The property at 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is a large allotment

located at the corner of Harker and Ryrie streets, with a dwelling

dating from c.1933. The house is a large single-storey double-fronted

weatherboard bungalow with Craftsman detailing, a spreading

low-pitched single-hipped roof, gable ends and a projecting gabled bay

to the south-east corner. A deep wide verandah to the main (east)

facade returns along the north elevation, and the verandah roof is

integrated with the main roof slope. Timber roof battens extend to the

roof edge where they form a decorative feature. The roof is clad in

green 'colorbond' roofing metal and there are two brick chimneys with

simple rendered caps. The main gable end is faced with cement sheeting

and timber strapping; the gable peak is infilled with painted trellis,

venting the roofspace. The gable to the projecting bay is similarly

detailed. The verandah is supported on solid painted timber

square-profile posts with broad timber brackets, a balustrade of

vertical timber slats, and flooring of timber boards. The windows to

the main facade are paired timber-framed double-hung sashes; the upper

sashes are fitted with multi-paned glazing. The paired windows to the

projecting bay are part-screened by a timber window hood. To the north

elevation a broad horizontal tripartite window is located high up the

wall. The entrance is approached from Harker Street with a step up to

the verandah. The allotment slopes down from Ryrie Street and the

north side of the house is elevated over the garden, with the

undercroft screened by horizontal painted timber boarding. The

property has a well-maintained garden setting, with a feature laurel

in the front garden.

The property at 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is of local

historical and aesthetic/architectural significance.

No 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is of local historical

significance. The block on which the 1933 house is located was

originally part of Crown Allotment 7, Section B of the Town of

Healesville, which was purchased at the first land auction in the

township in 1865. As was typical of early landholdings in the town,

and in other nineteenth century rural centres outside of Melbourne,

the allotment remained undeveloped for a long period, was sold,

resold, consolidated and subdivided, before the dwelling was

constructed. The property is also of local aesthetic/architectural

significance. The c.1933 house is a substantially externally intact,

large weatherboard bungalow with a low-pitched single-hipped roof,

with gable ends. Elements of note include the deep wide return

verandah with a roof integrated with the main roof slope; timber roof

battens which form a decorative feature at the roof edges; and the

detailing of the gable ends to the main facade. The colour scheme also

assists in picking out the Craftsman detailing, such as brackets and

strapping, in a contrasting colour. Comparatively, the dwelling has an

elegant line and proportion, with a spreading and generous massing

given greater emphasis by the large roof. The generous proportion,

spreading form and low roof gradient directly tie the building to

Greene and Greene's Pasadena houses in the United States, and other

bungalow designs of Los Angeles in the early twentieth century.

Integrity: The property at 17 Harker Street, Healesville, is a large allotment located at the corner of Harker and Ryrie streets, with a dwelling dating from c.1933. The house is a large single-storey double-fronted weatherboard bungalow with Craftsman detailing, and a colour scheme in which many of its decorative details including brackets and strapping are picked out in a contrasting colour. The house has a spreading low-pitched single-hipped roof, with gable ends and a projecting gabled bay to the south-east corner. A deep wide verandah to the main (east) facade returns along the north elevation. The verandah roof is integrated with the main roof slope, and timber roof battens extend to the roof edge where they form a decorative feature. The roof is clad in green 'colorbond' roofing metal and there are two brick chimneys with simple rendered caps. The main gable end is faced with cement sheeting divided vertically by timber strapping. The gable peak is infilled with painted trellis, venting the roofspace. The gable to the projecting bay is similarly detailed. The verandah is supported on solid painted timber square-profile posts with broad timber brackets fixed to either side; the balustrade is of vertical timber slats; and the verandah flooring is timber boards. Some minor alterations have been made to the facade under the verandah and a section of the verandah on the side of the house has been infilled. The windows to the main facade are paired timber-framed double-hung sashes; the upper sashes are fitted with multi-paned glazing. The paired windows to the projecting bay are part-screened by a timber window hood clad with narrow-profile corrugated iron and fretted painted timber brackets to either side. To the north elevation a broad horizontal tripartite window is placed high on the wall. The entrance is approached from Harker Street with a step up to the verandah. The front door is a Victorian-style painted timber four-panelled door with toplights and sidelights. The allotment slopes down from Ryrie Street and the north side of the house is elevated over the garden, with the undercroft screened by horizontal painted timber boarding.

The property has a well-maintained garden setting, with a feature laurel in the front garden. The fence is a non-original painted palisade picket fence with a timber paling fence to Ryrie Street. A timber arch over the picket entrance gate has a crossbeam with the name 'Adams' painted on it. There is a vehicular entry from Ryrie Street. A timber gable-roofed garage with detailing matching that of the house is set to the rear facing Ryrie Street; there is also a carport of c. 1970 and shed, close to the south property boundary. The rear portion of the property has been subdivided and a new house facing Ryrie Street built on the allotment.