Fairview Heritage Area

The Fairview Avenue Heritage Precinct is significant as a distinctive residential area defined by Edwardian, Federation and interwar Bungalow styled dwellings. Most of these dwellings are single storey with detached compositions, and feature hipped and/or gabled roof forms (with simple or complex roof outlines), front or return verandahs, corrugated sheet metal roof cladding, horizontal timber weatherboard wall cladding, timber framed windows and detailing consistent with the stylistic era in which the dwellings were built. Also contributing to the significance to the area is the Late Victorian dwelling at 88 Fairview Avenue, being a local historical landmark. The bluestone kerb and channel in the rear lanes, and the lack of garages and carports at the front of the dwellings represent other significant characteristics. Most dwellings have generous front setbacks and well-established garden settings. Historically, the area was transformed by residential development during the Federation period, with the sale of allotments comprising the Newtown Hill Estate in 1908 and again in c.1909-10. Further land sales occurred during the interwar period, with 10 home sites offered for sale in 1923 fronting Cairns Avenue.

The Fairview Heritage Precinct is architecturally and aesthetically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criterion D.2). It demonstrates original and early design qualities associated with the intense period of residential development of the area from the early 20th century until the late 1920's. These qualities are expressed in the Federation/Edwardian and interwar Bungalow styled dwellings, that are single storey in appearance and have predominantly detached compositions. The buildings include the following design characteristics: hipped and gabled roof forms (with simple or complex roof outlines having a pitch between 25 and 35 degrees), front or return verandahs, corrugated galvanised steel roof cladding, horizontal timber weatherboard wall construction, brick chimneys (detailed to reflect the design era), brick cladding and brick verandah supports, timber shingling, timber joinery and roughcast gable infill, narrow or wide eaves, timber verandah posts timber brackets and/or valances, timber framed or casement or double hung window, and the rear and side location of carports and garaging. Overall, these dwellings constitute 73% of the building stock in the area.

Other significant or appropriate qualities include the early bluestone kerb and channel in the rear laneways and the lack of a visual presence of garages and carports from the street frontages. The Late Victorian dwelling at 88 Fairview Avenue is a local historical landmark, representing the earliest surviving house in the area.

The Fairview Heritage Area is historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria A.4, H.1). It is associated with important eras of residential development after the subdivision of the area in the early 20th century. Allotments in the first subdivision were sold from 1909. The residents in the Fairview Heritage Area were a mix from the middle class included a timber merchant, real estate agent, and accountant and the working class included a railway signalman, laborer and painter. The subdivision of Newtown Hill Estate in 1908 included the sale of 31 allotments fronting Fairview Avenue between Fairview Street (now Stinton Avenue) and Derby Street (now Cairns Avenue), Wallace Street (part), east side of Fairview Street (now Stinton Avenue) and north side of Nicholas Street between Fairview Street (now Stinton Avenue) and Derby Street (now Cairns Avenue). The subdivision of the similarly named but different Newtown Hill estate of c. 1909-10 shows the subdivision of lots in Wallace Street (west side) and one lot in Fairview Avenue.

Overall, the Fairview Heritage Area is of LOCAL significance.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct