South Ballarat Precinct

The South Ballarat Precinct is historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria A.4 and H.1).

(h) the place's special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Australia's natural or cultural history.

The Precinct is important for its association with William S. Urquhart, the Assistant Governor Surveyor at the time in 1851, and is an excellent example of the lasting influence of his work.

It is also historically significant as an example where intensive gold mining operations co-existed alongside residential development over a long period of time within a neoclassical urban framework of hierarchy and axial ordering, on which the official policies of urban planning in Australia were founded. It provides a strong contrast with the unplanned chaotic road system of East Ballarat. Three important factors contributed to the retention of the historic urban layout in this area. These include; a) the large open grid plan of the original Urquhart survey, b) the late arrival of quartz mining in the area which was mined extensively within the formal rectangular gridded streets, c) the particular nature of underground quartz mining of the area that led to much larger undertakings, and in consequence left the surface area relatively undisturbed. This is best illustrated by the contrasting street layout of the western and eastern section of the precinct. In the eastern area, Golden Point Lead with its branches of Malakoff, Milkmaids and Nightingale Leads was mined in the early 1850s prior to the town survey and nconsequence the street pattern is notably irregular. While in the western section of the precinct, the rectilinear street pattern has emerged intact from history and the great 1870-90s quartz gold rush. The only indications of the former mines are the names of local streets and lanes. The Precinct is historically important for its ability to illustrate the story of how a very heterogeneous early residential mining area has developed through major transitional stages of development that were marked by significant phases of rebuilding, up-grading and architectural consolidation during the late 19th century and early to mid 20th century. The resulting pattern of various mix of domestic architectural styles sharply juxtaposed is historically important. Through this process of consolidation and infill over the past 160 years, the original 1851 town plan characterized by its open grid pattern has been infilled, and the harmony of the overall townscape has been retained.

The Precinct is also associated with the establishment and development of several institutions including a number of historic schools and churches as well as the Queen Elizabeth Home, and with early residential settlement in Ballarat. The present Trekardo Park is also of historical significance as the site of an early and long-serving quarry.

The South Ballarat Precinct is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria D.2, E.1).

The urban plan of South Ballarat is important as Ballarat was the first large goldfields town that W.S. Urquhart surveyed. It was also the project which he regarded as his favourite and most successful amongst all other many major mid 19th century goldfields town plans in Victoria for which he was responsible. The area is particularly significant because it has preserved its historic street pattern and urban fabric to a high degree.

The Precinct is architecturally noteworthy for its high quality of substantially intact buildings with examples of development from all periods ranging from 1860s-1950s. This together with 19th century urban beautification schemes associated with major street tree planting, construction of tar footpaths and engineering infrastructure program has created an area of great diversification contained within a unified urban plan.

Despite the diversity in architectural styles, the residences have similar orientation, and are of similar scale, although there are examples of larger villas as well as very small 19th century cottages scattered throughout the precinct. Although the majority of residences are single storey and detached, there are individual non-conforming examples dispersed throughout the precinct. These include houses with attic dormer windows and two storey Victorian residences to the north, some semidetached residences and terraces. Sometimes there is a range of different front and side setbacks to dwellings and in addition various frontage widths to allotments within one street. However, these variations are small the slight randomness does not create strong contrasts in the urban context rather they add richness and variety to the streetscape. The residences are usually set within well maintained private gardens, some of which contain notable mature tree specimens. There are a number of intact small corner shops, predominately erected in the Victorian era, and larger commercial buildings and hotels that are local landmarks. Predominantly located on corner sites, they define street intersections. Interspersed without the Precinct are a notable collection of architecturally important churches and educational buildings constructed from the 1850s.

The South Ballarat Precinct is aesthetically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria D.2, E.1).

The Precinct demonstrates important visual qualities that reflect the historical, cultural and architectural development of the Precinct, and contribute to its visual setting. The Precinct is visually important as the grid pattern of its urban plan, laid out across the relatively flat topography of the grassy basalt plains of West Ballarat, is most fully appreciated here. The flat topography and constancy of scale of buildings, width and length of most streets combined with prominent display of intact blue stone gutters and mature elm, oak or plane tree planted in rows on both sides of the street within gravel/grass shoulders provide the precinct with gracious historic internal viewscape that is unbroken by intrusive elements. The long views of tree lined avenues extend across and through the Precinct to other parts of Ballarat, including east or south-east (respectively) to Mount Warrenheip and Mount Buninyong in the far distance. Also of importance are the views to and along the highly significant engineering infrastructure of the Redan Creek Channel, which transects part of the residential area in the west part of the Precinct.

Further important aesthetic qualities of the Precinct include the variety of significant urban landmarks, a number of which can be seen from outside of the precinct. These comprise each of the churches and their associated buildings; each of the schools and their associated buildings; the various shops and hotels (both present and former), which are predominantly located on corner sites and particularly help to define the street intersections to the extent that many have become local landmarks; and the open landscape of the Western Oval Reserve and the associated stands of mature trees, which provide a scenic focus within the dominant residential area of this part of the Precinct.

The appropriate front and side setbacks of the residences within their allotments, relative to the size of the residence, the allotment on which they sit, and the streetscape in which they are located also contribute to the aesthetic significance of the precinct, as The use of the appropriate type, style and height of fence in relation to the era and style of the corresponding buildings is another feature that contributes to the aesthetic significance of the Precinct.

The important visual qualities of the Precinct are also enhanced by absence of front garages and carports that provides consistency to the views of houses, which are clearly visible beneath the mature and semi-mature street tree plantings. The combination of deep landscaped grassy verges, extensive avenues of street trees, and variously landscaped public and private open spaces such as the Western Oval Reserve, school grounds, and the many private gardens with their mature canopy trees provide the Precinct with a garden setting of considerable variety.

Furthermore, the visual qualities of the Precinct are specially enhanced by the substantial integrity of the original engineering infrastructure, particularly as identified by the extensive network of bluestone spoon or channel drains, by the small expanse of early flagstone and by the wrought iron drain guards. Other street furniture such as early square post boxes and intact concrete horse troughs donated by the George and Annis Bills Estate in the early 20th century contribute to the aesthetically significanct qualities of the Precinct.

The South Ballarat Precinct is scientifically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria C.2 and F1).

The Precinct is of especially importance for contributing to a history of the infrastructure development of this area of the former municipality of Ballarat West, as identified by the substantially intact extensive network of original engineering infrastructure, in particular, the bluestone spoon drains and gutters that are readily visible alongside almost every road and rear lane in the Precinct. The use of bluestone pitchers as the principal material to form this type of engineering infrastructure also demonstrates an early, and now rarely used construction technology, as well as the excellence of traditional craftsmanship.

The South Ballarat Precinct is socially significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criterion G.1).

The Precinct is recognized and highly valued by the local community for its early and ongoing residential, commercial, social, educational, and recreational associations.