Brian Boru Hotel (former)

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The former Brian Boru Hotel building, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, Geelong, has significance as an example of a mid 19th century hotel (albeit altered), reflecting the prosperity and development of the city at that time. Built initially in 1851, with later additions/alterations in 1918, the building is also significant as an example of a rudimentary Victorian commercial style and appears to be in good/fair condition when viewed from the street.

The former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. Although altered, it still demonstrates some design qualities of a rudimentary Victorian commercial style. These qualities include the simple crowning parapet (with incised rectangular panel and flanking square plates), hipped galvanised corrugated steel roof forms, three bayed composition of segmentally arched window openings on the first floor, timber framed double hung windows, masonry quoinwork, and the keystones above the first floor windows. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the symmetrical composition, two storey height, rendered brick wall construction, unpainted red brick chimney with two terra cotta pots, two bayed ground floor shopfront composition with highlight windows and the ingo on the northern shopfront, and the rear first floor window and door openings.

The former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with hotel developments in central Geelong in the mid 19th century, during the growth and prosperity of the town at the time of the Victorian goldrush. In particular, the building has associations with John Hurley, original owner and hotelier from 1851 when it appears to have been constructed. Major alterations were carried out in 1918.

Overall, the former Brian Boru hotel, 208 A & B Moorabool Street, is of LOCAL significance.

REFERENCES

Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1918.

Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Sands & McDougall "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Geelong City Council Rate Books (Kardinia Ward), 1890-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Geelong City Council Valuation Books (Kardinia Ward), 1854-1890, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Geelong Town Plan 1858, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Investigator, Journal of the Geelong Historical Society, September, 1974, and March, 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Morrow, W.J., Index to the Geelong Advertiser, 1840-1849, and 1900-1939, Geelong Historical Records Centre. Morrow, W.J., and Wynd, I., Geelong Hotels and their Licences, 1996, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Huddle, L., Architects in Geelong in the 1840s and 1850s, Volume 1., Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Huddle, L., Source Notes for Architects in Geelong 1840-1860, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

The Pivot Tree No. 38, Magazine of the Geelong Family History Group, July, 1993.

Group

Commercial

Category

Hotel