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Former Crown Land Office, 4 Napier Street, ST ARNAUD

Location

4 Napier Street ST ARNAUD, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE

Level

Recommended for VHR

Statement of Significance

The Tourist Information Centre, 4 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, is a substantially intact example of a former CrownLand Office building and is in good condition. This building was constructed in 1876-77, and symbolises the important role of land settlement in the St. Arnaud area after the Land Act was passed in 1869. It also has significance as being one of an unusual grouping of former government and civic 19th and early 20th century buildings in a predominantly Victorian town, of which many (including this building) are visually linked to the Queen Mary gardens.

The Tourist Information Centre (former Crown Land Office) building is architecturally significant at a STATE level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a rudimentary Victorian Italianate style. These qualities include the hipped roof form that traverses the site, together with a gable roof form and a side hipped verandah porch that both project towards the street frontage. Other intact qualities include the unpainted brick wall construction, slate roof, unpainted brick chimneys with corbelled tops, modest eaves, window arches, oculus ventilator, bevelled timber bargeboards, timber framed double casement windows (with fanlights above), unpainted stone plinth and the decorative features (yellow brick voussoirs, stringcoursing and architraves). The treed and lawned landscape and open spaces to the side of the building also contribute to its significance.

The Tourist Information Centre (former Crown Land Office) building is historically significant at a STATE level. It is associated with land settlement in the St. Arnaud area from 1877, resulting from the passing of the Land Act in 1869. It is also associated with the 19th century architectural branch of the Victorian Public Works Department and the Clerk of Works, John Moore.

Overall, the Tourist Information Centre (former Crown Land Office) building is of STATE significance.

Group

Government and Administration

Category

Office building