Protecting our past, enriching our future! 

This edition of the newsletter is dedicated to the memory of former Heritage Council Member Jeff Robinson.

Welcome – Wominjeka

Thanks for coming back for the 12th Edition of the Heritage Council's Heritage Newsletter. If you're a new subscriber, thanks for signing up!

Before you read on, if you would like more information about the Heritage Council of Victoria and what we do, check out our website.

📷: HIN LIM AIPP 2024 | Hin Lim Photography | Labassa (H0135)

Contents

1. Announcements: 2024 AIA Victorian Chapter Award – John George Knight Award recipient 

2. Recent inclusions in the VHR: Kay Street Infill Housing (H2453)

3. Victorian Heritage Restoration Fund

4. Custodian Interview: Ballarat East Fire Station (H1001) – Captain Mark Cartledge

5. Can you guess what this is?

6. If you missed it: New contact details for Heritage Council of Victoria and Heritage Victoria

7. Updates from Heritage Victoria

8. Council Member Reflections: Professor Andrew May, Deputy Chair and History Member, 2015–23

9. Upcoming: 2024 Open House Program

1. Announcements

2024 AIA Victorian Chapter Award – John George Knight Award recipient

All 📷: Scott Burrows Photographer Kneeler Design Architects | St George’s Performing Arts Centre

St George’s Performing Arts Centre – Kneeler Design Architects

Congratulations to Kneeler Design Architects for winning the John George Knight Award for St George's Performing Arts Centre in the 2024 Victorian Architecture Awards.

The Heritage Council of Victoria is the heritage category partner of the Awards, sponsoring the John George Knight Award, which is the highest accolade in the heritage category.

"The conservation and adaptive reuse of the St George’s Performing Arts Centre impressively balances the need for careful repair and restoration of the original church fabric along with the need for extensive adaptation for its second life as performing arts facility." – Australian Institute of Architects

We would like to congratulate all finalists.

2. Recent inclusions in the Victorian Heritage Register

The Victorian Heritage Register, established under the Heritage Act 2017, includes the state’s most significant heritage places, objects and historic shipwrecks. The Heritage Council decides which places and objects are included in or removed from the Victorian Heritage Register.

📷: John Gollings, 1982, Kay Street Infill Housing

Kay Street Infill Housing (H2453)

In June, the Heritage Council included the Kay Street Infill Housing in the Victorian Heritage Register for its historical, architectural, and aesthetic significance to the State of Victoria.

The recommendation from the Executive Director to include the place formed part of Heritage Victoria’s ‘enriching the Victorian Heritage Register program’, which seeks to better represent Victoria’s diverse heritage, including underrepresented historical themes, typologies, and eras in the Register. 

Located in the leafy inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton and constructed between 1982-83, the Kay Street Infill Housing demonstrates the innovative approach to public housing in Victoria in the late 1970s and early 1980s commissioned under the Ministry of Housing’s ‘New Directions’ policy.

ABOVE 📷: (R) 1982 – Kay Street Housing under construction - Housing Commission Annual Report, Victorian Heritage Database & (L) New Houses for Old – Fifty Years of Public Housing in Victoria, Victorian Heritage Database

Did you know 53% of State-listed heritage places are outside Greater Melbourne?

Above 📷: Hin Lim Photography 2022 | Old Police Barracks (H0545)

3. Victorian Heritage Restoration Fund

Victoria’s Heritage Restoration Fund (VHRF), established in 2013, is a Committee of Management providing a program of restoration grants to local government Councils for heritage places in private or public ownership. The VHRF is administered by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

The VHRF currently offers grants to restore eligible heritage places from six funds:

• Melbourne Heritage Restoration Fund (MHRF)
• Yarra Heritage Restoration Fund (YHRF)
• Ballarat Heritage Restoration Fund (BHRF)
• Casey Heritage Restoration Fund (CHRF)
• Greater Bendigo Heritage Restoration Fund (GBHRF)
• Merri-bek Heritage Restoration Fund (M-bHRF).

Applications are now open for the next two rounds of funding with applications due by 15 July or 25 October 2024. 

To be eligible for funding a place must be included in the Victorian Heritage Register or located within a Heritage Overlay (either individually significant or contributory to a precinct). The proposed works must relate to restoration/conservation works that are visible from the public realm and are not general maintenance or structural repairs.

If your property is in a Heritage Overlay in one of the above Council areas and you are interested in applying for a grant – visit the VHRF website or contact the VHRF Grants Administration team for a pre-application discussion.

Below are some examples of places in the VHR that have received funding in the past. The VHRF website features more past projects that have been funded by the VHRF.

📷: Hin Lim Photography 2022 | Old Colonists Association (H0116)

Old Colonists Assocation, Lydiard Street, Ballarat

This building was constructed in 1887–89. The two-level verandah was designed by Molloy and Smith, Architects and built in 1901. The Old Colonists Club was originally established by early inhabitants of Ballarat, some of whom were associated with the Eureka uprising. The building comprises a restrained Renaissance facade, four bays of shops on the ground floor and a central arched entrance to the club rooms. Externally the building is substantially intact apart from two of the four shop fronts. The building is included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR H0116).

The VHRF funding application was for the reinstatement of the two non-original shop fronts to match the intact shop fronts including reinstatement of their recessed entries and shop front windows.

As well as using the extant original shop fronts as the basis for reinstatement works, the works also utilised historical and photographic evidence. The upper sections of glazing to the two subject shops were intact but covered over and provided evidence of the original shop front door and window configuration as well as detailing.

Reinstatement included new brass window frames, new glazing and leadlight, pressed metal ceilings and new door frames and doors to match original detailing. Wendy Jacobs, Conservation architect, detailed the reinstatement works and managed the completion of the works.

The completed works returned the ground floor street frontage of this important building to its original appearance and greatly enhance the contribution these shops make to the important Lydiard Street historic streetscape.

Richard Beck Mural, Hosie’s Hotel, 1 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

This mosaic mural is located on the east elevation of Hosie’s Hotel at the corner of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street. It is included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR H2094). The mural is by Richard Beck and was installed in 1955. The Hosie's Hotel was completed in 1955 to a design by Mussen, McKay and Potter in the Internationalist, modern style.

The new Hotel had a glass-fronted podium and a tower behind it. It retained an echo of the European De Stijl style with its smooth finishes and the integration of art and architecture with the inclusion of Beck's mural as a major feature of the building.

The architects always planned to incorporate a mural into the Elizabeth Street facade of the building. Beck's work is four storeys high and made of ceramic tile panels. The abstract image of 3 glasses (or pots) clinking together was considered bold at the time and the colours, since faded, were bright and highly contrasted.

The VHRF funding application was for conservation of the mural, including removal of previous bad repairs, stabilisation of detaching tiles, regrouting of tiles and preparation of a photographic record of the mural.

The VHRF Committee awarded a grant of $55,000 towards the conservation of the Richard Beck mural. This was part of the City of Melbourne Landmark and Community Buildings funding stream run in the 2020 financial year.

Conservator Andrew Thorn undertook the conservation work between September and December 2021. The most impactful work undertaken was the careful removal of a white film that had formed over almost the entire mosaic. This film was removed using a poultice. The removal of the film has brought back the colour and vibrancy of the original mural.

Other work involved removal of fixings for previous signage on the mural and repair of penetrations relating to the fixings. Repairs to cracks, tiles and mortar were also undertaken in specific locations across the mural.

The transformation of the appearance of the mural as a result of the conservation work is remarkable and the process of conservation was meticulously undertaken and documented.

All above 📷: Victorian Heritage Restoration Fund, Samantha Westbrooke

All📷: Hin Lim Photography 2022 | Ballarat East Fire Station (H1001)

4. Custodian Interview – Captain Mark Cartledge of Ballarat East Fire Station (H1001)

"My name is Mark Cartledge and as of July 2024 I will hold the position of Third Lieutenant (Asset Officer). I have held the role of Captain (Officer in Charge) for 10 years and have been a member of the Ballarat Fire Brigade for 32.5 years."

"My decision to join the brigade was so I could give back to the community and assist people who are in need."

"My new role as the Third Lieutenant is the fourth in charge of the brigade and responsible for all assets including apparatus, equipment, protective clothing, station and station grounds. My biggest honour was being awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal in the Australia Day Awards 2023."

a) Why do you think the Ballarat East Fire Station is important to protect?

"The Ballarat station and contents has historical significance to Ballarat and surrounds. Established in 1856 the brigade still holds much of its history including photographs, minute books, historical records, competition trophies and other historical firefighting memorabilia."

"Being on the original site and in such a historical building helps to show and highlight the history of the brigade, Ballarat, the Country Fire Brigades Board and the Country Fire Authority."

b) How do you think Ballarat East Fire Station’s heritage status and history interacts with its current existence and purpose?

"Operating the busiest CFA brigade in the western part of Victoria from a heritage site can come with its challenges. As the brigade became busier and the newer appliances became larger the station was no longer fit for purpose for health and safety reasons. Prior to 2014, the brigade and CFA worked towards a suitable facility to house appliances to minimise safety concerns and be more suitable to house appliances."

"In 2014 the brigade had new engine bays to house three appliances built onto the rear part of the property...now we have a suitable structure that does not impact on the existing station."

"The new and the old complement each other, and it is a great facility for our members."

Captain Cartledge's Top Facts:

• The station was originally a two-story weatherboard structure, until it caught fire in 1911 with the current brick station built in 1916.

• Ballarat and Ballarat City Fire Brigades had a phone connection donated by local inventor Henry Sutton in 1878, the mounting from the installation in 1878 is still there with the faint outline of the shape of Henry’s telephone.

• The Bell on the tower is the third bell after one cracked and the other was too small and wasn’t loud enough. The smaller bell is at Talbot CFA Station.

• The bell was christened the Lady Barkly in 1863 and weighs nearly 730 kilograms.

• The building of the tower was tendered out after a Council meeting selected the design from Mr Caselli. The winning tender for the build was awarded to Mr Cowlands who was also a brigade member.

"Working within such a historical building has made me appreciate other buildings more."

g) Do you ever get feedback from locals or visitors about the Ballarat East Fire Station building? What do people think?

"In the past we open the station to the public for Heritage Week held in Ballarat. This year we had more than 850 visitors to the station over three days. It was great getting positive feedback from visitors highlighting their amazement in the history of the station and the brigade. Often, we see members of the public taking photos of the station and talking to them they are amazed at the tower and how we are still operating out of the station.

We would like to sincerely thank Captain Mark Cartledge for his time and work at the Ballarat East Fire Station (H1001).

If you would like to find out more, you can read about this place in the Victorian Heritage Database!

All above📷: Hin Lim Photography 2022 | Ballarat East Fire Station (H1001)

5. Can you guess what this is?

Can you guess what VHR included place/object this close up image is of?

6. If you missed it...

New contact details for the Heritage Council of Victoria and Heritage Victoria

In 2023, Land Use and Planning functions (including building and heritage) from Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) joined the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) following machinery of government changes.

Please note all email addresses for the Heritage Council of Victoria and Heritage Victoria now end in @transport.vic.gov.au

The new Heritage Council of Victoria phone number is: 03 8572 7949

NOTE: Emails sent to old email accounts will be forwarded until 31 August 2024. Please update your contact lists before this date.

7. Updates from Heritage Victoria

Ballarat and Bendigo’s Goldfield Archaeology 

In mid-2023 the Heritage Council of Victoria provided funding to Heritage Victoria to develop an Archaeology Management Plan for Ballarat and Bendigo.  Using historical research, digital mapping and an assessment of current ground condition, more than 100 archaeological sites in Ballarat, Bendigo and in smaller goldfields townships have been identified and listed in the Victorian Heritage Inventory.

One of the key aspects of the project was the discovery that the archaeological remains of Victoria’s goldrush townships are likely to survive in very good condition, beneath layers of mining waste, known as ‘sludge’.  Sludge which consists of clay, sand and silt was produced in vast quantities as a result of gold mining activities – it choked waterways and buried landscapes, including historic townships. In Ballarat and Bendigo, the streets were raised to save people from inundation by the tides of sludge, inadvertently burying and protecting the archaeological remains of the goldrush towns. 

📷: Bridge Street Ballarat During the Flood. Ebenezer and David Syme, 1869, SLV

One of the sites identified during the study is the Former Eureka Hotel site, one of the first hotels established on the goldfields.  The hotel was burnt to the ground on 17 October 1854, during the protests that led to the battle at the Eureka Stockade a few days later.

Other sites such as the Arcade Street site and the Adelphi Theatre site are likely to provide archaeological evidence associated with the lives of miners, entertainers and sex-workers during the goldrush. The study has also identified contrasting sites were women purchased and operated successful and more ‘reputable’ businesses, demonstrating agency and empowerment.

Another key site, the Golden Point Chinese Village, has the potential to enhance our understanding of the development of the Chinese Protectorate in Victoria, and the activities, adaption and resilience of the Chinese community in Ballarat from 1856 onwards. 

The project has uncovered many previously unknown aspects of the history and archaeology of the Victorian goldfields. The listing of the sites in the Heritage Inventory will ensure that programs of archaeological investigation and community engagement will take place if works are proposed that may affect the archaeological remains.

Heritage Victoria would like to thank the Heritage Council of Victoria for funding the project and would also like to thank the City of Ballarat – another key project stakeholder and supporter.

