Police Stables & Lock Up (former)

The former police stables and lock up, 62 Brooke Street, Smythesdale, has significance as rare and predominantly intact surviving examples of a 19th century police infrastructure buildings in the Golden Plains Shire. These buildings, along with the neighbouring court house, represent the only surviving structures of a considerable police complex on the former police reserve from 1859. The stables building was erected at this time and the lock up was built in 1866 at the height of the gold rush in Smythesdale. Both buildings are of standard Public Works Department design, in their gabled roof forms clad in slate, rendered brick wall construction (stables) and bluestone construction (lock up) and associated details. The interiors of the buildings are also predominantly intact. Of particular interest in the stables is the brick floor having the bricks set with their lengths into the ground, as well as the timber screen and cement rendered wall finishes. The interior of the lock up symbolises contemporary 19th century attitudes towards confinement and punishment, in the austere flagstone and timber floors, white washed walls, timber-lined ceilings, and especially in the solid timber doors (with substantial iron bolts and hinges) and openings with iron security grilles.

How is it Significant?

The former police stables and lock up at Smythesdale are architecturally, historically and socially significant at the state level. The stables represent the only example of its type in the Golden Plains Shire, and the only known surviving rendered brick police stables by the Public Works Department in Victoria. The lock up is only one of two surviving 19th century bluestone gaols in the municipality today.