FORMER OLYMPIC TYRE & RUBBER FACTORY 56 – 84 CROSS STREET, FOOTSCRAY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN Prepared for South Pacific Tyres by HLCD Pty Ltd, 96 Pelham St, Carlton, Vic 3053 Ph: 9347 5522 Fax: 9347 5511 Email: [email protected] FINAL REPORT JANUARY 2005 Conservation Management Plan Former Olympic Tyre & Rubber Factory Footscray Contents 1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................2 1.1 Aim ..........................................................................................................................................2 1.2 The Study Area and Scope of the Report................................................................................2 1.3 Methodology and Definitions ...................................................................................................2 1.4 Study Team and Acknowledgements ......................................................................................3 1.5 Current Heritage Listings.........................................................................................................4 2.0 Historical Information......................................................................................................................6 2.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................6 2.2 Footscray: ‘The Birmingham Of Australia’ ...............................................................................6 2.3 Development History of Olympic Tyre & Rubber Company....................................................8 2.4 Sir Francis (Frank) Beaurepaire (1891 – 1966) .....................................................................12 2.5 Brief History of Olympic Tyre & Rubber Company.................................................................13 2.6 Working at the Olympic Tyre & Rubber Company................................................................14 3.0 Site Analysis....................................................................................................................................16 3.1 The Site .................................................................................................................................16 3.2 The Buildings.........................................................................................................................18 3.3 Historic Images......................................................................................................................21 4.0 Comparative Analysis.....................................................................................................................24 4.1 Buildings by J. Raymond Robinson .......................................................................................24 4.2 Beaurepaire Related Sites.....................................................................................................28 4.3 Comparable Factories ...........................................................................................................30 4.4 The Style of the Buildings......................................................................................................36 5.0 Cultural Significance ......................................................................................................................41 5.1 Methodology and Criteria For Cultural Significance...............................................................41 5.2 Assessment Against Heritage Council Criteria ......................................................................41 5.3 Statement of Cultural Significance.........................................................................................43 5.4 What is Significant - Levels of Significance ...........................................................................46 5.5 Significance Plan...................................................................................................................47 6.0 Conservation Policy........................................................................................................................48 6.1 General Policy .......................................................................................................................48 6.2 Building Fabric.......................................................................................................................49 6.3 Landscape & Setting..............................................................................................................52 6.4 Future Development ..............................................................................................................54 6.5 Conservation Policy Plan.......................................................................................................58 6.6 Future Use.............................................................................................................................58 6.7 Moveable Objects..................................................................................................................59 6.8 Management..........................................................................................................................59 6.9 Interpretation .........................................................................................................................60 6.10 Further Investigation & Research ..........................................................................................61 6.11 Adoption & Review ................................................................................................................61 7.0 Management Plan............................................................................................................................63 7.1 Conservation Works Approaches ..........................................................................................63 7.2 Priorities for Conservation Works ..........................................................................................68 7.3 Maintenance..........................................................................................................................69 8.0 Select Bibliography.........................................................................................................................70 Appendices............................................................................................................................................72 Appendix 1 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter Appendix 2 Current Photographs Appendix 3 Heritage Council Statement of Significance Format Guidelines Appendix 4 Historic Images HLCD Pty Ltd (ABN 63 083 840 724) 96 Pelham Street Carlton Vic. 3053. PH: (03) 9347 5522 FAX: (03) 9347 5511 [email protected] 1 Conservation Management Plan Former Olympic Tyre & Rubber Factory Footscray 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 AIM The aim of this report is to establish the cultural significance of the former Olympic Tyre and Rubber Factory (now known as South Pacific Tyres) in Footscray and to formulate policies and a management plan to retain and enhance the significance of the site. 1.2 THE STUDY AREA AND SCOPE OF THE REPORT In July 2004, South Pacific Tyres appointed HLCD to undertake a conservation management plan for the Cross Street site. South Pacific Tyres is a partnership between Pacific Dunlop Tyres Pty Ltd and Goodyear Tyres Pty Ltd. The conservation management plan is part of the process of divestment of the property. The analysis of the significance will assist the decision making process in determining the extent of demolition which is critical to the remediation and ultimate disposal of the site. The site is located at 56 – 84 Cross Street, Footscray. The study location labelled Dunlop Olympic Tyres on the Melway Street Directory Map 41 J4 is shown below: 1.3 METHODOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS The structure and contents of this report have been written with reference to the key relevant cultural heritage documents in Australia. These are: The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance 1999. Peter Marquis-Kyle & Meredith Walker. The Illustrated Burra Charter, Making good decisions about the care of important places. Australia ICOMOS, Sydney 1992. Guidelines to the Burra Charter: Cultural significance, Australia ICOMOS, April 1984, revised April 1988. HLCD Pty Ltd (ABN 63 083 840 724) 96 Pelham Street Carlton Vic. 3053. PH: (03) 9347 5522 FAX: (03) 9347 5511 [email protected] 2 Conservation Management Plan Former Olympic Tyre & Rubber Factory Footscray Guidelines to the Burra Charter: Conservation policy, Australia ICOMOS, May 1985, revised April 1988. Guidelines to the Burra Charter: Procedures for undertaking studies and reports, Australia ICOMOS, April 1988. James Semple Kerr, The Conservation Plan. A guide to the preparation of Conservation Plans for places of European cultural significance, National Trust of Australia (NSW), Sydney, 1982, revised 1990. Definitions: The terms 'place', 'cultural significance', 'fabric', 'conservation', 'maintenance', 'preservation', 'restoration', 'reconstruction', 'adaptation', and 'compatible use' are used throughout this report with their specific meaning as defined in the ICOMOS Burra Charter, rather than meanings drawn from common usage. The Charter is reproduced in Appendix 1 for easy reference. The fabric of a place includes all the physical aspects of the place and its surroundings that are experienced while