Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct

How is it Significant?

The Williamstown Beach Heritage Precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Hobsons Bay.

Historically, this precinct is significant for its ability to demonstrate the extent of the speculative subdivision that occurred in Williamstown during the 'land boom' of the late nineteenth century and the development of this area, which was related to the now demolished Alfred Woollen Mills. It is also of interest for the historical associations of early residents with maritime and railway industries that were important themes in the development of Williamstown as well as nationally known activities such as Wirth's Circus. (AHC criteria A4 and D2)

Aesthetically, this precinct is significant as an intact late nineteenth and early twentieth century residential area comprising predominantly Victorian and Edwardian era houses with common or similar characteristics of design, siting and scale that create cohesive and homogeneous streetscapes. Many are externally intact and others, although altered, still retain their distinctive form and siting and hence contribute to the precinct. Osborne Street is notable for its nineteenth century street layout (the only example of this outside of the Government Survey) and its large villas with established gardens and mature trees. Williamstown Beach Station and its related group of shops form a distinct sub-precinct in Railway Crescent. (AHC criterion E1)

[NOTE*] Many of the shops that were in this location no longer exist and the sites have been developed. Consequently the quality of the locality as a sub-precinct has significantly diminished.On this basis, the following properties and other elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:

On this basis, the following properties and other elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:

- Esplanade 81, 89, 92, 93 and 104 and 106 (Note: Nos 4-20 are located in the Esplanade Residential Heritage Precinct (HO6) and Nos 107-111 are located within the Hannan's Farm Heritage Precinct (HO13))

[NOTE*] Properties beyond 111 Esplanade are not within the Heritage Overlay.

- Forster Street (odd) 1-25 (even) 4, 8, 10 and 14-34.

- Garden Street (odd) 3, 5, (even) 4, 6 and 30.

- Gellibrand Street (odd) 17,19, 23, 25, 27, 29 and 31 (even) 2, 12, 20, 22, 34, 36 and 38.

- Langford Street (odd) 1.

- Laverton Street (odd) 1, 5-17, 21-27 and 31-35 (even) 4-32, 36 and 42.

- Little Osborne Street (odd) 17.

- Osborne Street (odd) 189-201, 209 and 217, 219, (note: 219a is non-contributory) 221, 223 (even) 90, 92, 94, 100-102, 110, 122, 130-136, 144-150, 154-166, 170, 172, 176, 180, 186, 188, 190, 192-198, 202, 204, 208, 212-218, 222, 226 and 228 (Note: Osborne Street east of Giffard Street is within the Government Survey Heritage Precinct (HO8).

- Railway Crescent (odd and even) 33-48, 51-57, 60-68, 77, 79-81, 83-85, 88, 89, 97, 98, 100 and 101 (Note: Railway Crescent east of Giffard Street is within the Government Survey Heritage Precinct (HO8))

- Stewart Street (odd) 5, 9, 15, 19, 21-25, 29 and 31 (even) 6 and 16

- Streetscape elements such as the nineteenth century street layout in Osborne Street, mature trees and bluestone guttering and lanes throughout the precinct.

Please note that some heritage places within this precinct may also have an individual citation in this Study.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct