Terrace Houses: 1-3 Adam Street, Burnley. Melbourne, Victoria

Located close to Burnley railway station is this pair of Victorian terrace houses. They are looking a little worse for wear and the presence of a blog of walk-up flats next door may be a hint that this was originally part of a much larger row. They are in pretty poor condition with many modifications making them quite difficult to date, possibly working class terraces of the late 1880s or early 1890s.

Fairly standard Melbourne style terraces, probably originally in unpainted brick and render but currently painted in blanket cream. The Italianate styled terrace houses have a classicaly inspired high parapet hiding a pair of corrugated iron gable roofs. This one features a round arch with crown with stripped back classical entablature flanked by scolls. The pedestals on either party wall appear to have been stripped of decorative urns. The party walls are faced with vermiculated panels and acanthus scroll corbels.

The facade of each house is split into two bays by the wood verandah support. Number 1 has cast iron lacework, however the balcony panels appear to be a different style, resembling wrought iron possibly indicating that the original panels may have been removed. Still, it features a fringe and brackets of iron lacework on the upper and lower storeys, unlike its neighbour (Number 3) which has had almost all its iron lacework removed (with the exception of the fringe covered by wood) and its entire upper balcony built in with wood and glass, possibly in the 1950s.  The courtyards have been concreted and the facades have also been heavily compromised to allow for security roller blinds, aluminium windows and the like.

This pair of terraces has been listed under the Golden Square Precinct (HO322) giving it heritage protection, perhaps in the hope that their owners of these houses might restore them to their former glory.