Unley Heritage Research Study

UNLEY HERITAGE RESEARCH STUDY FOR THE CITY OF UNLEY VOLUME 1 2006 (updated to 2012) McDougall & Vines Conservation and Heritage Consultants 27 Sydenham Road, Norwood, South Australia 5067 Ph (08) 8362 6399 Fax (08) 8363 0121 Email: [email protected] CONTENTS UNLEY HERITAGE RESEARCH STUDY Page No 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1.2 Study Area 1.3 Objectives of Study 2.0 OVERVIEW HISTORY OF THE UNLEY DISTRICT 3 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Brief Thematic History of the City of Unley 2.2.1 Land and Settlement 2.2.2 Primary Production 2.2.3 Transport and Communications 2.2.4 People, Social Life and Organisations 2.2.5 Government 2.2.6 Work, Secondary Production and Service Industries 2.3 Subdivision and Development of Areas 2.3.1 Background 2.3.2 Subdivision Layout 2.3.3 Subdivision History 2.3.4 Sequence of Subdivision of Unley 2.3.5 Specific Historic Subdivisions and Areas 2.4 Housing Periods, Types and Styles 2.4.1 Background 2.4.2 Early Victorian Houses (1840s to 1860s) 2.4.3 Victorian House Styles (1870s to 1890s) 2.4.4 Edwardian House Styles (1900 to 1920s) 2.4.5 Inter War Residential Housing Styles (1920s to 1942) 2.4.6 Inter War and Post War Housing Styles (1942 plus) 3.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF STUDY 35 3.1 Planning Recommendations 3.1.1 Places of State Heritage Value 3.1.2 Places of Local Heritage Value 3.2 Further Survey Work 3.2.1 Historic Conservation Zones 3.2.2 Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds 3.3 Conservation and Management Recommendations 3.3.1 Heritage Advisory Service 3.3.2 Preparation of Conservation Guidelines for Building Types and Materials 3.3.3 Tree Planting 3.3.4 History Centre and Council Archives 3.3.5 Heritage Incentives 4.0 HERITAGE ASSESSMENT REPORTS: STATE HERITAGE PLACES 51 4.1 Existing State Heritage Places 4.2 Proposed Additional State Heritage Places 5.0 HERITAGE ASSESSMENT REPORTS: PLACES OF LOCAL HERITAGE VALUE 171 [See Volume 2 of this Report] McDougall & Vines CONTENTS UNLEY HERITAGE RESEARCH STUDY (cont) Page No Appendices 172 1. Sources of Information 2. List of Early Photographs 3. List of Early Subdivision Maps Front cover illustrations: Above: View of Headquarters Building, Keswick Barracks, Anzac Highway, 1915 Below: Unley Town Hall and Institute, 1881 (Source: Maughan, Janet, M and Praite, Ron, Whistler's Unley: Then and Now, A Pictorial History, The City of Unley, Adelaide, 1988) Document Status: Original research, evaluations and report concluded December 2006 Re-evaluation of altered places and additional originally overlooked places incorporated April 2008 McDougall & Vines Unley Heritage Research Study (2006 to 2012) 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background This heritage research study was commissioned as part of a program undertaken by the City of Unley Council to implement its 'City of Villages Vision' which is reflected in its Community Plan, 2015. This Plan essentially seeks to ensure the sensitive preservation of the intrinsic character of the established residential suburbs of the city and to reinforce a series of complementary urban 'Villages' interwoven into the overall highly valued intrinsic built fabric and character of the City of Unley. Heritage forms an important part of this character and this report is to provide an authoritative evaluation to support (or otherwise) the designation of heritage assets. 1.2 Study Area The study area incorporates the whole of the City of Unley including all suburban areas within it, bounded by Cross Roads to the south, Glen Osmond Road to the east, Greenhill Road to the north, and Anzac Highway and South Road to the west (refer map). 1.3 Objectives of Study It is intended that this study will examine the lists of existing heritage places and additional potential places provided by Council which have been proposed in the Residential Morphology (Character) Study a comprehensive city wide character survey. This study should provide: A general overview history of the Unley area establishing the themes and periods of importance to the development of the city. Appropriate historical, cultural and architectural research, evaluation and recommendations for approximately 200 identified new potential places. A brief review and update of details for 191 existing local heritage places. Review of merit and update of details for 22 State heritage places. Appropriate documentation of study and places assessment to provide appropriate reference resource and support for listing via a Heritage Plan Amendment Report (PAR). This is to be provided through the appropriate completion of assessment sheets for each of the identified or existing or potential places. McDougall & Vines 1 Unley Heritage Research Study (2006 to 2012) N STUDY AREA Suburbs and Council Wards Source: City of Unley website McDougall & Vines 2 Unley Heritage Research Study (2006 to 2012) 2.0 OVERVIEW HISTORY OF THE UNLEY DISTRICT 2.1 Introduction Bounded by Greenhill Road and the park lands to the north, Anzac Highway and South Road to the west, Cross Road to the south and Glen Osmond Road to the east, the City of Unley's boundaries stretch over an area of 14 square kilometres in total. Historically, the area includes all or part of Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, 43, 44, 49, 221, 222, 223, 224,236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 251,252,253,254,265, 266, 267, 270, 271 in Colonel Light’s Survey of the district south of Adelaide (Provincial Survey B), the land immediately south of the city, into Country Sections of (usually) 134 acres. The modern City of Unley is made up of the suburbs of Everard Park, Wayville, Goodwood, Unley, Parkside, Fullarton, Myrtle Bank, Highgate, Malvern, Unley Park, Kings Park, Clarence Park, Black Forest, Millswood, Hyde Park, and Forestville. 2.2 Brief Thematic History of the City of Unley 2.2.1 Land and Settlement The Kaurna people are the traditional aboriginal owners of the Adelaide Plains and Unley is part of the well watered areas where they camped and hunted for thousands of years before European settlement. The land which became the core of the Unley area was covered in eucalypt woodland with River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) growing thickly along the major creeks and water courses. "The Golden wattle also grew upon it in all its pride of colour … The native lilac was there also, both purple and white and growing in large masses. Other flowering shrubs were to be met with in equal profusion, and between the grass knee deep," Adelaide Observer 1887. European settlement of the Unley area began soon after the arrival of the first colonists, once the “provincial survey B” was completed, and the area which is now within the City of Unley was transformed from bushland to farmland. ‘Village’ settlements soon followed. Soon after settlement, 52 acres of Section 49 were set aside as Section 2039 to be used as an Aboriginal reserve. This division, although unnamed, can be seen on the 1839 Arrowsmith map [below]. By 1847 the land was leased out for farming, it had been fenced and had improvements consisting of a house, stockyard, outbuildings and a well. This section is now densely developed with housing apart from a small park on the corner of East Avenue and Cross Roads which retains the only large mature trees in the area. The houses in this section date from the early 1920s to the present. It is interesting to note that although this land was set aside for aboriginal use it was nowhere near running water or one of the creeks. McDougall & Vines 3 Unley Heritage Research Study (2006 to 2012) 1839 PLAN OF UNLEY AREA WITH SECTIONS AND OWNERS [After Arrowsmith -1839] The major initial land owners of the sections which now comprise Unley were Dr Charles Everard (Sections 44 and 43), Edmund Trimmer and Henry Grainger (Sections 241, 242 and 243) and the South Australian Company (Sections 6, 221, 230 and 224). Most other landowners held single sections, but did not necessarily settle on their land. Everard farmed his sections until his death in 1876 when his son took over the estate. Trimmer did live in the colony until 1855, when he returned to London, leaving his land in the care of his agent Edward Wright. He was a substantial benefactor to the emerging district of Unley, providing land for St Augustine’s church, the Unley Oval and the public (primary) school. The other notable initial landowner, Thomas Whistler, owned Sections 237 and 238 and the first subdivision of the land within Section 238 was referred to as 'Whistler's Subdivision of Unley'. The sale of lots commenced in 1842, and within 6 months of this the Village of Unley was reported to have 22 houses, all of which were located on allotments of 1 to 2 acres (4,000 - 8,000 m²), and the village had a population of 92 (approximately 4.2 persons per dwelling). Section 238 formed the 'Central Village of Unley' which consisted of the following streets/boundaries: Arthur Street, Thomas Street, Mary Street, 'Bulls Creek' Road, now Unley Road on the eastern boundary and Lazy Jane Road, now Queen Street to the west. Villages emerged as other Sections were subdivided into smaller plots and the arterial road system developed. The subdivisions of Unley Village, Goodwood, Fullarton, Terryville (Parkside), Unley Park and Black Forest became the main village centres in the district. The announcement of the first auction read: "…almost the last vestige of unimpaired woodland scenery near to Adelaide includes some of the most ornamental trees to be found in the colony. It is at all times free from dust, commands varied and beautiful prospects, and yields delicious water.

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