TOORA POLICE STATION & RESIDENCE (FORMER)

The former Toora Police Station and residence, at 26-28 Harriet Street, Toora, including the portable lock up, built in c.1910, are significant. The former Police Station, portable lock up and residence are all made of brick in the Federation style and has features of heritage significance to be protected, including: 

Hip and gable residential Police Station 

The former Police Station has a short transverse ridge with projecting gables to the front and south, with an end frame on the south gable with a projecting box bay at the front gable end, with pressed metal hood. The building features a return verandah with a contiguous roof at a lesser pitch to the main roof, with turned post supports and an open ladder frame frieze and fret brackets. The main roof also features exposed rather ends and small ridge gablets. Three-part casement windows with hoppers are throughout the building. 
At the rear of the main building of 28 Harriet Street, the portable timber lock-up is from the first occupation of the site by the Toora Police in 1892. 

Non-original alterations and additions, other than those specified above, are not significant.

The former Toora Police Station and residence are of local historic and aesthetic significance to the South Gippsland Shire.

Historically, the former Police Station is the oldest extant Police Station building in the South Gippsland Shire. The portable lock up on 28 Harriet Street was built in 1892 and the second Toora Police Station at 26 Harriet Street was constructed c.1910 by local builder Ernest Rispin as his own home. The more modern building on 28 Harriet Street was built in 1966 while the two sites were still used as a Police Station. Both these buildings, and the associated residence, demonstrate the importance of law and order and the development of public buildings within Toora from an early stage of settlement. The very existence of a Police Station and lock up in Toora this early in settlement also demonstrates Toora's history as a civic and commercial centre. (Criterion A) 
Aesthetically, the former Police Station and residence is a notable example of Federation residential design using brick construction in the South Gippsland Shire. The clean lines and return verandah demonstrate the style in a classical way. These two properties significantly contribute to the aesthetic and historic character of Harriet Street and Toora. (Criterion E)