Posts Tagged ‘1888’

Dorset Terrace: 136-144 St John Street, Launceston, Tasmania
As far as terraces go, Launceston is definitely one of Australia’s most suprising cities. Its inner streets could be straight out of inner Sydney or Melbourne, all in a city a tenth the size of Adelaide such was the popularity of this housing style during its boom period. Despite all this, almost all prominent texts on the subject point to one example, Alpha Terrace (which will be posted in due course possibly due to its bizarre mix of Sydney and Melbourne idiosyncrasies), though in my personal opinion there are many more notable examples of the style, some on the same St John Street stretch, such as the spectacular heritage listed1 “Dorset Terrace”2 a row of five homes erected in 1888 and likely named after Dorset county in south west England, possibly overlooked due to its self aggrandizing Melbourne style.

333-337 Lydiard Street North, Soldiers Hill. Ballarat, Victoria
This row of three single storey double fronted red brick Victorian era terraces mid way along the block is probably most notable for sporting a rare piece of Australiana – a kookaburra motif in its iron lacework. According to expert on cast iron lacework Graeme Robertson, just a couple examples of this pattern in use exist, and one of them, at 16 Chatsworth Road, Prahran was demolished a couple of decades ago. The terraces were built in 1888 as homes for Ballarat’s middle class. This may be the only row of terraces existing in Australia with this pattern.

Avonmore: 26-42 The Avenue, Randwick. Sydney, New South Wales
Avonmore Terrace is currently a boutique hotel located opposite Alison Park in Randwick. Built in 1888 by John Walsh the triple storey row of nine terraces contains 23 rooms rich in interior detail. Pictured above is the middle terrace which is its most interesting feature.

Cook Terrace: 249 Coronation Drive, Milton. Brisbane, Queensland
Cook Terrace is a landmark along the Brisbane River at Coronation Drive. It is a three storey row of six Victorian buildings dating back to 1888-1889. Currently used as offices as part of a prominent business park, this terrace has had a long and interesting history.