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Former Surgeon's Residence & Nurses' Quarters

Location

4 - 6 Edward Street,, CASTLEMAINE VIC 3450 - Property No B5399

File Number

B5399

Level

Local

[1/2]
B5399 4 Edwards Street
[2/2]
B5399 Surgeon's Residence 4-6

Statement of Significance

AHC Statement of Significance
The timber doctor's residence was constructed in 1880-81 by William Bragge to the designs of architect Thomas E Kibble at a cost of 1,364 pounds plus 304 pounds in extras. The management committee intended to spend 1,000 pounds and Bragge's tender was the lowest of the twelve received. When the hospital was relocated in 1941, the post of resident surgeon was abolished and this building was sold. Symmetrically arranged, this face brick house has a central stuccoed porch over the entrance and cast iron decorated verandahs with return down both sides. The roof is slate and the dressings stucco. The former nurses' home was constructed in 1890-91 at a cost of 1,185 pounds . Following the relocation of the hospital in 1941, this building was sold; A E Cerchi was the pruchaser. Nurses were first formally trained at Castlemaine in 1892; Castlemaine was possibly the first rural Victorian hospital to train nurses. Constructed of face brick on a stone plinth and with a corrugated iron roof, this large building is constructed on quite steeply sloping land, thus the front of the residence is built up and much of the rear is cut into the hillside and at a higher floor level. Asymmetrically arranged with a projecting room housing the old hospital board room (which still has its Tobin ventilating tubes), the front section also contains the matron's room and side entrance behind a cast iron verandah on two sides. A central passage runs through the building with three steps separating the front section from the rear nurses' quarters. These quarters comprise small individual rooms on both sides of the passage (there are ten in total). Early twentieth century bathrooms run across the rear of the building . A stone retaining wall and recently collapsed lych gate separate the nurses' quarters from the surgeon's residence.
Classified: 17/11/1983

Group