City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study (Context Pty Ltd, Peterson R & Stafford B, 1991)

Theme 8: Artists & Architects

The City of Doncaster & Templestowe is linked to the neighbouring districts of Eltham and Heidelberg in tenns of its significance in the history of Australian art. Both at Heidelberg in the 1880s and 90s, and later in Bulleen (at Heide) in the 1930s and 40s, new schools/ideas were established which had a profound influence on artistic developments in Australia .
Warrandyte meanwhile is associated with trends established on the north side of the river (an area which is part of the Shire of Eltham), from the 1920s and 30s onwards. This is more closely aligned with the artist craftsman tradition than the creation of new artistic trends, but it is nevertheless highly significant.
Warrandyte also has special associations with the Heidelberg School. Clara Southern, a noted artist associated with the Heidelberg School and a pupil of one of its leaders, Fred erick McCubbin, married a miner and moved to Warrandyte at the tum of the century. Other artists, including Jo Sweatman and Penleigh Boyd, also painted in the area and had houses on the north side of the river.
Heide I was the home of John and Sunday Reed, prominent Melbourne art patrons and collectors until they commissioned Heide II from David McGlashan in 1964. It was here that they entertained various Australian painters, most notably Sidney Nolan, who started a new style of figurative painting here in the early 1940s.
Also important in terms of Australian art is Inge King's house in Drysdale Road, Warrandyte. Arguably Australia's greatest living sculptor, the house constitutes the studio and working environment of her and her printmaker husband Graham, whilst the garden contains a number of her sculptures.
Other artists who painted at Warrandyte in clude Frank Crozier, whose house still exists in Tills Drive; Walter Withers, John Perceval, Albert Tucker and Arthur Boyd.
At Eltham, Montsalvat was Justus Jorgensen's creation of a community of artists and artist craftsmen in the 1930s. The craftsman tradition is one that has been continued on the south side of the river at Warrandyte, as exemplified by the Potters Cottage complex in Jumping Creek Road.
There is also a strongly-established architect craftsman and craftsman-builder tradition in the area (related to the fonnation of an in digenous building style and the use of local building materials). In the Shire of Eltham this is represented by the development of a distinctive style of mud brick building. At Warrandyte it can be seen in the use of Warrandyte stone, which was the material chosen by Alexa Goyder for her buildings(1)
Goyder was a journalist and friend of the artist Clara Southern. She moved to Warrandyte in the 1920s and lived for a while in 'Moonlight Cottage' (the fonner 'Potters Cottage') situated on the north side of the river. Although without any fonnal training as an architect, she built her own house in Yarra Street using local stone and recycled materials obtained from Whelan the Wrecker (2). It is believed that she helped to build other houses in a similar manner.
There are also a number of significant archi tect-designed houses within the study area, including Inge King's house (already mentioned) which is by Robin Boyd.
The substantial influence of women artists/designers has already been referred to with regard to Inge King and Alexa Goyder. Women architects are also well represented by the buildings of Meg Henderson in Tem plestowe - her own house in Greenslopes Drive and the one she designed for Bill Snell in Fran Court - and the work of Renate Block who co-designed the City of Doncaster & Templestowe Municipal Offices with her husband Gert.
Architectural and artistic trends are not respectful of municipal boundaries, and it is important to consider their evidence within the locality in the broader context of the region as a whole. This was the sense in which Robin Boyd wrote the following enlightening comment on the architectural traditions of region.
"A Warrandyte style developed, a neo-Californian bungalow style; rubble stone and adobe blocks, vertical boarded walls, shed roofs, sudden studio-like windows - a somewhat nostalgic bushlands atmosphere, plus plumbing"(3)

(1) Hart, T., Warrandvte ‘Place’ Study. (Melbourne: Final Project, Landscape Architecture, RMIT, 1987), p.32.
(2) Hart, T., Warrandvte ‘Place’ Study. (Melbourne: Final Project, Landscape Architecture, RMIT, 1987), p.32.
(3) Robin Boyd. Australia's Home. first published 1952, this edition 1968, p.217.

Theme 8.01 Artists

"Potters Cottage", Jumping Creek Rd. Warrandyte (176.08)

Potters Cottage is a complex of buildings in a bushland setting. The original Zock timber farmhouse remains in an altered form with two other buildings. It is late Edwardian and has a concrete block extension. Warrandyte stone was used for the footings. The craft shop and school are concrete block.
The original Potters Cottage was housed in "Moonlight Cottage", an old wattle and daub miner's house in North Warrandyte. During the late 1920s or 30s, the cottage was occu pied by Alexa Goyder, and also during the same era by the artist Connie Smith.
In 1958 it was bought by a newly-formed co operative comprising five local potters: Phil Dunn, Art Halpern, Gus McLaren, Reg Preston and Charles Wilton. The architect John Hipwell was president of the group. It was refitted, patched and painted and opened as a pottery with the aim of promoting an interest in handmade Australian pottery in 1958.
In 1961 Potters Cottage co-operative moved to its present site when six acres of land and an old timber farmhouse formerly owned by the Zock family were purchased. The Zock farm building has been extended. A school was added in 1969, followed by a restaurant in 1970 and a craft shop in 1990 (1)
Of local significance for its important associations with the artist, craftsman and architect collaborators that have shaped the Warrandyte community.

