development. The building is important for its association with G B H Austin, a Public Works Department architect responsible for the design of a range of important public buildings in Victoria during the late nineteenth century, including the Melbourne Magistrates Court, 1888 building (University of Melbourne) and Mount Buffalo Chalet.
The Former Macarthur Court House is architecturally significant as a rare example of an individually designed small magistrates court in Victoria. The court house is also significant as an intact example of a court house designed by the Public Works Department in the Victorian Free Classical Style.
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2003]
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FORMER MACARTHUR COURT HOUSE - History
The Former Macarthur Court House was designed by G.B.H. Austin of the Public Works Department in 1891 and constructed by William Wilkinson to house the local Court of Petty Sessions. The three roomed courthouse is built of red brick with tuckpointed string courses, segmented arched lintels and plinths. The roof is corrugated iron and there is a small timber verandah above which is a large carved stone inscribed “Court House”. Weatherboard porches give access to the Clerk’s and Magistrate’s rooms. Internally the Court room walls are finished in plaster, lined out to simulate stone and the ceiling is cored and lined with stained and varnished pine boards. In the Magistrates’ and Clerk’s rooms the walls are lined in plaster and the ceilings in lath and plaster. Both rooms have marble fireplace surrounds and cast iron fenders.
The building ceased being used as a courthouse in 1983.
The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2003. Sources were as follows:Report to the Minister for Planning and Environment, GBR 468
Frances O’Neill, Court House SurveyFORMER MACARTHUR COURT HOUSE - 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 works 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 works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and planall works shall be in accordance with it. Note:A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.
General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
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