Posts Tagged ‘victorian terraces’

45-53 Chaucer Street, Moonee Ponds. Melbourne, Victoria

Freestanding terraces at 45-53 Chaucer Street viewed from the north.  Photo by Ian McWhirter (all rights reserved) used with permission.

Freestanding terraces at 45-53 Chaucer Street viewed from the north. Photo by Ian Macwhirter (all rights reserved) used with permission.


We’re extremely lucky to have such an avid readership and one passionate reader Ian Macwhirter, responded to our call for contributions with a photo and well written piece about a beautiful boom style freestanding terraces of Chaucer Street in Moonee Pond and provided permission to publish them here. Ian writes:

Chaucer Street is in a neighbourhood of streets named after famous British poets. This row of six free standing double storey terraces was built between 1888 and 1890. Similar rows of free standing terrace houses are rare in Melbourne and this row of six is unique to the area. The availability of land in this area at the time of building could account for the row’s design.

Dorset Terrace: 136-144 St John Street, Launceston, Tasmania

Dorset Terrace

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.

4-16 Burton Street, Glebe. Sydney, New South Wales

Double storey row at 4-14 Burton Street Glebe Sydney New South Wales

Glebe, like Paddington is one of those areas where you can almost get lost in the uniformity of the long stretches of double storey terraces.  Burton Street, set near the railway line, while not possessing many homes of great individual character is typically Sydney, but refreshingly different in its Victorian era charm with its narrow rising aspect and hodge podge of double and single storey terraces and styles.  The longest row in the street is this unnamed row of five, erected in 1881.

Baker’s Terrace: 156-184 Lake Street. Perth, Western Australia

This row of fifteen double storey terraces, erected in 1897 is the longest remaining in Perth and Western Australia.

It was named after a cartage contractor – Robert Baker.1

Purchased for speculative development in 1895, the land was part of the Northbridge estate, however was aimed at a middle class clientele and began selling in 1897.  The row was purchased by Hyan Hester in 1921 and the houses progressively sold to individuals.  2

It was condemned by the government in the 1950s but was fortunately saved.3

The terrace received heritage listing in April 1996.4

Shakspeare Terrace: 329-343 Punt Road. Richmond, Victoria

Shakespeare Terrace as viewed from Richmond station

Shakspeare Terrace (an obvious if curious mispelling of the famous Shakespeare) is a row of eight double storey Victorian Italianate terraces positioned as one of the most visible in Melbourne commanding a prime position between the Punt Road Oval (and iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground) and Richmond railway station, it is also one of the most sadly neglected terraces in Melbourne.

Keady Hill Houses 554-556 Swanston Street, Carlton. Melbourne, Victoria

Keady Hill Houses 554-556 Swanston Street, Carlton

Like a number former terrace houses around inner Melbourne, this row of two former homes since 1995 has been used as a brothel1  (known as “Manhattan Terrace” and 556 formerly as “Club 556″).   The otherwise elegant Victorian Italianate pair were built in 1880 and unlike many used for similar purposes appears to be in remarkably good condition externally, with their elaborate detail and symmetry, including their parapet urn and balustrade largely intact (although the windows, doors and transoms have been modified).

Vaughn Terrace: 49-53 Raleigh Street, Windsor. Melbourne, Victoria

49-53 Raleigh Street, Windsor

Vaughn Terrace is a delightful little row of three single storey Italianate villas. The terraces feature oversized parapets and ornament typical of the late 1880s. The mid terrace carries the row’s name on its parapet. A most interesting feature of this terrace is the motif on the frieze of overlapping circles which demands visual attention. Located in an area of the City of Stonnington littered in flats and remnant terrace housing, suprisingly there is no heritage overlay for the area offering them little if any heritage protection.


Recent Comments
  • Ben: Beautiful, functional terraces (inside & out) within a great location. Clever use of space with enormous...
  • Leah: Hello I live at 15 Simpson Street. It has been lovingly preserved. 15 Simpson Street is divded into four...
  • timothy walker: Is this property for sale or rent. How much garden area is there?
  • timothy walker: I am interested in moving to Castlemaine. Is this property for sale or for rent?
  • MarkD: I’ve seen them hundreds of time and always known them as Shakespeare Terrace, but Shakspeare Terrace is...