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

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. This may be the only row of houses existing in Australia with this pattern.
Cook Terrace: 249 Coronation Drive, Milton. Brisbane, Queensland

Cook Terrace: 249 Coronation Drive. Milton, 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.
Cook Terrace is currently used as offices as part of a prominent business park, however the terrace has had a long and interesting history.
It was originally built as flats rather than terrace houses by builder Joseph Blain Cook to exploit a loophole in the Queensland Undue Subdivision of Land Prevention Act of 1885 and avoid subsequent penalties. However like similar houses in Melbourne and Sydney, the row was aimed squarely at well-to-do tenants.
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. A central Italianate style tower helps the terrace to appear as one massive mansion. The mid terrace is the width of two terraces plus the tower and entry. The entry features a keystoned arch with banded columns topped by a brief flat arched loggia with balustrade. A single round arched window with keystone and voussoir is flanked by prominent classical pilasters with entablature. At the top of the tower, an open bottom pediment with the name Avonmore is topped by a cross motif. Every third terrace has a triangular pediment on the parapet to give symmetry and a point of reference in between.





