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HeritageAdvicefortheVictoriaPlanningAuthority,‘MyerHouse’,MintaFarm,Berwick(Stage3)

MyerHouse,MintaFarm(27March2017)©GJMHeritage

11July2017Preparedfor:VictorianPlanningAuthority

by:

DrLeoMartin,Director RenaeJarman,DirectorLLB,BPD,BA(Hons) BA,GradCert(PlanningandEnvironment)GJMHeritage t:0433671914 e:enquiries@gjmheritage.comw:www.gjmheritage.comm:GPOBox2634,Melbourne,VIC3001

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Contents1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................................3

2. TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm....................................................................................................................4

2.1 HeritageCitation..................................................................................................................................42.2 StatementofSignificance....................................................................................................................42.3 ManagementRecommendations........................................................................................................4

AppendixA:HeritageCitation...........................................................................................................................7

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1. IntroductionMintaFarmisasiteof288.9hectareslocatedinthesuburbofBerwickonMelbourne’surbanfringe.A‘HistoricCulturalHeritageAssessment’oftheentirefarmwasundertakenbyTardisEnterprises‘ArchaeologistsandHeritageAdvisors’in2011(theTardisReport).TheTardisReportidentifiedaseriesofstructuresonthesite,includingthe‘MintaHomestead’,asmalldairy,workersquarters,acottageanda‘MyerHouse’.TheassessmentidentifiedtheMyerHouseashaving‘moderatehistoricculturalheritagesignificance’andsuggestedaseriesofmanagementoptions,butdidnotexplicitlyrecommendaHeritageOverlayforthesite.

GJMHeritagehasbeenengagedtoprovideadditionaladviceonthesignificanceoftheMyerHouse,asidentifiedinthefollowingtasks,whichfallintothreestages:

Stage1

- Undertakeapeerreviewofthe‘HistoricCulturalHeritageAssessment’- DesktopresearchintothehistoryoftheMyerHouse- PreparationofacontextualhistoryoftheMyerHouse

Stage2

- PreparationofaheritageassessmentoftheMyerHouse- Collationandindexationofthephotographicrecord

Stage3(ifStages1and2resultedinthefindingthattheMyerHousewasofheritagesignificanceatthelocallevel)

- PreparationofaheritagecitationfortheMyerHouse- Preparationofareportmakingrecommendationsinrelationtointegration,conservationand

managementwithinthePrecinctStructurePlan(PSP)

ThisreportcontainsalldeliverablesrequiredinStage3.Itisinformedbyanexternalandinternalinspectionofthebuilding,whichwasundertakenon27March2017.ImagesinthisreportweretakenbyGJMHeritageonthatdate,unlessotherwisestated.

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2. TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm2.1 HeritageCitationTheStage2ReportpreparedbyGJMHeritageinvolvedananalysisoftheMyerHouseatMintaFarmandacomparativeanalysisofitssignificanceagainsttheotherknownexamplesofMyerHousesthatremaininVictoria.TheStage2Reportfoundthat:

TheMyerHouseatMintaFarm,BerwickisarareandhighlyintactexampleofitstypeandoneofthefewexamplesknowntoexistinVictoria…thehouseremainsasanimportantillustrativeexampleofexperimentationintheprefabricationofhousesthatoccurreddirectlyaftertheendofWorldWarII,toaddresshousingshortagesandtoutilisebothengineeringtechniquesandskilledworkforcefromwartime.

Onthisbasis,theStage2ReportconcludedthatthehousewouldmeetthethresholdforinclusionintheHeritageOverlayoftheCaseyPlanningScheme.

Stage3hasinvolvedthepreparationofaHeritageCitation,includingaStatementofSignificance,fortheMyerHouseatMintaFarm.ThecitationhasbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeguidancecontainedwithinPlanningPracticeNote1:ApplyingtheHeritageOverlay(PPN01).TheStatementofSignificancefortheplaceisprovidedbelow.ThefullcitationisincludedatAttachmentA.

2.2 StatementofSignificanceWhatissignificant?

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwick,aprefabricatedhouseconstructedc1947.

Elementsthatcontributetothesignificanceoftheplaceinclude(butarenotlimitedto):

• Theexternalform,materialsanddetailingofthebuilding.

Lateralterationsandadditionsarenotsignificant

Howisitsignificant?

TheMyer House,Minta Farm, Berwick is of local historical and architectural significance to the City ofCasey.

Whyisitsignificant?

The prefabricated Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick clearly illustrates the response to the housingshortage in Victoria after World War II. This resulted in the development of prototype prefabricatedhouses,byboththeprivateandpublicsector,whichcouldbeconstructedcheaplyandquickly, includingtheMyerHousetype(CriterionA).

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwickisoneofasmallnumberofprefabricatedhousesknowntoremainfromthe late1940s inVictoria. It isahighly intactandraresurvivingexampleof theprefabricatedMyerHouse type. The original form, materials and detailing of the place clearly demonstrate the typicalcharacteristicsofthisbuildingtype(CriterionB).

The Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick has strong associations with two well-known Victorian familieswhichwererelatedbymarriage,theBaillieuandMyerfamilies.TheBaillieufamilyownedMintaFarmandwereresponsiblefortheconstructionoftheMyerHouseontheproperty,while,asdirectorsoftheMyerEmporium, the Myer family were instrumental in the development of this prefabricated house type(CriterionH).

2.3 ManagementRecommendationsInlightoftheidentifiedsignificanceoftheMyerHouse,GJMHeritagehaspreparedanumberof

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managementrecommendationsthatrelatetotheintegration,conservationandmanagementofthebuildingwithinthePSP.

WeunderstandthataspartofthePSPimplementationprocess,CaseyhasapolicyofincludingarequirementintheScheduletotheUrbanGrowthZoneforthepreparationofaConservationManagementPlan(CMP)foreachheritageplaceidentifiedintherelevantPSP.ItmaythereforebeprudenttoexpeditethepreparationoftheCMPtoprovideamorecomprehensivesetofmanagementrecommendationsatthispoint.

Notwithstandingtheabove,thefollowingrecommendationswillassistintheconsiderationoftheplaceinthedevelopmentofthePSP.

2.3.1 Integration

MyerHousesweredesignedandconstructedoff-siteandwithoutreferencetotheirultimatedestination.Asaresult,thesitingofthisbuildingislessimportantthanitsfabric.HistoricalresearchhasbeenunabletoidentifyanysignificanceattributedtothelocationoftheMyerHousewithintheMintaFarmcomplex.Whilethepreferredoption,inheritageterms,istomaintainthebuildinginitscurrentlocation,itsre-locationwithintheextentoftheMintaFarmcomplex(withwhichitishistoricallyassociated)maybeanacceptableheritageoutcome,particularlyifitsrelocationprovidesanopportunityforthebuildingtobebetterusedandunderstood.

2.3.3 Orientation

AsMyerHouseswerenotdesignedforaparticularlocation,theirorientationwouldalsohavevaried.ThelargesiteatMintaFarmhasprovidedtheopportunityfortheownerstoorientatethehousetothenorth–whichtheyhavedone.However,thisissimplyareflectionoftheopportunityaffordedbyalargesite.Itisconsideredthatthere-orientationofthehousemaybepossible,providedthatanappropriatecurtilagewasmaintainedtoallowtheformofthehousetobeunderstood.WhethertheMyerHouseremainsinitscurrentlocationorisre-orientated,thefuturesubdivisionpatternofthePSPshouldensurethattheprincipaldesignedfaçadeofthehouse(inthecasetheeasternelevation)addressesaroad.Thiswillensuretheheritageplacehaspresenceinthenewurbanlandscapeandcancontinuetobeusedasadwelling.

2.3.3 Curtilage

PPN1providesdetailedguidanceon‘CurtilagesandHeritageOverlayPolygons’.Itnotesthat:

Inmanycases,particularlyinurbanareasandtownships,theextentofthecurtilagewillbethewholeoftheproperty(forexample,asuburbandwellinganditsallotment).

Itthengoesontodiscussinstanceswheresomelandisnotsignificantandareducedcurtilagemaybeappropriate.

ThebroaderMintaFarmcomplexhasnotbeenidentifiedaspossessingsufficientculturalheritagevaluetosatisfythethresholdforinclusionintheHeritageOverlayoftheCaseyPlanningScheme.TheMyerHouseconstitutesaverysmallpartofthebroaderMintaFarmcomplexanditisappropriatethattheproposedextentoftheHeritageOverlayfocusonlyontheMyerHouseitself.

PPN1providesfurtherguidanceuponhowtheextentoftheproposedHeritageOverlayshouldbeestablishedinthesecircumstances.Specifically,itstatesthattheproposedextentshould:

• Capturethoseelementsoftheplacethataresignificant;and• Includeacurtilageinorderto:

- Retainthesettingorcontextofthesignificantbuilding,structure,treeorfeature- Regulatedevelopment(includingsubdivision)incloseproximitytothesignificantbuilding,

treeorfeature.

PPN1proposes,wherepossible,theapplicationofuncomplicatedandeasilyrecognisedboundaries.Inthis

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instancetheexerciseismadedifficultbytheabsenceofsuchboundaries.

Intheabsenceofrecognizedboundaries,wehaveconsideredthecurtilagenecessarytoregulatedevelopmentandalsolookedathowcomparablebuildingswithinanurbancontexthavebeentreated.WenotethattheonlyotherMyerHousethatexistswithinasuburbancontext(659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth–HO120)islocatedonablockofapproximately510m2(allofwhichisaffectedbytheHO).TheBeaufortHouseswithintheGallipoliParadePrecinct(HO80)aregenerallyonblocksofapproximately600m2–againthefullblocksareaffectedbytheHOcontrol.

Inlightofthis,ifaconnectorstreetorotherlocalstreetextendsnorth-southalongthefrontage,weproposethattheHOfortheMyerHouseatMintaFarmextends5mfromtheeasternelevationand6mfromthenorthernelevation.Thiswillensurethatsignificantviewstothebuilding’s‘front’(eastern)façadeareretainedandthatthenorthernfaçade(whichincludesthemainwindowsandthechimney)canalsobeseenandreadfromthepublicrealm.Thesouthernfaçadeisnotheavilyarticulatedandasmallercurtilageof3mwillbesufficient.Finally,wehaveallowedfora10mcurtilageattheproperty’srear(western)façade.

TheproposedcurtilageswouldcreateanHOof589m2,whichiscomparableinsizetothelotat659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth(HO120)andalsothelotscontainingtheBeaufortHouseswithintheGallipoliParadePrecinct–HO80.

Asaresult,ourrecommendedHeritageOverlayextent(blueboundary)isasindicatedintheHeritageCitationatAppendixA.

WenotethattheproposedextenthasbeeninformedbytheexistingorientationoftheMyerHouseandtheproposedroadlayoutdescribedabove.TheproposedHOextentwillneedtobereassessedintheeventthatthehouseisre-orientatedoradifferentroadlayoutisproposed.

2.3.4 Interpretation

GiventherelativelymodestnatureoftheMyerHouse,thedevelopmentofon-siteinterpretativematerialtoexplainthehistoryandsignificanceoftheplaceisappropriate.

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AppendixA:HeritageCitation

MYERHOUSE,MINTAFARM

Address: 2-106SoldiersRoad,Berwick(partof)

Preparedby: GJMHeritage

Date: 11July2017

Placetype:PrefabricatedHouse Architect:

Grading:Locallysignificant Builder:CommonwealthAircraftCorporationPtyLtd/JCTaylor&SonsPtyLtd

Integrity:Veryhigh ConstructionDate:c1947

Recommendation:IncludeintheHeritageOverlay ExtentofOverlay:RefertoFigure18

Figure1:MyerHouse(27March2017)

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StatementofSignificance

Whatissignificant?

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwick,aprefabricatedhouseconstructedc1947.

Elementsthatcontributetothesignificanceoftheplaceinclude(butarenotlimitedto):

• Theexternalform,materialsanddetailingofthebuilding.

Lateralterationsandadditionsarenotsignificant

Howisitsignificant?

TheMyer House,Minta Farm, Berwick is of local historical and architectural significance to the City ofCasey.

Whyisitsignificant?

The prefabricated Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick clearly illustrates the response to the housingshortage in Victoria after World War II. This resulted in the development of prototype prefabricatedhouses,byboththeprivateandpublicsector,whichcouldbeconstructedcheaplyandquickly, includingtheMyerHousetype(CriterionA).

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwickisoneofasmallnumberofprefabricatedhousesknowntoremainfromthe late1940s inVictoria. It isahighly intactandraresurvivingexampleof theprefabricatedMyerHouse type. The original form, materials and detailing of the place clearly demonstrate the typicalcharacteristicsofthisbuildingtype(CriterionB).

The Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick has strong associations with two well-known Victorian familieswhichwererelatedbymarriage,theBaillieuandMyerfamilies.TheBaillieufamilyownedMintaFarmandwereresponsiblefortheconstructionoftheMyerHouseontheproperty,while,asdirectorsoftheMyerEmporium, the Myer family were instrumental in the development of this prefabricated house type(CriterionH).

HistoricalThemes

The place illustrates the following theme as outlined in theCity of Casey Thematic Environment History(2004):

4 Workingtheland

4.1 Grazing

7. BuildingSettlements,TownsandCities

7.1. TownshipDevelopment

7.1.4 Twentiethcenturyprivatesubdivisions&suburbanestates

Localityhistory

InformedbyContextPtyLtd,CityofCaseyThematicEnvironmentalHistory(PostEuropeanContact),2004.

Minta Farm is located in the suburb of Berwick, on the urban fringe to the south-east of Melbourne.Squatterstookuppastoralrunsinthisdistrictfromthelate1830s,whereCardiniaCreekprovidedthemainwatersourceforgrazing.Subdivisionoftheserunsoccurred intheearly1850sand initial landsalestookplacein1853and1854.

ThesmallagriculturaltownshipofBerwick,establishedtoservicefarmingcommunities,developed inthe1870s.TheimpetusfordevelopmentwasthecompletionoftheGippslandRoadfromMelbournetoSalein1865 and the provision of regular coach services, as well as the subsequent construction of the Main

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GippslandRailwayin1877-79withtheopeningofastationatBerwickin1877.

MuchofthelandsurroundingtheBerwicktownshipcontinuedtobeusedforgrazing,withsomecropping,throughthetwentiethcentury.TherecentgrowthofurbanfringesuburbssuchasBerwickhasresultedinthesubdivisionofformeragriculturallandandthedevelopmentofhousingestatesinthelocality.

Placehistory

Establishedasapastoralruninthenineteenthcentury,MintaFarm,BerwickhadnumerousownersbeforeitwasacquiredbyFrancisandLillianOfficerin1910(CertificateofTitle3451/097).Theoriginalportionofthe existing homestead appears to have been built by 1913 (Rate Book 1913/14) with additions andoutbuildingsconstructedatthepropertyprobablyafter1931whenMintaFarmwasacquiredbyMarshallLawrenceBaillieu(CertificateofTitle2943/485).AfterMLBaillieu’sdeath,MintaFarmwastransferredtoIanMarshallBaillieuin1985(CertificateofTitle3451/097).

Aprefabricatedhouse,aMyerHousetypedevelopedbytheMyerfamily,wasconstructedatMintaFarmc1947bytheBaillieufamily.Locatedtothenorth-westofthemainhomesteadcomplex,itwaspresumablyintendedtoprovideadditionalaccommodationat theproperty for farmworkers. It isof interest tonotethat the Baillieu and Myer families were related by marriage - Marjorie Merlyn Baillieu married thedeveloperofthechainofMyerstores,SidneyMyerinthe1920s.

TheprefabricatedMyerHousetypedevelopedinresponsetoahousingshortageinVictoria.TheadventoftheGreatDepressionin1930sawadramaticdeclineinbuildingactivityinVictoriaandthis,togetherwiththeadventofWorldWarII,resultedinashortageofhousingwhichbecameextremelyapparentassoldiersreturned home from the war. A lack of qualified labour and shortage of materials compounded thisproblem.Therewassignificantinterest–bothfromthepublicandprivatesector–inattemptingtoresolvetheissue,includingthedevelopmentofaseriesofprototypehomesthatcouldbeconstructedquicklyandcheaply(UniversityofMelbourneArchives, ‘HaroldBartlettCollection’).TwooftheearliesthousingtypesdevelopedweretheBeaufortandMyerHouses;theformerbytheVictorianHousingCommissionandthelatterbytheMyerEmporium.

On behalf of theMyer Emporium, NormanMyer introduced theMyer House to a group ofMelbournebusinessmenandpoliticians in1945(TheArgus,8September1945:9).Theplanwastodevelopahousethatwascapableofquickerectionatlowcost,whichwouldrequirelimitedmaintenance.ThehousesweretobeconstructedbytheCommonwealthAircraftCorporationPtyLtd(TheAge,12February1947:5).ThebenefitsofthehouseweredetailedinanarticlepublishedinTheArguson16January1947,p12,whereNormanMyerwasreportedasstating:

Itisthecheapesthomeofitstypeeverbuilt.Theminimumusehasbeenmadeofmaterialswhichwoulddeteriorate.Therewasnoexposedwoodworkandverylittlewoodwasusedintheinterior.Thehousehadanall-cement foundation,an iron frame, thick cementandplasterwalls,and zincannealtiles,whichwouldneithermovenorbreak.

TheArguswentontoreportthat:

Thehouseistobebuilt insixdesigns,eachcapableofcarryinganadditionalroomifrequired.Allthe normal fittings are in-built, and the home, because of its design, will require much lessfurnishingsandfurniturethanisnormal.

Therewasconsiderablegovernmentandpublic interest intheproject,withademonstrationMyerHouse(thatwas to be raffled) erected in the TreasuryGardens in January 1947 and reports of long queues ofpeoplewaitingtoorderthehouse(TheArgus,13February1947:13).

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Figure2TheArgus,13February1947,p13

Figure3TheAustralianWomen’sWeekly,29March1947,p36

Acolouredadvertisingbrochure ‘TheMyerHouse’,produced in1947by theMyerEmporium, illustratedanddescribedthisprefabricatedhousetype,statingthattheyweretobeerectedbyJCTaylor&SonsPtyLtd. of Richmond. It was described as ‘the result of three years of world-wide investigation onmodernhome building’ and as ‘a substantial structure in concrete, brick and timber, combined with factoryproduced‘zincanneal’roofing, joinery,plumbingandallgenerous interiorfittings’.Threebasicplantypeswereillustrated,theAL,BLandCL,andmirrorimageoftheseplansresultedinsixplanvariations.

ThematerialsoftheMyerHousesweredescribedinthebrochureasfollows:

• reinforcedconcretefoundations• steelandtimberfloors• timberexternalwalls,withconcretesheetingandstuccoorsandfinish• timberinteriorwallswithplastersheeting• steelrooftrusseswithzinctiles,bargesandfascias• aluminiumdoors• timberandaluminiumwindows• timberarchitraves,picturerailsandskirtings.

Built-in furniture included bedroom cupboards and drawers. Kitchens, laundries and bathrooms were

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produced as units at the factory and transported to site in a finished condition,with all equipment andservices built-in. Future extension of the houses was made possible by the inclusion of a door in theexteriorwall,enablingathirdbedroomtobeprovidedifrequired.

Despitetheapparententhusiasmfortheseprefabricatedhousingschemes,constructioncontinuedforonlya brief period. A change of government in late 1947 and concerns about the economic viability of bothhousingschemes ledtothedemiseof theBeaufortHouse inearly1948(TheArgus,12February1948:1)andtheMyerHousesoonafter.ItislikelythatonlyasmallnumberofbothMyerandBeauforthouseswerebuiltandthisincludedtheMyerHouseattheBaillieu-ownedproperty,MintaFarminc1947.

Description

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwick isanexampleof theALmodelandplan typeas illustrated in theadvertisingbrochure‘TheMyerHouse’,producedin1947bytheMyerEmporium.Itissitedwiththemainfacadefacingnorthandappearstohavebeenbuiltwiththeoptionalthirdbedroomatthewestend.Thehouse is highly intact and is similar in appearance to the house illustrated in theMyer House brochure(Figure4).

Figure4MyerHousemodelandplantypeAL,fromPlantypestakenfrom:TheMyerEmporium‘TheMyerHouse’brochure(1947).

Thehouse isofsimplerectangular formwithtwoslightlyoffsetgablesmeetingat themid-point,asmallprotrudinggable-endto theeastanda largeprotrudinggable to thewest.The latteraccommodates thethirdbedroom.Apartlyopencoveredareaislocatedtothenorthofthewesterngabledsection.Thishasaflatroof,roughcastendwall,andgutteringwhichmatchesthatofthehouse,suggestingitformedpartoftheoriginal construction.Adeep recessedporch, locatedat themid-pointof thenorth façade,providesentrytothehouse.

The external walls are timber framed with a roughcast finish, and the roof is clad with corrugatedgalvanised iron.The lattermayhavereplacedoriginal zinc tiles,whichwerespecified in thepromotionalbrochure, or may be the original cladding. Zinc pressed shingle sheets line the gable ends. A broad,unadornedtaperedchimneybreastprotrudesfromthenorthfaçade.Thisdiffersfromtheexposedbrick,straight-sided chimney illustrated in the brochure. Windows are timber-framed with double-hungaluminiumsashes.

The interior of the house contains a longitudinal hall, which provides access to a living room andmainbedroomtotheeastandsecondbedroom,diningroom,kitchen,bathroom,laundryandthirdbedroomtothewest. Interiorwalls are timber framedand linedwithplaster,with timber skirtings, picture rails and

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architraves.Floorsareoftimberandceilingsandcornicesareofplaster.

Figure5:NorthernFaçade Figure6:EasternFacade

Figure7:South-easternFaçade Figure8:NorthernFaçade

Figure9:EasternFaçade–gableenddetail Figure10:EasternFaçade–roughcastfinishdetail

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Figure11:North-westernFaçade Figure12:NorthernFacade

Integrity

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarmretainsahighlevelofintegritytoitsoriginaldesigninform,fabricanddetail.The house remains highly intact externally which enables the place to be clearly understood andappreciatedasanexampleofaMyerHouse.

ComparativeAnalysis

HistoricalresearchhasnotbeenabletoidentifythenumberofMyerHousesconstructed,orthenumberthatremain.Itwasreportedinanarticlein6August1947,thataproposedMyerHouseinGlenWaverleywastobethe’35th’tobeerected.Asproductionceasedinearly1948itwouldappearlikelythattheoverallnumberconstructedwasrelativelysmall(DandenongJournal,6August1947:11).

Perhapsunsurprisinglygiventhesmallnumberofhousesconstructedandtheirrelativelymodestform,fewextantexamplesof theMyerHousehavebeen identifiedas remaining inVictoria.All those identified todate appear to be examples of the AL model, similar to the demonstration model constructed in theTreasuryGardensinJanuary1947andsincedemolished(TheAge,24January1947:4).

Identifiedextantexamplesare:

• Twothree-bedroomhousesatEynesburyHomestead,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury(VHRH0362)• House,659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth(HO120,CityofMoreland)• Three-bedroomhouse,MintaFarm,Berwick.

AnotherMyerHouseisknowntohavebeenconstructedattheRoyalVictorianInstituteoftheBlind(RVIB),StKildaRoad,Melbourne(VHRH1002),howeverthishassincebeendemolished. It is interestingtonotethat thepropertiesat EynesburyandBerwickwerebothownedby theBaillieu family in the late1940s/1950s–atthetimetheMyerHousesare likelytohavebeenconstructed.TheBaillieuandMyerfamilieswere related by marriage and this is likely to explain the use of these structures on Baillieu-ownedproperties.

Likewise, few extant examples of the prefabricated Beaufort House have been identified in Victoria. Agroupofeighthouses,ofanoriginaltwenty-threehousesbuilt inPascoeValeSouthfortheWarServicesHomesCommission, remainshighly intact.Theseareof identicaldesignandare included in theHeritageOverlayoftheLocalPlanningSchemeoftheCityofMorelandaspartofGallipoliParadePrecinct,HO80.

ThecomparativeanalysisbelowhasbeenbaseduponananalysisofthethreeotherextantMyerHousesidentifiedtodate,andthenowdemolishedbuildingwithintheRVIB.

Eynesbury,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury(VHRH0362)

Two identical three-bedroom prefabricated Myer Houses were erected to the south of the homestead

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c1947,afterthepurchaseoftheEynesburypropertybyJohnBaillieuthepreviousyear.Bothareexamplesof the AL type floor plan, as illustrated in theMyer House brochure,with an additional bedroom. Thehouses are considered to contribute to the state significanceof the Eynesbury estate as rare andhighlyintactexamplesoftheseprefabricatedMyerHouses.

TheyarementionedintheVHRCitationforEynesbury–albeitbriefly.TheHistorynotesthat:‘twoidenticalprefabricatedMyerhouseswereerectedtothesouth…ofthepropertyin1947’.Thehousesareidentifiedasbeing:‘historicallyandarchitecturallyimportantasrareandhighlyintactexamplesofoneofthemanyprefabricatedhousesconstructedbytheCommonwealthAircraftCorporationandmarketedbytheMyerEmporiumduringtheworld-wideshortageofhousingfollowingtheSecondWorldWar.’

Bothhousesareofhighintegrity;althoughtheydonotappeartohavebeenlivedinforsometimeandtheconditionofone(inparticular)hasbeencompromised.

Figure13:MyerHouse1,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017

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Figure14:MyerHouse1,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017

Figure15:MyerHouse2,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017

659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth,CityofMoreland(HO120)

Thehouseat659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouthwasoriginallyidentifiedintheCityofCoburgHeritageConservation and Streetscape Study (Timothy Hubbard Pty Ltd, 1990) and graded ‘B’. The property ispresently subject to an individual Heritage Overlay (HO 120) within the City of Moreland. The citationprepared for the City ofMoreland Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay described the house as ‘a largelyintactexampleoftheMyerhouses’andthe‘onlyknownexampleinCoburg’.

Whiletheformofthehomeremainsreadable,ithasbeensomewhataltered.Inparticulartheadditionofexternal roller shutters, the replacement of the roof tiles and the apparent addition of

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weatherboard/imitationweatherboardcladdingtothegableshavecompromisedthebuilding’sintegrity.

Figure16:659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth©GoogleStreetview,29March2017.

RoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlind(VHRH1002)(demolished)

AprefabricatedMyerHousewasalsoerectedinthegroundsoftheRoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlindbetween1947and1953.TheStatementofSignificancefortheplacedescribesthishouseas‘oneofthefewexamplesofitstypeinVictoria’andstatesthatitcontributedtothestatesignificanceoftheplace.Despitethis,theMyerhousehasbeendemolishedsinceassessmentoftheplacewasundertaken.

Figure17:MyerHouse,RoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlind(sincedemolished)(imagefromVHD)

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Conclusion

TheMyerHousewasanexpressionof thesignificantgrowth in thedemand forhousing followingWorldWar II. Because this housing type was only manufactured during c1947-48, comparatively few wereproduced, andonly threeother examples havebeen identified as remaining inVictoria.Given the smallnumberbuilt,itisclearlyarareexampleofitstype.Twoofthehouses(bothatEynesbury)areincludedonthe VHR as part of the Eynesbury Homestead and the house at Pascoe Vale South is included on anindividualHeritageOverlaywithintheCityofMoreland.Allexamplesknowntoremainareexamplesofthe‘AL’model.

AnanalysisindicatesthatthehouseatMintaFarmisofhighintegrityandcomparableinqualitytothetwohousesatEynesbury.ItisinmoreintactconditionthantheexamplewithintheCityofMoreland.

AssessmentAgainstCriteria

FollowingisanassessmentoftheplaceagainsttherecognisedheritagecriteriasetoutinPlanningPracticeNote1:ApplyingtheHeritageOverlay(July2015).

CriterionA:Importancetothecourseorpatternofourculturalornaturalhistory(historicalsignificance).

The prefabricated Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick clearly illustrates the response to the housingshortage in Victoria after World War II. This resulted in the development of prototype prefabricatedhouses,byboththeprivateandpublicsector,whichcouldbeconstructedcheaplyandquickly, includingtheMyerHousetype.

CriterionB:Possessionofuncommon,rareorendangeredaspectsofourculturalhistory.

TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm,Berwickisoneofasmallnumberofprefabricatedhousesknowntoremainfromthe late1940s inVictoria. It isahighly intactandraresurvivingexampleof theprefabricatedMyerHouse type. The original form, materials and detailing of the place clearly demonstrate the typicalcharacteristicsofthisbuildingtype.

CriterionH:Specialassociationwiththelifeorworksofaperson,orgroupofpersons,ofimportanceinourhistory(associativesignificance).

The Myer House, Minta Farm, Berwick has strong associations with two well-known Victorian familieswhichwererelatedbymarriage,theBaillieuandMyerfamilies.TheBaillieufamilyownedMintaFarmandwereresponsiblefortheconstructionoftheMyerHouseontheproperty,while,asdirectorsoftheMyerEmporium,theMyerfamilywereinstrumentalinthedevelopmentofthisprefabricatedhousetype.

GradingandRecommendations

ItisrecommendedthattheplacebeincludedintheHeritageOverlayoftheCityofCaseyPlanningSchemeasalocallysignificantheritageplace.

Recommendations for the Schedule to theHeritageOverlay (Clause 43.01) in theCity of CaseyPlanningScheme:

ExternalPaintControls? No

InternalAlterationControls? No

TreeControls? No

OutbuildingsorFencesnotexemptunderClause43.01-3? No

ProhibitedUsesPermitted? Yes

IncorporatedPlan? No

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AboriginalHeritagePlace? No

ExtentoftherecommendedHeritageOverlay

ItisrecommendedthattheHeritageOverlaybeappliedtothefollowinglandandbuildings.Theextentofthe overlay should extend 5m from the eastern façade, 6m from the northern façade, 3m from thesouthernfaçadeand10mfromthewesternfaçadeoftheMyerHouse.AsoutlinedinblueinFigure18.

Figure18:ProposedextentofHeritageOverlay.

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References:

TheAge,8September1945:24January1947:12February1947,p.5.

TheArgus,16January1947,p12;13February1947,p13.

AustralianWomen’sWeekly,29March1947,p36.

City of Moreland, Citation for ‘Myer House, 659 Moreland Road, Pascoe Vale South’ HO120, VictorianHeritageDatabase.

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