(1) Mark James 'A piece of Paradise', Tirra Lirra. Summer 1990191, I (2), pp.15-17.

Heide I, 5 Templestowe Rd. Bulleen (172.08)

"Heide I" is a timber Italianate farmhouse in good condition. The spectacular catenary 1890s picket fence and timber vehicular and pedestrian gates, on both sides are relatively intact, and of a type rare in Melbourne. The garden, more recently developed by Barret Reid is very beautiful and contains rare plants. It overlooks the Yarra River towards Heidelberg.
Built on farm allotments purchased by Sidney Ricardo in the 1840s and later sold to Thomas J. Dowd, farmer, it is thought ·to have been constructed by Dowd in around 1889 when there was a substantial increase in the valuation of his house.
It was the home of Melbourne lawyer John Reed and his wife Sunday from 1934 until Heide II was built in 1965. It was here that they played host to and fostered the careers of a number of notable Australian artist such as Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Arthur Boyd, John Perceval, Daniel Vassilieff and Sam Atyeo. Visitors to the house also included poets, writers, jazz musicians and intellectuals such as the Labour leader H. V. Evatt.
There was much discussion and experimentation in the arts. Many of the above guests spent time in residence at Heide. Evidence of this includes the sand blasted glass around the front door that was made by Joy Hester. The table on which Sidney Nolan painted his first Ned Kelly series is still standing in the dining room. During their occupancy Heide continued to serve its original function as a farm house in some measure. Both the Reeds and their visitors would spend part of their time ploughing and milking on the property.(2)

Now the home of Barret Reid, poet and editor of Overland literary magazine.
Heide I is a surviving timber Italianate farm house, evidence of late nineteenth century pattern of settlement of this area. Of crucial national art historical significance as the home of John & Sunday Reed, eminent art patrons and cradle of the 'Rebels and Precursors' period of post-war art in Australia .

(2) National Trust of Australia (Victoria) File No. 4374; Historic Buildings Register File No. 687; Richard Haese, Rebels & Precursors. The Revolutionary Years of Australian Art. Melbourne 1981.

Heide I, 5 Templestowe Road, Bulleen

Heide II Park and Art Gallery, 7 Templestowe Rd. Bulleen (172.05)

A modern two storey house of Mount Gambier limestone, consisting of a series of blocks which serenely step down the gently sloping site. The sculptural quality is appropriate, because it is set in open farmland and was visible from all sides. The walls terminate in parapets with flat steel deck roofs. There are links between the blocks. Space flows freely between the rooms, most of which do not have doors. Glazing is generally full wall (no hole-in-wall windows). The benchtops are terrazzo and a toilet has a glass sheet sliding door. Air conditioning was installed discretely when the house was converted to a public art gallery.

The garden is also important and forms a setting for the sculpture collection. The kitchen garden is laid out in the traditionally geometric manner and contains many rare plants. There is a fragment of a post and rail fence, which is a rare remnant in the Melbourne metropolitan area.

The architect was David McGlashan of the Geelong firm of McGlashan & Everist in 1967. Heide II won the 1968 RAIA Bronze medal award3. The alterations to convert the house to public gallery were by the same architects in 1982.

Heide II has a large, park-like garden with a heterogeneous collection of continental Australian natives and northern hemisphere broad leaf deciduous and coniferous trees.

A line of Osage Orange trees, believed to have been planted during the 1930s by John and Sunday Reed4, was used by the architects to determine the siting of the new house in preference to a conventional roadside location. The formal line of trees intersect with the main axis of the house.

The architect's intention for the garden design was to "recapture the river valley" by planting Red Gums. However the Reeds were influenced by Neil Douglas to plant an exotic garden5.

The resultant garden lacks an organising design, gives no strong landscape images and fails to acknowledge its riverside site.

Comparisons are the Reid Houses especially the house in McLachlan St (173.45), Templestowe Uniting Church (173.06), Enfield Avenue (195.18) and Melbourne Hill Road (175.24), Drysdale Road (175.24 by Boyd) and St. Georges Avenue (193.24 Carter).

Of State architectural significance as a particularly fine design by McGlashan & Everist which characterises the approach of the Melbourne school of architects of the 1960s. It sits very well on its site and has undergone its transformation from house to public gallery with ease.

The garden setting is also significant, including the formal kitchen garden which contains rare plants. There are several important sculptures in the park.

The house is of high historical significance as the residence of the crucial 'Rebels and Precursors' art patrons, John and Sunday Reed towards the end of their lives and the repository of their great collection of art from this and later pursuits.(6)

The Osage Orange trees are uncommon in cultivation in Victoria and have been included on the Register of Significant Trees.

(3) Architect, July 1986, p.7.

(4) This was confirmed by Simon Dickson, Head Gardener who states in a letter to the National Trust 12 October 1988 that there were few trees on the property when it was purchased by the Reads in 1934; this is corroborated by David McGlashan.

(5) David McGlashan, pers. comm.

