St John's Hall, Donvale
What is now known as the Donvale Living and Learning Centre site includes the former St John's Church, built in 1907, and the church hall dating from 1914. The former church is a simple weatherboard building comprising a nave and porch with gabled roofs and a side wing with a skillion roof. Decorative elements are limited to the triangular headed windows which emulate Gothic arched windows in a crude fashion. The hall is a weatherboard building with a gabled corrugated iron roof and a double-gabled bay to the front. Its side walls contain regularly spaced timber-framed, double-hung sash windows. At the rear there is a skillion roofed wing with a redbrick chimney. The red-brick walls which enclose the rear underfloor area are possibly later additions.St John's Church at Doncaster East (now Donvale) was built by volunteer labour on land that had been donated by the Howell family. The opening service was held on 27 November 1907. Among the district families who built the church were the Howells, Howarths, Bullocks, the Purves family and the Standrings, Atkins, Kings, Walls and Duncans. By 1914, the church was able to build a hall, which was also built with volunteer labour. Mr May, who built the Athenaeum extensions and the Orchardists Cool Stores, built the hall, supervised by Mr F. Petty, district orchardist. It was 'almost done in one day' and cost 120 pounds.
The church and hall complex was an important community meeting place that played an significant role in the development of the Doncaster East area during the first half of the twentieth century. By 1925, interest in St John's resulted in the formation of an active Ladies' Guild, which included the wives of many prominent orchardists. Socials and dances were held in the church hall and were attended by whole families (1). During the Second World War, the ladies of Doncaster and Doncaster East formed a branch of the Comforts Fund, meeting at the former St John's' Church of England (2).
In 1976, the complex was sold to the City of Doncaster and Templestowe (now the City of Manningham) and the church windows were removed to St David's Anglican Church in Doncaster Road (3).
Subsequently the 1907 church became the Donvale Living and Learning Centre, while the 1914 hall was used until the late 1980s as the Donvale Arts Centre but more recently hosted Melbourne Gospel Fellowship services on Sundays (4).
The Donvale Living and Learning Centre was established in 1977 to 'promote human growth and development, and education in a life-long process.' Until late 1979, classes were held in private homes and at Zerbes and Rieschiecks reserves because, although the council had agreed to allow the Centre to use the former St John's Church house, residents objected to the planning permit. As well as classes in Higher School Certificate (HSC), English and other subjects, child-minding was provided at the Centre. Classes increased from 3 per week in 1979 to 70 in 2001, attended by over 600 students (3). The Donvale Living and Learning Centre is one of six centres in the City of Manningham providing community-based learning. The others are the Bulleen and Templestowe Community House, Park Orchards Community House, TRY Activities Centre, Warrandyte Neighbourhood House and Wonga Park Community Centre (5).
Because of overcrowding, which has resulted from the growth of the Donvale Centre, Manningham Council has undertaken 'to relocate the centre within the coming few years' (6). The future use of the former church and hall is a matter of local concern.
What is Significant?The former St John's Church complex, comprising the church constructed in 1907, the 1914 hall and associated mature trees including Oaks and Cypresses, at 283 Springvale Road, Donvale.
How is it Significant?The former St John's Church complex is of local historic, social and aesthetic significance to Manningham City.
Why is it significant?The former St John's Church complex is of local historic and social significance as a now rare early community building that is associated with the settlement and development of the Doncaster East (Donvale) district as an orcharding area in the early part of the twentieth century, and for its continuing role as the Doncaster Living & Learning and Arts Centre, which has maintained community use. The change in use is of some interest as it demonstrates how community buildings are adapted to meet changing needs over time. (RNE criteria A.4, B.2, D.2 and G.1) The former church and hall are of local aesthetic significance as representative and largely intact examples of simple Edwardian community buildings. Mature plantings around the church, including Oaks and Cypresses provide an appropriate and related setting and also contribute to the broader cultural landscape in this part of Springvale Road. (RNE criterion E.1)
SOURCES
[1] Context Pty Ltd, 'City of Doncaster & Templestowe Heritage Study', 1991, p.94; Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society, Historic Buildings No.17, St John's, Donvale, Newsletter, Feb.,1972.
(2) Barbara Pertzel & Fiona Walters, 'Manningham. From Country to City', 2001, p.192.
(3) Ibid, p. 178.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ibid.
Context Pty Ltd, (1991), City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study, City of Doncaster & Templestowe, Doncaster, 1994
Manningham Heritage Study Context Pty. Ltd. Updated: 22/06/2005 page 225
Manningham Council wants to spend $800,000 to heritage list St John’s Church, Donvale
A COUNCIL in Melbourne’s east wants to spend $800,000 to save a church it sold off in 2008.
After selling the St John’s Church site in Springvale Rd in 2008, Manningham Council now wants to apply heritage protections to the century-old buildings and investigate the feasibility of moving them.
Property development firm Pebble International, which has offices in China, bought the site in 2014 and is now finalising the sale of the 7205sqm property to a private buyer.
But the council has passed an 11th-hour proposal to apply heritage protections to the “dilapidated” century-old buildings and investigate moving them to another site.
There are calls for the council to relocate the church and its hall from Springvale Rd to the site of Schramm’s Cottage in Doncaster East.
Pebble International director Tony Ammendola said the buyer supported the idea.
“The new owners have indicated they were happy for the buildings to be relocated so that’s where it sits at the moment,” he said.
“From the owner’s perspective they’d be saving on demolition and cartage costs, so definitely from that point of view it’s beneficial.”
Cr Dot Haynes said the move would “right the wrongs” of the past.
“Council did not use their funds wisely when they first had the chance to do the right thing by the people in 2008 and sell the site without the buildings on it,” she said.
Cr Haynes said St John’s could have been moved to Schramm’s Cottage in 2008.
“Anybody who wants the past of Manningham to be preserved agrees not to do that was a wasteful decision,” she said.
But Cr Stephen O’Brien was against relocating the buildings because of the expense to council.
He said the heritage protection process would cost about $30,000 while buying, refurbishing and relocating the church and hall would also incur significant costs.
“I can’t justify to our ratepayers a potential expenditure of close to $800,000 to save a dilapidated building that we don’t own,” he said.
Andrew Rogers, Manningham Leader Herald Sun 29/7/2016
The front of St. John's Anglican Church, Springvale Road, Donvale, viewed through the open front gate. Built in 1907, the weatherboard building was purchased by the Council of the then City of Doncaster and Templestowe in the 1970s. The church memorials were removed to St. David's, Doncaster Road, opposite Tunstall Square shopping centre. Photographer: Green, Irvine DP0364 http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/doncaster/doncaster/15799.html
Location on Google Maps in 2017:
Attempt to relocate St John's Church Hall (currently located at 283 Springvale Rd) to Schramm's Cottage site.
The land at 283 Springvale Rd on which the 110 year old church and hall sits was sold to Manningham Council in the 1970’s for the use of and care by the Council.It reflects poorly on councils past that in 2006, a property heritage report was ignored and the property was sold in 2008.
In 2016, the Council voted to save the buildings, but the newly formed Council reversed this decision in March 2017.
In 2017, Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society, approached the council to have the St John's Church Hall (which is unused on private land at 283 Springvale Rd) moved to Schramm's Cottage site.
They urged the council to save the historic church and hall at 283 Springvale Rd Donvale by: having an historic overlay applied to the buildings; preserving them for community use by either purchasing the property and preserving the buildings in situ, or moving the buildings to the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society site known as Schramm's Cottage.
In 2018, the negotiations with the council continue.
ST. JOHN'S, DONVALE.
St John's Anglican Church is a small weatherboard building half hidden by shrubbery at the side of Springvale Road, near Garden Road. It was built by a small orchard community 65 years ago.St John’s is the type of structure that is not considered architecturally important; yet, buildings of this design have played an important part in Australian country life. This is Australia’s version of the English "Village Church", built in weatherboard instead of-masonry as in England.
In America, the "Village Church" was also weatherboard, but with elaborate decorative features including a timber steeple or bell tower. In Australia, where funds were barely sufficient, the only embellishment was a narrow window pointed at the top, in the gothic tradition. It could be called "Weatherboard Gothic". The churches in Templestowe and Warrandyte were this design.
It is a simple rectangular building with a single high pitched gable roof and a small entrance porch at the front. The walls are covered with weatherboards outside and with horizontal lining boards inside. When first built the walls were painted "stone" with a brown trim now, white paint gives a smart clean appearance.
St. John's is on the south-west corner of the land that Friedrich Burkamp selected one hundred years ago. The area east of Springvale Road was opened up under the terms of the 1865 Selection Act as land within 10 miles of a gold field. The selectors were given 2 1/2 years to pay for the land and prove themselves "bona fide".
In 1872, Burkamp was given a licence for 210 acres. Previously Bob Wilson and his father had failed to satisfy the conditions of selection for the same land. Burkamp had to fence the land, build a house and cultivate the land. Actually he only cultivated two acres claiming the ground was unsuitable for farming. In 1876, he was given a title for £1 per acre.
At the beginning of the century, prosperity was returning after the land boom and depression. The district began to develop. By 1906, churches were being built. The Howell family who had recently arrived in the district urged the formation of an Anglican Church and donated a block of land. The Church was built by volunteer labour. At 3 o'clock on Sunday 27th October 1907, Archdeacon Hindley opened St. John's.
Being too small to support a vicar of its own, the Reverend S. R. Raymond used to come out from Mitcham on Sunday afternoons.
Among the families who built the Church were the names: Howell, Howarth, Bullock, Purvis, Standring, Atkins, King, Wall and Duncan.
Mrs Howell, senior, had lived in Canada where she had belonged to a club composed of professional men's wives. They used to fine themselves 3d. every time one of them spoke of the 3 S's: self, servants, sickness. When Mrs. Howell wrote and told them that they were trying to raise funds for St. John’s, the group opened their box and sent a handsome sum. The donation arrived at an opportune time for the vestry were embarrassed by not having sufficient money to complete a fence around the ground.
By 1914, the Church was able to build a hall. The hall was also built by volunteer labour. Mr. May, who built the Athenaeum extensions and the Orchardists Cool Stores, and Mr. F. Petty supervised the work that was almost done in one day. It cost £120.
By 1925 interest in the Church had become, very active. A Ladies’ Guild was formed. The first members were: Mrs. Aumann, Mrs. Bullock, Mrs. ,Dickson, Mrs. Grieves,
Miss Howarth, Mrs. Heitsch, Mrs. Pye, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Sell, Mrs. Stringer, Mrs. Standring, and Mrs. Zander.
The communities in different areas of our district each had its own characteristics. At Donvale, the community at St. John's had the qualities of country people. The women had the appreciation of friendship and hospitality that is typical of country communities. Socials and dances in the Church hall were important, events. Whole families went to a dance together. The younger children were put to sleep in the only space - the floor under the supper table. The tablecloth hung down at the front making a darkened cubbyhole giving the children a cosy sense of security.
It was a member of the Church who gave this orchard district its own identity in l929 when Mr. Jack Robinson persuaded the authorities to open a Post Office in Mrs. Oates' store. The name Donvale was made up from Doncaster and Springvale Road.
The interior of St. John’s Church has a warm friendly atmosphere. Stained glass windows and plaques, memorials to early parishioners, enrich the building with human significance The stained timber walls and furnishings are ecclesiastic in character and in such a small Church give a quality of nearness that can never be felt in a larger building.
1972 02 DTHS Newsletter
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