Victory Estate Precinct

The Victory Estate Precinct at 132-142 Power Street and 1-7 and 2-8 Gibney Street, Hawthorn, which consists of houses and garden elements built in the early interwar period. The Victory Estate was subdivided on approximately two acres of land owned in 1916 by gentleman Andrew Roche, and town clerk William Hall. The two acres were transferred in late 1916 to theatre manager Mareeno Lucas. Lucas subsequently subdivided the land into twelve allotments, which were first advertised for sale in 1919. Allotments on the estate were sold in the period 1919-24, and all the residences were built in the period 1920 to 1930, giving the precinct a consistent character. With the exception of the Non-contributory no. 5 Gibney Street, all the houses are of contributory significance to the precinct.

The name 'Victory Estate' is a commemorative gesture to the Allies' victory in the recently ended Great War (World War One).

How is it significant?

The Victory Estate Precinct is of local historic, architectural, and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

Historically, the Victory Estate Precinct is significant as it demonstrates the influence of Hawthorn's improved transport systems (1913-18) and shopping centres on the municipality's residential population and the density of its subdivision patterns. Subdivided in 1919 with houses built between 1920-30, Victory Estate was part of a broader intensification of residential development in Hawthorn through the interwar years, when any remaining vacant land was taken up during an intensive boom between 1910 and 1940. The greatest changes were seen in the area south of Riversdale Road, but pockets of late Edwardian and Californian Bungalow style houses were also built elsewhere throughout Hawthorn, replacing earlier buildings or co-existing alongside them. The name of the Victory Estate is also historically significant as it exemplifies the mood of triumphant sentiment that existed in the months immediately following the First World War. (Criterion A)

Architecturally, the houses and early garden features in the precinct are representative of architectural styles popular during the 1920s, in particular California Bungalows, all of which exhibit a high level of intactness. The consistency of architectural detailing and materiality contribute aesthetically to the high visual quality of the precinct. The Gibney Street houses have largely consistent front setbacks, with medium sized front gardens, many of which retain original face brick front garden fences, all of which are low in height but exhibit subtle differences in choice of additional detailing. (Criterion D)

Aesthetically, the precinct is significant because of the consistency of interwar Californian Bungalow house styles not seen as strongly in other Boroondara precincts, which tend to comprise a greater variety of interwar house styles and materials. Victory Estate consists of typical single-storey Californian Bungalows almost entirely of masonry (brick and render) construction. The houses at nos. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 Gibney Street and 142 Power Street were clearly designed (and probably built) by the same person, possibly a designer-builder given that they display variations on a theme and many repeating details and forms. This makes the street a very cohesive complex. (Criterion E)

The exceptions are the slightly grander houses along the main road (Power Street) and the more substantial houses on the two corner allotments.

Grading and Recommendations

Recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Boroondara Planning Scheme as a precinct.

For a full list of individual place gradings within the precinct, please refer to the attached PDF citation, or individual child records attached to this parent record.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct