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Former Bank of Australasia - Group Classification

Other Name ANZ Bank Location 202 Sturt Street and 1-3 Lydiard Street,, BALLARAT CENTRAL VIC 3350 - Property No B0293 File Number B0293 Level State

[1/1] B0293 ANZ Bank

Statement of Significance

The bank was erected from 1864-67 to designs by architect Leonard Terry. The two storied building sits on a banded, rusticated bluestone plinth and the ground floor is detailed in smooth rustication with voussoirs and keystones to the openings. The plain first floor is enlivened by the window cases and their balconettes, string courses and sill mouldings, quoins and bracketed parapet.
The single storey, 20th century extensions along Sturt Street are of note.
The bank has been extensively added to externally and a door has been made into a window. Internally extensive alterations have been made.
Bank Classified: 'Local' 27/11/1958
Revised: 03/08/1998
Group Statement of Significance: All four buildings were erected in the 1860s to designs by Architect Leonard Terry, thus following on from his Melbourne Club design of 1858. As diocesan architect for the Church of England he designed many ecclesiastical buildings, but of his secualr works, this group of four banks form a significant sample at a time when Ballarat was one of the largest and most important cities in Australia.
Their construction came at a time when Ballarat was establishing its permanent landmarks; and yet at that time, a gold mine was still active on the south west corner of the same intersection, and an outdoor share market was being conducted on the south east corner.
The designs of the four buildings, although all classical revival in concept, are not particularly compatible. Their facades and scales differ and the skyline is disjointed. Nonetheless individually all four of them have been considered worthy of Classification.
In keeping with architectural philosophies of the period, the rear and exposed side elevations do not continue the classical details of the street facades, but, because of the corner situation, the effect of the group is one of three-dimensional cohesion of design.
Group Classified: 'State' 21/10/1976
See also B0291 National Bank, B3112 Former ES&A Bank, & B0286 Bank of New South Wales.