OSWALDENE

The two-storey rendered brick Italianate villa, called Oswaldene, at 544 Burke Road, Camberwell, is significant. It was built in 1889-90 for owner Richard Betheras and his wife Christina Oswald Betheras.

The house is significant the extent of its 1889-90 fabric. The rear extension of 1968, the garage of 1985, and the front brick fence are not significant.

How is it significant?

Oswaldene is of local architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

Oswaldene is a fine and intact example of a substantial late Victorian Italianate villa. Typical features include the rendered masonry walls, slate-clad M-profile hipped roof, corniced chimneys, bracketed eaves, asymmetrical plan with a projecting canted bay to the facade, and a return verandah decorated with extensive cast-ironwork. It retains intact typical late Victorian elements such as the front door with fielded panels and bolection mouldings, and tessellated tiles to the verandah floor. (Criterion D)

Oswaldene is distinguished by the retention of a high level of ornamental detail, particularly to the render and verandah. Render detail includes panelling, brackets and cast wythes to the chimneys, panelling below windows and to the eaves, moulded architraves and keystones to the round and segmentally arched windows, and bold stringcourses and beltcourses to the walls below the windows and at impost (springing) level. The verandah is distinguished both by its intactness and by the unusual ground-floor frieze featuring a woman's head in bas-relief and elaborate panels to the first-floor balustrade. (Criterion E)

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House