Residence

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The house at 34 Gurr Street, East Geelong, has significance as a moderately intact example of the interwar Californian Bungalow style. Built in 1924 for Wilson Birrell and family, the house has experienced some alterations and additions and appears to be in good condition from the street. The house at 34 Gurr Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of an interwar Californian Bungalow style. These qualities include the dominant gable roof form, together with the minor verandah gable that projects towards the street frontage. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding, unpainted brick chimney, wide eaves with exposed timber rafters, timber framed double hung windows including the projecting flatroofed bay on the front facade, timber framed and leadlighted diamond window flanking the verandah gable, timber framed doorway under the verandah at the side, timber gable ventilators, and the widelyspaced paired square timber verandah columns with decorative geometric timber fretwork between. The house at 34 Gurr Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in East Geelong during the interwar 1920s1940s period. In particular, this house has associations with Wilson Birrell, a painter and original owner from 1924, and with the Birrell family who occupied the property until the 1940s. Overall, the house at 34 Gurr Street is of LOCAL significance.

References

References Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1924, 1985. Certificate of Title Vol. 669, folio 7337, dated 18 February, 1913. Electoral Roll, Division Corio, Subdivision Geelong, 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Sands amp McDougalls Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Sands amp McDougall quotInvictaquot Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Geelong City Council Rate Books Ormond Barwon Ward, 19201960, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Geelong Town Plan 1923, Public Records Office, Melbourne. Dr David Rowe Authentic Heritage Services Pty Ltd File No. 0956 Page

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence