Corbett Street Precinct Port Fairy

The Cox's Garden Heritage Precinct is of local historic, social and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobson's Bay.

Historically, Cox's Garden is significant for its ability to illustrate the early private subdivision and development in Williamstown during the mid to late nineteenth century. It was one of the first private subdivisions created in the area to the north of the boundary of the original government subdivision of Williamstown and illustrates the optimistic early speculative subdivision that occurred in anticipation of the future development of the port and the township. It contains at least two rare examples of small pre-1860 timber houses, which are amongst the oldest group of houses in Williamstown and the oldest group of timber houses in the metropolitan area. It is also important for the historical associations of early residents of Cox's Garden with the early maritime pursuits, which distinguish Williamstown in the metropolitan area. (AHC criteria A4, B2 and D2)

Socially, Cox's Garden is significant for its ability to illustrate the modest, cheaply constructed and often-prefabricated housing erected in Williamstown for working class people during the earliest period of settlement. (AHC criterion G1)

Aesthetically, Cox's Garden is significant as a rare surviving example of the small private subdivisions that were created in the area to the north of Ferguson Street with their distinctive "cheek by jowl" character of modest cottages on small allotments. The historic character of this precinct, so different to the spacious streets in the Government Town to the south of Ferguson Street, may still be understood and interpreted despite the loss of all but one house on the west side and the public car park development. Few other streets, either in Williamstown or the metropolitan area, have retained this distinctive early character. (AHC criteria B2 and E1)

On this basis, the following places contribute to the significance of the precinct:

- Cox's Garden 4, 10, 11, 12 and 14

Please note that 11 and 12 Cox's Garden also have an individual citation in this Study.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct