Christ Church
275 Moorabool Street Geelong
Heritage Council Registrations Committee – 6 November 2015
Members – Tony Darvall (Chair), Penelope Smith, Garrie Hutchinson
DECISION OF THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
After considering the Executive Director’s recommendation and submissions received in response, pursuant to Sections 42 and 54 of the Heritage Act 1995 the Heritage
Council has determined to amend the registration of Christ Church, Geelong in the
Victorian Heritage Register.
Tony Darvall (Chair) Penelope Smith Garrie Hutchinson
Decision Date – 21 December 2015
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S38 Submissions
A s38 submission was received from Mr David Peek on behalf of the Anglican Parish of
Christ Church in response to the Executive Director’s recommendation to amend the existing registration of Christ Church. Mr Peek did not request that a Heritage Council hearing be held in relation to the submission.
Written Submissions
A written submission was received from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria (‘the
Executive Director’).
As detailed below, the Heritage Council determined the matter without a hearing by reference only to written submissions, including the s38 submission as listed above.
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The Place
1.
Christ Church, Geelong (‘the Place’) was the first church built for the Anglican
Church in Geelong, was opened in 1847 and is registered on the Victorian
Heritage Register as a place of historical, architectural and aesthetic significance to the State of Victoria. The Place is of historical significance due to its association with the early history of the Anglican Church in Victoria and as the oldest Anglican Church in the State still occupying its original site. It is of architectural significance as the only church in Victoria designed by prolific NSW architect, Edmund Blacket and as a very early work of Blacket's and possibly his first church design. Christ Church is also of aesthetic significance for its remarkable collection of stained glass windows, in particular the fine examples of the work of Ferguson and Urie, which together demonstrate the development of stained glass design from the early 1872 examples to the late 20th century work.
A mural by the important artist Christian Waller is also of significance as a rare example of this aspect of his work. The church is constructed of Barrabool sandstone and is roofed in slate. It is unusually designed in a Perpendicular Gothic
Revival style with squat crenellated front tower, angled stepped buttresses at all corners and large windows with perpendicular tracery. The enlarged church is cruciform in plan with broad transepts and rectilinear apse end.
Original Gazettal of the Place
2.
The Place was first registered on 9 October 1974. Typical of heritage listings of that time, only the buildings and not the land on which they stood were included in the registration.
Application for Amendments to the Existing Registration
3.
An application to amend the registration of the Place by adding land to the existing registration was made by the Executive Director on 10 June 2015.
Recommendation of the Executive Director
4.
On 10 July 2015, the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria (‘the Executive
Director’) recommended that the extent of registration for the Place be amended to include the cadastral block – defined as Crown Allotments 10, 11, 12, and 13,
Section 26, City of Geelong, Parish of Corio (‘recommended extent of registration’). The Recommendation stated that the area of the recommended extent of registration has been used for religious purposes since the construction of the church in 1847 and that any development on the land on which the buildings are located or which immediately surround the buildings would have the potential to negatively impact the cultural heritage significance of the Place.
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S38 Submissions
5.
The Heritage Council received a s38 submission in response to the
Recommendation, from Mr David Peek of the Anglican Parish of Christ Church.
Mr Peek indicated that he did not request to be heard by the Heritage Council registrations committee, but objected to the recommended extent of registration, arguing that as far as additional land, it should not be “necessarily the majority of the whole site” that is added. In his submission Mr Peek also noted the importance of the church to the local community.
6.
Although Mr Peek did not request a hearing, in light of Mr Peek’s written objection a Heritage Council registrations committee (‘the Committee’) was constituted. A site visit and meeting of the Committee was scheduled for 6
November 2015 and the Committee wrote to relevant parties to seek any further written submissions.
Further written submissions
7.
A written submission was received from the Executive Director setting out his responses to the points raised by Mr Peek. The Executive Director argued that the
Place should be registered with the addition of land as recommended, to ensure that an appropriate curtilage and historical setting is registered as part of the Place and because of the potential negative impact of any development on the cultural heritage significance of the Place.
8.
No further submissions were received from Mr Peek, who chose to rely on his initial s38 objection, or from any other party.
Site inspection and meeting
9.
The Committee conducted a site inspection of the proposed area of extent of registration, including the church and other buildings, on the morning of 6
November 2015, accompanied by the Hearings Coordinator and conducted through the site by Mr Peek. No submissions were sought or received at this time.
ISSUES
10.
This section is not intended to be a complete record of submissions that were made to the Committee. It is a summary of the submissions that the Committee received.
Summary of Issues
11.
Submissions received related only to the proposed amendment to the extent of registration (‘the Amendment’) of the Place and took the form of comments and suggestions relating to the Amendment. No submissions were received that objected to the proposed level of cultural heritage significance attributed to the
Place. As a result, the Committee determined to review only those issues raised by submissions received relating to the Amendment.
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12.
In his s38 submission in response to the Recommendation, Mr Peek objected to the area of proposed registration, arguing that as far as additional land, the significance of the Place relates to more than the church building but that the registration should not be “necessarily the majority of the whole site.” In his submission Mr Peek also noted the importance of the church to the local community.
13.
The Executive Director, responding to Mr Peek, provided a written submission in the form of a table outlining his responses, which included the following points:
The cultural heritage significance of the Place related to all the buildings, landscapes and features of the whole cadastral block;
the proposed area of land to be added has been used for religious purposes since the construction of the church in 1847; and
any development of the land on which the original church building or other buildings are located or on the land which immediately surround the buildings would have the potential to negatively impact the cultural heritage significance of the registered place.
Discussion
15.
The Committee notes that its determination results from a consideration of written submissions received only, as noted earlier in this document.
16.
The Committee is of the view that the land included in the recommended extent of registration is integral to the historical setting and use of the Place and that the land surrounding the Place is important to the protection and conservation of the cultural heritage significance of the Place.
17.
In relation to the recommended extent of registration, the Committee agrees with the submission of the Executive Director and is of the view that the Amendment ensures that an appropriate curtilage and historical setting is registered and protected. The Committee believes that any development on the land would have the potential to negatively impact the cultural heritage significance of the Place.
18.
The Committee notes that, generally speaking, the current use of the land at the
Place will not be affected by its decision to amend the extent of registration as determined herein.
CONCLUSION
19.
The Committee determines that land be added, comprising the recommended extent of registration defined as Crown Allotments 10, 11, 12, and 13, Section 26,
City of Geelong, Parish of Corio Christ Church, Geelong, in accordance with s42(1)(a) and s54 of the Heritage Act 1995 (‘the Act’), as recommended by the
Executive Director on 10 July 2015 (see Attachment 2 ).
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20.
The Committee determines that the registration of the Place be amended in the
Register in accordance with s42 and s54 of the Act.
21.
The Committee notes the significance of the church to the Geelong community, commends the involvement of Mr Peek and the Anglican Parish of Christ Church in the registration process and thanks Mr Peek and the parishioners for their contribution.
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22.
HERITAGE COUNCIL CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF PLACES OF
CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGIFICANCE
CRITERION A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history
CRITERION B Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of
Victoria’s cultural history.
CRITERION C Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.
CRITERION D Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or environments.
CRITERION E Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.
CRITERION F Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.
CRITERION G Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions.
CRITERION H Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria’s history.
These were adopted by the Heritage Council at its meeting on 7 August 2008, and replace the previous criteria adopted by the Heritage Council on 6 March 1997.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE HERITAGE
COUNCIL TO AMEND AN EXISTING REGISTRATION
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NAME
DATE REGISTERED:
VHR NUMBER:
LOCATION
CATEGORY:
FILE NUMBER:
HERMES NUMBER:
CHRIST CHURCH
9 OCTOBER 1974
VHR H0186
275 MOORABOOL STREET, GEELONG
HERITAGE PLACE
09/008125-02
534
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE HERITAGE COUNCIL:

That the record of the above Heritage Place in the Victorian Heritage Register be amended under the Heritage Act 1995 to include the addition of land [Section 27(1)].
TIM SMITH
Executive Director
Recommendation Date: 10 July 2015
Name: Christ Church, Geelong
Hermes Number: 534
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City of Geelong. No. 186. Christ Church, Moorabool Street, corner McKillop Street, Geelong.
[Victoria Government Gazette No 100 Wednesday, October 9 1974 p.3648]
All of the place shown hatched in Diagram 186 encompassing all of Crown Allotments 10, 11,
12 and 13, Section 26, City of Geelong, Parish of Corio.
Name: Christ Church, Geelong
Hermes Number: 534
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The extent of registration of Christ Church, Geelong in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 186 including all the land, buildings, trees, landscape elements and other features.
Name: Christ Church, Geelong
Hermes Number: 534
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REASONS FOR RECOMMENDING THE INCLUSION OF ADDITIONAL LAND IN THE VICTORIAN
HERITAGE REGISTER
Following is the Executive Director's assessment of the place.
The cultural heritage significance of the registered place would be substantially less if the land or any part of it were developed [Section 27(1)(a)]
The land surrounding the registered place is important to the protection, conservation or understanding of that place [Section 27(1)(b)]
The significance of Christ Church, Geelong has been recognised by its inclusion in the Victorian
Heritage Register (VHR). This is an early listing (1974) and only the buildings and not the land on which they stand are included in the registration. Christ Church was designed by architect
Edmund Blacket in 1843 and opened in 1847 as the first Anglican church in Geelong. Built of sandstone in a Perpendicular Gothic style, the church was altered and extended and finally consecrated in 1859. The church includes notable stained glass by Ferguson and Urie (1870s) and a window and mural by Christian Waller (1940s).
Christ Church, Geelong is of architectural significance as a rare and early work of prolific NSW architect, Edmund Blacket and aesthetic significance for its high quality collection of stained glass and rare mural by Christian Waller.
Christ Church, Geelong and the land on which it is sited, has been used for religious purposes since its construction in 1847. Any development of the land on which the buildings are located or which immediately surround the buildings would have the potential to negatively impact the cultural heritage significance of the registered place. It is therefore recommended that the cadastral block – defined as Crown Allotments 10, 11, 12 and 13, Section 26, City of Geelong,
Parish of Corio, be included as part of the registration of the place.
Name: Christ Church, Geelong
Hermes Number: 534
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