Bentleigh Residential Precinct

Bentleigh Residential Precinct consists of two large but discrete areas of original building stock, almost exclusively housing, in the vicinity of Bentleigh Railway Station between Centre Road (north) and Brewers Road (south) and much of the area between Milton Street (west) and Mitchell Street (east). The following elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:
• Intact dwellings mainly dating to the Interwar period in a range of styles, with a few buildings dating to the early Post-WWII period, including the church at 4 Gilbert Grove.
• Intact roof forms (hipped, gabled, hipped gable) and cladding (predominantly un/glazed terracotta, some concrete),
• Original detailing to gable ends including shingles, battened sheeting, tapestry bricks,
• Original chimneys,
• Intact walls of face brick (red, clinker, cream, tapestry) and/or rendered (roughcast and smooth finishes), as well as timber (mainly weatherboard, but also one shiplap example),

• Original brickwork detailing – diamonds, banding, dentillation etc.,
• Original porches of brick and/or concrete,
• Intact openings – windows and doors – predominantly timber with some steel-framed examples (late Interwar or Post-WWII). Many windows have decorative framing and/or leadlight with stained glass,
• Original low front masonry fences and timber-framed with wire,
• Original garages, and
• Original concrete driveways, especially those with a central grass island, and crossovers.

The following element is considered complementary to the precinct:
• Canary Island Date Palms to Burgess Street.1

Contributory places:
• Anstee Grove: 1/2, 4, 6, 8
• Bendigo Avenue: Evens - 40, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 72; Odds - 45, 49, 1/51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 1/61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81
• Brewer Road: 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 51-53, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 69, 73, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125
• Burgess Street: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 1/15, 17, 19, 1/21, 1/23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 1/41
• Cairnes Grove : Evens - 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 1/16, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34; Odds - 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35
• Campbell Street: Evens - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36; Odds - 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 23, 25, 1/27, 39, 41
• Centre Road: 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 222, 224
• Daley Street: Evens - 54, 56, 58, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 1/82, 84, 86, 88, 90; 92; Odds - 49, 51, 57, 59, 61, 63, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 83, 85
• Eddys Grove: Evens – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40; Odds – 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39
• Gilbert Grove: Evens - 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 1/16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40; Odds - 3, 5, 9, 11, 13, 1/15, 17, 21, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 41, 43
• Milton Street: Evens – 4, 6, 8, 10; Odds – 1, 3, 5, 9
• Mitchell Street: Evens - 52, 60, 62, 68, 70, 74, 76, 78; Odds - 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75
• Sunnyside Grove: Evens - 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34; 38, 40; Odds – 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 21A, 27, 1/29, 31, 33, 37, 39

Non-contributory places:
• Anstee Grove: 2/2, 4A, 10
• Bendigo Avenue: 1-2/42, 1-2/44, 47, 2/52, 58, 70, 1-8/74, 1-2/76, 83
• Brewer Road: 2/57, 1/67, 2/67, 71, 97
• Burgess Street: 1, 1A, 2/15, 2/21, 2/23, 29, 2/41, 43
• Cairnes Grove : 4, 8A, 18, 2/18
• Campbell Street: 1-2/3, 1-2/14, 15, 1-2/16, 17, 18, 19 (A+B), 20, 21, 22, 25A, 2/27, 1-2/29, 31, 33 (A+B), 35, 37, 37A, 38, 1-2/40, 42, 44
• Centre Road: 1-3/214
• Daley Street: 49A, 1-8/53, 55, 60, 65, 1-2/76, 1-6/81, 2/82
• Eddys Grove: 10A, 1-11/15, 26,
• Gilbert Grove: 1, 6, 7 (A+B), 2/15, 2/16, 17A, 19, 22, 23, 34, 37, 39
• Milton Street: 7, 8A
• Mitchell Street: 54, 56, 58, 64, 66, 72
• Sunnyside Grove: 1A, 6, 22, 23, 24, 24A, 1-2/25, 2/29, 35, 2/35, 36, 2/36

The Bentleigh Residential Precinct is of local historical, representative and aesthetic significance to the City of Glen Eira.

The Bentleigh Residential Precinct is of historical significance as it relates to the key phase of development in the suburb and demonstrates the impact of the electrified railway system on Melbourne's suburban expansion during the Interwar and immediate Post-WWII periods, when Bentleigh was often described as being a 'progressive suburb'. Whilst two subdivisions in the precinct area occurred prior to WWI, most of the land was made available for sale with eight consecutive subdivisions during a six year period from 1923 to 1929 with construction typically following soon after so that most of the area was developed during the 1920s and 1930s, with some during the 1940s and early 1950s. (Criterion A)

The Bentleigh Residential Precinct is of representative significance as consisting of two largely intact areas of original middle class housing, predominantly brick with a few timber examples. The original building stock primarily dates to the Interwar period with a contribution from the Post-WWII period. The integrity of this precinct is in contrast to nearby parts of the suburb where similar development had occurred but has since been heavily compromised. Whilst the prevailing housing style relates to the Californian bungalow, they are interspersed with others indicative of the Spanish Mission, Old English/Tudor Revival, and Moderne styles. There is considerable diversity amongst the examples of each style/type such that there is visual interest to the streetscapes, though certain repeating combinations of details suggest the role of particular builders. (Criterion D)

The Methodist Church at 4 Gilbert Grove is of aesthetic significance as a distinctive late 1940s design by the architect J Wallinga in cream brick with contrasting rendered/concrete detailing and stained glass windows. (Criterion E)