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Roseneath

Location 37 Pakington Street, KEW VIC 3101 - Property No B1160 File Number B1160 Level Regional

[1/1] B1160 Roseneath 37 Pakington

Statement of Significance

Probably begun c.1869, and extended around the turn of the century, the house known as Roseneath now appears as a moderately sized, slate-roofed brick house decorated externally in the Rural Gothic style.

Roseneath has close affiliations with the early settlement of the village of Kew and has been associated with the Kitchen and Dunn families, both of whom were prominent in the history of Victoria. The house has been continuously y occupied as a dwelling since its construction, the Dunn family occupying it for some 72 years. Its gardens are linked by tradition with von Mueller, the director of the Botanic Gardens.

Roseneath is also of architectural importance because of its excellent external preservation. Thus the original sections of the house remain a fine example of later nineteenth century Australian brick house construction and polychrome decoration. The carved barges and finials are typical of middle to late nineteenth century Gothic decoration and are given their rural definition in the setting of the fine gardens at the front and north sides of the house. The glass-fronted bureau in the southern lounge constructed for Dunn with a series of drawers specifically to store his geological samples, is of particular significance.

First Classified: 5/10/89
Revised: Classified Regional 3/8/98