Delivery of the Don Love shipwreck artefact collection 

Heritage Victoria recently delivered more than 830 shipwreck artefacts to Queenscliffe Maritime Museum. These artefacts were collected by shipwreck enthusiast Don Love over many decades, including before shipwrecks were legally protected. Don had permits from Heritage Victoria to hold on to the artefacts and took great care of them, including hand-drawing many to scale. In late 2022, Don’s family passed the artefacts to Heritage Victoria for cataloguing and re-issuing into Queenscliffe Maritime Museum’s permanent collection. Two of Don’s children were present for the delivery. 

📷: From left: Liam Phillips (Maritime Archaeologist, Heritage Victoria), Danielle Wilkinson (Senior Maritime Archaeologist, Heritage Victoria), Bianca Love, Ben Love, Bronwyn Woff (Historic Artefact Specialist, Artefact Analysis), June Negri (President, Queenscliffe Maritime Museum)

8. Former Council Member Reflections: Professor Andrew May

The Heritage Council of Victoria Members represent a broad cross-section of heritage specialists and the community. They include representatives from professions as diverse as archaeology, history, architectural conservation/architectural history, engineering or building construction, property management and planning law.

Prof Andrew May was Deputy Chair and History Member of the Heritage Council Victoria between 2015–23.

"I had many memorable moments on Council. The site inspections that were part and parcel of preparation for hearings were not only an opportunity to verify evidence, check data points, and analyse complex spatial settings. They were also a simple celebration of the diversity of heritage assets and the strength of community sentiment about place. They always grounded us, if we needed reminding, in the critical importance of Council’s role as expert arbiter and steward of community sentiment."

"Height gave perspective — interpretive as well as literal — as we took in the expansive eastward view out over the inner suburbs of the city to the hills beyond." — when recalling the Nylex sign site visit

📷: Prof May attending a site visit at the Nylex Sign (H2049)

"Cultural heritage values are not just found in a place — they are of a place."

"My very first Council hearing was over two days in February 2016 on site in north-eastern Victoria. As we explored the heritage values of the former Benalla Migrant Camp, I encountered the importance of teamwork and the benefits of working with an experienced and multidisciplinary panel, then under the astute eye of chair Lindsay Merritt. Countless oral and written submissions, along with evidence from many in the community moved to tears as they recounted the emotional meanings of the place, reinforced the importance of what we were doing."

📷: The Pawelec Sea Chest + Michael Lemegas Suitcase, Benalla Migrant Camp 1949-1967

"We learned that community, in the context of difficult heritage, could defy common definitions."

"Memories of the migrant experience, through an era when migrants were encouraged to “assimilate” rather than publicly celebrate their distinct identities, could be painful. A strong shared attachment, moreover, could endure privately, including in virtual social media domains, but may not be immediately evident."

"The very notion of defining, identifying and researching community values ultimately led to a Council project which I chaired on ‘Assessing and Managing Social Significance’. Developing a methodology for finding the evidence base for social value—and introducing new concepts of community, attachment, time depth, and resonance to the equation—was an exciting development and led to a new section on Criterion G in the Victorian Heritage Register Criteria and Threshold Guidelines 2019, and a new guidance document for nominators: Guidance on identifying places and objects of state-level social value in Victoria."

📷: Heritage Council of Victoria Regional Engagement Site Visit 2016, Prof May, standing top left. Various HCV Members, HV staff and volunteers.

We would like to thank Prof Andrew May for his time and work on the Heritage Council of Victoria.

9. Upcoming: 2024 Open House Program

Saturday 27 + Sunday 28 July 2024 

Join us for the final event of Melbourne Open House 2024 and hear the stories behind the pictures at the Heritage Address on 29 July at The Capitol Theatre from 6.30pm.

Tickets available on Wednesday 3 July

As a peak heritage body, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country that we call Victoria, as the original custodians of Victoria’s land and waters, and acknowledge the importance and significance of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of Aboriginal culture and traditional practices.

Note: The statutory scope of the Heritage Act 2017 covers places and objects of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, but does not apply to a place or object that is of cultural heritage significance solely on the ground of its association with Aboriginal tradition. In this newsletter, the terms ‘cultural heritage’ and ‘heritage’ are used generically and interchangeably to refer to the ‘heritage’ to which the Heritage Act 2017 applies, recognising that heritage places and objects may have multiple attributes and values.

To find out more information about Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Traditional Owner responsibilities, see the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.

📷: HIN LIM AIPP 2024 | Hin Lim Photography | HM Prison Pentridge (H1551)