FORMER RESIDENCE (PART OF ST JAMES' TERRACE)

56 Mundy Street, Bendigo, originally built between 1859 and 1865 as two of five terraced cottages and merged and remodelled in 1880 to a design by William C. Vahland, is significant.

Significant fabric includes the:

56 Mundy Street, Bendigo, is of local historic, representative and aesthetic significance to the City of Greater Bendigo.

56 Mundy Street, Bendigo, is historically significant for its demonstration of changing housing development patterns since the early years of the establishment of Sandhurst. The building was originally developed as part of a row of five terraced cottages ‘Northumberland Place’ shortly after the 1857 land sale in that part of the Township of Sandhurst. The row was gradually built over several years between 1859 and 1865 for the owner Henry Swindale, gentleman. The ‘Northumberland Place’ cottages provided home for many short-term occupants who worked in Bendigo’s city centre during the early years. Barnet Lazarus, successful and influential mining director, was the owner between 1871 and 1880. In 1880, two northern cottages (Nos. 1 and 2 or ‘Northumberland Place’) were merged into a single residence, and remodelled with a new ornate double-fronted fac¸ade. The rear wing comprising eight rooms was added at the same time. By 1880, the row of terraces became known as ‘St James’ Terrace’. 56 Mundy Street was No. 1 of ‘St James’ Terrace’, which has always been considered as the 'prime' residence among the row. As the only surviving house from the row today, the current 56 Mundy Street incorporates one of the earliest permanent residential buildings erected in central Bendigo, which are now becoming increasingly endangered (Criterion A).

56 Mundy Street, Bendigo, is also significant for its high degree of intactness and integrity, as well as its representation of stage development, which was a common but important practice in the central Bendigo area throughout the mid- to late nineteenth century. From the late 1870s, as Sandhurst was experiencing a serious recession, many earlier houses were modified or extended to meet the ongoing housing demands. These remodelled houses often featured a highly ornate fac¸ade, which reflected the community’s aspiration for architectural excellency even during economic downturns. The former residence at 56 Mundy Street is architecturally significant for its provision of tangible evidence of the development patterns of the central Bendigo area. The 1880 renovation for 56 Mundy Street was carried out under supervision of prominent architect William C. Vahland (Criterion D).

In its 1880 form, the former residence at 56 Mundy Street is an excellent and unusually ornate example of a brick house of such modest scale. The symmetrical facade sits below a verandah set between two wing walls. It is distinctive for its ornate Italianate decoration which includes unusual and finely crafted cast concrete details to the parapet, rendered architraves to the front door and a fac¸ade rendered to replicate rusticated boards (Criterion E).