After the arrival of the railway in 1889, plantings of elms and oaks in Nicholson Street and other main streets made a major contribution to the development of Healesville as a major district town. The remaining elms in Nicholson Street (now Maroondah Highway) and oaks in Church Street near the Mechanics Institute, planted last century, contribute to the special character of Healesville streetscapes. They form an important part of the town's heritage.

The street trees of the main street of Healesville, Nicholson Street (Maroondah Highway), are one of the most distinctive features of the streetscape. Mature elms, planes and some oaks, line the main street, creating shade and a garden atmosphere. They form an almost continuous visual line, on the eastern side of the road, from the corner of Manse Street to the bend in Nicholson Street just before the corner of High Street. On the western (or river) side of the road, the trees begin near the Healesville Memorial Hall and form a similar continuous visual line up to the area around the corner of Nicholson Street and Glenfern Road. The street trees continue through the township, although with some gaps, up to Crowley Road.

Basalt edged garden beds with low shrubs have been created on the nature strip in the commercial area of Nicholson Street from near the bridge to Church Street. Other pedestrian-friendly features such as circular seating, old-style street lighting and footpath paving have also been added to this stretch of the streetscape. A distinctive feature of the commercial blocks is the raised footpath and shop fronts which run along the eastern side.

The commercial strip of Healesville's main streetscape is also characterised by a range of shops and small businesses, many with verandahs and original shopfronts. Many shops are notable for their age and retention of original features, such as Reece Hardware, Top Side Hair Design, Healesville Meat Supply, the Fish and Chippery, Healesville Supermarket, Healesville Fruit Supply, Critter's Corner Pet Store, the Salvation Army and Cloud Angel shops, Status, and the Newsagency. These buildings are mainly one storey high, and contrast in a pleasing way with a number of the key buildings in the main street, including the Healesville Uniting Church, the Grand Hotel and Healesville Hotel, the Memorial Hall. Travelling away from the centre of Healesville towards Melbourne, the streetscape becomes mostly residential once High Street and Glenfern Road are passed, with interspersed businesses.

Physical Conditions: Good

Integrity: Minor Modifications