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BAPTIST CHURCH
7 ABERDEEN STREET NEWTOWN, GREATER GEELONG CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
BAPTIST CHURCH SOHE 2008
BAPTIST CHURCH SOHE 2008
BAPTIST CHURCH SOHE 2008
1 baptist church aberdeen street newtown front view
baptist church aberdeen street newtown detail entrance
baptist church aberdeen street newtown front elevation publication
baptist church aberdeen street newtown interior sep1977
baptist church aberdeen street newtown side view
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The Baptist Church was constructed on donated land in Aberdeen Street, Newtown in 1876, to provide the growing congregation with a larger building than the existing adjacent stone church which had been built in 1854. The need for a larger church reflected the growth and strength of the Baptist congregation in Geelong in the nineteenth century. The first church building was converted to a Sunday School at this time.

The 1876 church was designed by Melbourne architect, Thomas Watts, however the Ballarat architect, Henry Casselli, who designed a number of churches, lodged the tender notice for this church and may have had some involvement in the latter stages of the project. The church building is of polychromatic brickwork, set on a rusticated basalt base. Cream brick is used to provide contrast to the red brick building, emphasising arches, buttresses and the corners of the building.

The church is of simple gable form with protruding front bays which flank a central entrance porch. It is designed in an overall Romanesque style, with some Gothic detailing. The Baptist Church was one of the last non-conformist denominations to accept the Gothic style, previously associated with the Catholic and Anglican Church, and this may explain the tentative use of this style. Double pointed arch openings allude to the Gothic style, however they contain round-headed window openings. Other details are Romanesque, such as the wheel window, raked corbel tables and the central, double arch entrance, contained within a large round headed arch.

How is it significant?
The Baptist Church in Aberdeen Street, Geelong is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
The Baptist Church, Newtown is of historical significance as a part of a complex of buildings which have been in continual use by the Baptist church from the early history of the Church in Victoria. These include this building, the Sunday School (former church, 1853-4) and the adjacent manse (1891). It is illustrative of the growth of the Baptist church and the city of Geelong in the 1870s.

The Baptist Church, Newtown is of architectural significance as one of the first of the churches erected by this non-conformist group to incorporate Gothic features. It is an important example of the work of Thomas Watts, who designed other Baptist churches, including the highly classical example in Albert Street , East Melbourne (1865).
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]

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    • History

      BAPTIST CHURCH - History

      The Baptist Church was constructed on donated land in Aberdeen Street, Newtown in 1876, to provide the growing congregation with a larger building than the existing adjacent stone church which had been built in 1854. The need for a larger church reflected the growth and strength of the Baptist congregation in Geelong in the nineteenth century. The first church building was converted to a Sunday School at this time.

      The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2004. Sources were as follows:
      F. J. Wilkin. Baptists in Victoria. 1838-1938
       A.Willingham. Geelong Region Historic Buildings and Objects Study. Vol. 3. Geelong 1986

      Permit Exemptions

      BAPTIST CHURCH - 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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