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Former Church of the Sacred Heart

Location 49-55 MAIN STREET DIAMOND CREEK, NILLUMBIK SHIRE Level Included in Heritage Overlay

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Statement of Significance

The former Church of the Sacred Heart, at 49-55 Main Street, Diamond Creek, is significant. Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include: • The original form of the Church, with small adjacent vestry • The original materials, including dressed concrete to the brick constriction and slate roofs • Original detailing, including arched windows with drip moulding, the original chimney to the vestry, roof vents, and the small cross affixed to the ridge line of the roof Development after 1874 at the site, and the chimney to the chancel of the church, are not significant.The former Church of the Sacred Heart, at 49-55 Main Street, is of historic and aesthetic significance to the Shire of Nillumbik.The former Church of the Sacred Heart at 49-55 Main Street, Diamond Creek, is historically significant to the Shire of Nillumbik as a remaining early building that demonstrates the growth of Diamond Creek through the nineteenth OFFICIAL century. Constructed between 1872 and 1874, the site demonstrates the importance of church life in early rural communities at that time. Along with the neighbouring Anglican Church, the prominent position on a hill near the centre of town is evidence of this. The subject site is also of historical interest for its associations with the prolific church architect JB Denny, who was greatly influenced through his direct work with the prominent architects Augustus Pugin and William Wardell. Denny was responsible for overseeing the construction of many of Victoria’s early churches, as well as being responsible for designing a substantial amount himself. (Criterion A) The former Church of the Sacred Heart at 49-55 Main Street, Diamond Creek, is aesthetically significant to the Shire of Nillumbik. The building demonstrates a particularly skilful application of the Gothic Revival style to a modest rural church building. The site is a particularly picturesque example of the style in the Shire, which is enhanced by its steep combination hip and gable roof, chamfered corners, and small vestry with substantial chimney. Additional details that contribute to the aesthetic qualities of the site include the window drip moulds, roof vents and metal cross on the ridgeline. The setting on a hill contributes to the aesthetic significance, despite the building being enveloped by later development. (Criterion E)