HOUSE

The property at 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is a large allotment located at the corner of Harker and Ryrie streets, with a dwelling dating from c.1933. The house is a large single-storey double-fronted weatherboard bungalow with Craftsman detailing, a spreading low-pitched single-hipped roof, gable ends and a projecting gabled bay to the south-east corner. A deep wide verandah to the main (east) facade returns along the north elevation, and the verandah roof is integrated with the main roof slope. Timber roof battens extend to the roof edge where they form a decorative feature. The roof is clad in green 'colorbond' roofing metal and there are two brick chimneys with simple rendered caps. The main gable end is faced with cement sheeting and timber strapping; the gable peak is infilled with painted trellis, venting the roofspace. The gable to the projecting bay is similarly detailed. The verandah is supported on solid painted timber square-profile posts with broad timber brackets, a balustrade of vertical timber slats, and flooring of timber boards. The windows to the main facade are paired timber-framed double-hung sashes; the upper sashes are fitted with multi-paned glazing. The paired windows to the projecting bay are part-screened by a timber window hood. To the north elevation a broad horizontal tripartite window is located high up the wall. The entrance is approached from Harker Street with a step up to the verandah. The allotment slopes down from Ryrie Street and the north side of the house is elevated over the garden, with the undercroft screened by horizontal painted timber boarding. The property has a well-maintained garden setting, with a feature laurel in the front garden.

How is it significant?

The property at 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is of local historical and aesthetic/architectural significance.

Why is it significant?

No 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is of local historical significance. The block on which the 1933 house is located was originally part of Crown Allotment 7, Section B of the Town of Healesville, which was purchased at the first land auction in the township in 1865. As was typical of early landholdings in the town, and in other nineteenth century rural centres outside of Melbourne, the allotment remained undeveloped for a long period, was sold, resold, consolidated and subdivided, before the dwelling was constructed. The property is also of local aesthetic/architectural significance. The c.1933 house is a substantially externally intact, large weatherboard bungalow with a low-pitched single-hipped roof, with gable ends. Elements of note include the deep wide return verandah with a roof integrated with the main roof slope; timber roof battens which form a decorative feature at the roof edges; and the detailing of the gable ends to the main facade. The colour scheme also assists in picking out the Craftsman detailing, such as brackets and strapping, in a contrasting colour. Comparatively, the dwelling has an elegant line and proportion, with a spreading and generous massing given greater emphasis by the large roof. The generous proportion, spreading form and low roof gradient directly tie the building to Greene and Greene's Pasadena houses in the United States, and other bungalow designs of Los Angeles in the early twentieth century.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House