Residence

C Listed - Local Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The house at 8 Sydney Avenue, Geelong, has significance as a reasonably intact example of the Federation style. Built in 1911-12 for Edwin Wray, the house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street.

The house at 8 Sydney Avenue is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of the Federation style. These qualities include the complex roof forms including the recessed hipped roof that traverses the site, together with the hipped roof, minor gables and gambrel roof that project towards the front, the recessed gable that projects at the side, and the return encircling verandah under the roof forms. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding, two unpainted brick chimneys with rendered and projecting tops and terra cotta pots, modest eaves, timber framed leadlighted casement windows arranged in projecting bowed banks at the front and with leadlighted highlights, fluted window hood supported by elongated and curving timber brackets, ridge ornamentation and finials, and the gable infill (timber brackets, panelling and timber battening).

The house at 8 Sydney Avenue is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in Geelong during the Federation (c.1895-1915) period. In particular, this house has associations with Edwin Wray, traveller and original owner, who instigated construction in 1911-12.

Overall, the house at 8 Sydney Avenue is of LOCAL significance.

REFERENCES:Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1921, 1955.
Voters' Roll, Bellerine Ward, 1992, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence