Freestanding Terrace House: 7 McCully Street, Ascot Vale. Melbourne, Victoria

This freestanding boom style double storey terrace is unfortunately not heritage protected and is in an unrenovated state.  Its double storey verandah balustrade, iron lacework and roof has been removed with a single column and decking all that remains and there are large visible cracks on the facade.  Still the facade is largely in its original condition and the lack of verandah reveals a  richly decorated parapet and party walls, a pair of plain French windows on the upper storey as well as detailed ground level facade featuring a cluster of windows with arched mouldings and bracketed ledges as well as a timber framed Victorian door complete with decorated fanlight and sidelights.

The parapet features a circular centrepiece with crown and shell motif flanked by pedestals (obviously missing their decorative urns or finials), balustrade, scrolls and entablature.  The cornice is held up by double brackets and spaced with paterae and mouldings while beneath a string course is a frieze of alternating festoons and circular wreaths.  Among the decorative mouldings of the party walls are female heads, acanthus scroll corbels and vermiculated panels with tall blind arches at ground level and open arches on the upper storey.

Like many of the great remaining Victorian terraces in the Ascot Vale area, there have been few heritage studies to help preserve them.  This is one I would definitely consider an outstanding example of the Italianate boom style.  The responsible planning authority is the City of Moonee Valley.