High Street (Thornbury) Precinct

Location

732-848 and 827-927 HIGH STREET, THORNBURY, DAREBIN CITY

Level

Included in Heritage Overlay

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct comprises the properties at 732-848 & 825-927 High Street, Thornbury. Contributory places include the early to mid twentieth century shops and residences, which comprise the majority of buildings within the precinct except as specified below. The consistency of scale, form and detailing of the shops within the centre and the extent to which development in one main period is apparent are important characteristics.

Places of individual local significance, which have their own citations in this Study, are Collins Corner at No.774, the Drive-in garage at No.802, the shop row at 804-10, the former Regent Theatre at No.851-9, the former Anderson's Furniture Warehouse at No.885, and the shops and residences at No.844-46.

Non-original detailing such as the ground floor shop-fronts, cantilevered awnings and the following buildings are not significant:

Nos. 756-762, 788, 800, 812-14, 826-30 831A, 848 & 921

How is it significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct is of local historic significance to Darebin City.

Why is it significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct is historically significant as a representative example of an inter-war shopping strip, which served a regional role. It provides evidence of the suburban expansion of Thornbury during the 1920s development boom and how High Street was consolidated as one of the major shopping centres in the northern suburbs. As a representative example it demonstrates the strong associations between the development of commercial centres and public transport in the early to mid-twentieth century and how main centres serving a regional catchment were established along key public transport routes. (AHC criteria A.4, D.2)

Group

Commercial

Category

Commercial Precinct