Two storey building, 85 Main Street, STAWELL

The building at 85 Main Street, Stawell, makes a significant contribution to the architectural and visual amenity of the predominantly 19th and early 20th century commercial streetscape. The form and rear sections of the building also contribute to the architectural amenity of the area. Built in 1907 for W.E. Kernot, chemist, the building and business was sold in 1910 to W.C. Langsford, a former employee. He operated his chemist at this site until 1929, when the building was sold to the Commercial Bank.

The building at 85 Main Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Federation Free style. These qualities include the elaborately balustraded parapet with piers surmounted by ornate urns, pedimented gable end that punctuates the parapet on the Wimmera Street facade, and the chamfered building edge emphasising the corner location. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the two storey height, asymmetrical composition, face brick wall construction, irregularly placed timber framed double hung windows with segmentally arched window heads adorned by label moulds with projecting keystones, projecting stringcourses, corner ground floor door opening, large ground floor arched window openings with elaborate columns in antis that support a moulded architrave (with keystone), recessive timber framed windows, sway bellied cast iron window grills, other single ground floor window and door openings, brick voussoirs above the window and door openings, and the rendered plinth. The hipped roof form (with small projecting gable), galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding, face brick chimneys, remnants of a brick wall and pier to the rear (Wimmera Street frontage) and the gabled single storey outbuilding with galvanised corrugated iron roof cladding, horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding and the skillion addition to the outbuilding also contribute to the significance of the place.

The building at 85 Main Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with commercial developments in Stawell in the early 20th century. In particular, this building has associations with W.E. Kernot, chemist, who instigated construction of this building in 1907. The building has further associations with W.C. Langsford, chemist and owner from 1910, and with the Commercial Bank (later Westpac Bank) from 1929 until 1984. 

Overall, the building at 85 Main Street is of LOCAL significance.