Bunyip Commercial and Civic Precinct

The Bunyip commercial and civic precinct comprising the buildings at 9-34 Main Street, and 2 (Lot 2 PS727491), 2A (Lot 2 PS617792) and 7-23 High Street, Bunyip (including the World War One memorial), which comprise the early core of what has become today's Bunyip commercial and civic precinct. Developed in association with the opening of the railway from the late 1870s, and the boom which occurred after the Closer Settlement and Soldier Settlement in the post-World War One years, the core significant and contributory buildings remain generally relatively unchanged. Contributory places date from the c.1910s to the c1940s:

Individually Significant places include:

- 32-34 Main Street (HO56), Bunyip Public Hall

- 21A, 21B and 21C Main Street (HO60), Nathan's Row

- 19 Main Street (HO59)

- 18 Main Street (HO58)

- 14 Main Street (HO57), Stacey's Railway Hotel

The Bunyip Post Office at 21 High Street is Significant to the precinct.

Contributory places within the precinct are:

- 29-30 Main Street, brick shop & residence

- 27-28 Main Street, weatherboard shop & residence

- 26 Main Street, brick shop & residence

- 24 Main Street, brick shop

- 23 Main Street, Top Pub

- 11 Main Street, Former butcher

- 9-10 Main Street

- War Memorial on Main Street median (corner High Street)

- 2 High Street, brick shop [Lot 2 PS617792]

- 7 High Street, weatherboard shop and residence

- 11 High Street, weatherboard shop and residence

- 15 High Street, rendered shop

- 23 High Street - house

The following buildings or sites are not contributory:

7, 15 [vacant] & 17 Main Street

2A, 17-19 & 21A [vacant] High Street

How is it significant?

The Bunyip commercial and civic precinct has local historic and aesthetic significance to Cardinia Shire.

Why is it significant?

Historically, Bunyip Commercial & Civic Precinct is significant to Cardinia Shire as important evidence of the township's development following the opening of the railway station in the late 1870s, then growing in association with the boom following Closer and Soldier Settlement after the First World War, becoming a major regional town and, by the turn of the century, the largest Shire township. (RNE criterion A.4)

Aesthetically, the Bunyip commercial and civic precinct is significant as a fine example of a small rural township centre, which is notable for its relatively high degree of integrity and largely consistent character. The precinct retains many structures dating from that period when Bunyip was a major town and is significant as a representative example of an interwar commercial precinct, typical of the self-contained centres formed around railway stations in country towns during that era. (RNE criteria D.2 & E.1)

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct