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BURNIE BRAE

Location 1245 Toorak Road CAMBERWELL, BOROONDARA CITY Level Included in Heritage Overlay

[1/1] Toorak Road, 1245 BURNIE

Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

'Burnie Brae', 1245 Toorak Road, Camberwell, including the main house and surgery /garage, built in 1921 for Dr Hildred Carlile, with additions, including a new surgery, and hard landscaping undertaken by subsequent owner Dr F. Elliot True from 1930.

How is it significant?

'Burnie Brae' is of local historical and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

'Burnie Brae' is significant as it illustrates the pattern of development of combined doctor's residences and surgeries and the provision of health services within the burgeoning suburbs during the early twentieth century. Constructed as a doctor's residence and surgery in 1921 for Dr Hildred Carlile, the property demonstrates a pattern of service of this type of health care as it served as the home and place of work of multiple doctors during its history. This included Dr Elliot True, who based his general practice there from 1923 and extended it to incorporate a surgery. The property is uncommon in that while it is apparent that the main house accommodated the surgery as did many doctor's residences from the nineteenth century onwards, there is evidence that the surgery was originally accommodated in a specific stand-alone building prior to it being extended to incorporate a garage in 1930. Dr True's significant roles with hospitals, most notably the Royal Women's Hospital as a member of the Honorary Staff and honorary inpatient surgeon, saw him play a key role in the establishment of, and ongoing fundraising for, the Burwood and Hartwell branch of the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Auxiliary in 1925, being the second oldest RCH Auxiliary in the City of Boroondara after that of Hawthorn established in 1922 (Criterion A).

The 1921 main house is aesthetically significant as a fine and externally intact example of the Californian Bungalow style with Federation undertones in the use red brick and render dressings and Arts and Crafts influences in the prominence of the chimney detail to the principal facade and the render reveals to the window openings. Significant bungalow details include the timber work front porch that exhibits Japanese influences in its carpentry details. The outbuilding, incorporating the garage and former surgery of Dr Carlile, exhibits similar render details as the house. Additional details of note include the little-known application of the single sash window, the detail of which saw the sash retract into a wall cavity above the window opening. (Criteria D and E)

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House