(6) Historic Buildings Council File No. 687; Richard Haese, Rebels & Precursors.

Heide II Park & Art Gallery, 7 Templestowe Road, Bulleen

Alexa Goyder's House, 300 Yarra St. Warrandyte (155.45)

An elevated, double-storey, double fronted sandstone random rubble house with timber additions. It has a flat steel deck roof and white-painted vertically proportioned windows. There is heavy deciduous planting around the house, and much of it is obscured. The building needs maintenance and appears neglected.

This house was built by Alexa Goyder c1925 and rebuilt shortly after the 1939 fires using local stone (from Whipstick Gully) and recycled materials obtained from Whelan the Wrecker. Goyder was a journalist and friend of the artist Clara Southern, and she lived previously in "Moonlight Cottage" in North Warrandyte.

Alexa Goyder was responsible for the design of this building, and Kevin Sloan for the stonework. She also did much of the building work herself2. She is known to have built several other buildings using local stone (random rubble construction), in Warrandyte3, but these have not been researched.

Of regional significance. The house exemplifies the creative contribution of Alexa Goyder to the innovative building, design and construction traditions in Warrandyte, and, given her associations, her work is likely to have had far wider influence.

(2) Yvonne Reid, pers. comm.
(3) Hart, T., Warrandvte ‘Place’ Study. (Melbourne: Final Project, Landscape Architecture, RMIT, 1987), p. 32.

Theme 8.02 Architects

The influence of artistic trends have already been considered in the main introduction to 'Artists and Architects'. It is important to note that the buildings in this theme have been included on the grounds of architectural merit. Although they comprise buildings dating from the 1940s onwards, the earlier of these have not been allocated to the theme on build ings of the 1940s and 50s for this reason.

In addition to the buildings by the woman ar chitect Meg Henderson, and the one by the renowned Robin Boyd (Inge & Graham King's house), local architectural firms are well represented from the 1960s onwards. This includes a number of buildings by the firm of Keith Reid and John R. Reid. Architects, including John Reid's own house in Macedon Road, Lower Templestowe. There are also two unusual houses by Gregory Burgess, the one built for Ross and Monica Lanner and the one for Robert and Elizabeth Ley, both in Berrima Road Donvale; and some significant designs by Percy H. Meldrum, notably the progressive "Worrall" in Cat Jump Road, Donvale.

Ross and Monica Larmer house (1), 42 Berrima Road (formerly Lot 1, Flora Road), Donvale (195.20)

A two-storey timber house, set well back on a native bushland site, overlooking Mullum Mullum Creek. A characteristically organic plan entirely shunning geometry, with rooms of extraordinary shapes, including many curved walls. The overall shape is a curve, embracing the north sun, culminating in the Y-shaped study over the D-shaped billiards room: an extraordinary invention. Construction is otherwise conventional, with hip corrugated steel roofs, over cedar weatherboards, and the use of large circular windows. The bushland garden is fastidiously cared for.

It was designed by Gregory Burgess Pty Ltd Architects, built in 1981, and was nominated in the RAIA Awards in 1982. It is still owned by the Larmers.

Comparable with other Burgess houses such as 58 Berrima Road (194.30), the Morrie Shaw house at Cottlesbridge and 37-39 & 41- 43 Curry Road by Robinson Chen (195.16 and 195.17) and also earlier houses by Kevin Borland.

Of regional significance as an important work by Burgess, characteristic of his virtually unique, organic approach to design. A contribution to the development of a uniquely regional architecture for Victoria.

Robert and Elizabeth Ley house (2), 58 Berrima Rd. Donvale (194.30)

A two-storey orange brick house, with low pitch gable, corrugated steel roofs, on a native bushland setting overlooking Mullum Mullum Creek. A tightly designed, but otherwise characteristically organic, prismatic plan, something like a two headed fish. The construction is conventional.
It was designed by Gregory Burgess Pty Ltd (date not known).
It can be compared to other Burgess houses such as 42 Berrima Road (195.20), the Morrie Shaw house at Cottlesbridge and 37-39 & 41- 43 Curry Road by Robinson Chen (195.16 and 195.17) and also earlier houses by Kevin Borland.

A characteristic and tightly designed work by Burgess in his virtually unique organic approach. It importantly complements the much more sprawling 42 Berrima Road as a pair. Of local significance.

2. Gregory Burgess Pty Ltd promotional sheet; Letter Mikel Roman of Gregory Burgess Pty Ltd, to Richard Peterson (undated) received 11 April 1991.

"Worrall" (3), 4 Cat Jump Road, Donvale, (214.19)

"Worrall" is a modern L-shaped, single storey house in orange brick, with a corrugated iron low-pitch roof. The verandah is under an extension of the main roof pitch. There are floor-to-ceiling double-hung windows, with horizontal glazing bars. It has a long drive, lined with agapanthus plants. It is one of a group of four houses nearby, by the same architect at the same date.
Percy H. Meldrum designed this house for himself and his family in 1937-38. It was built at this time by himself and his two sons James and Richard. James is an important Australian artist, art historian and former cu rator of the Australian Collection at the Australian National Gallery. Richard is director of Meldrum & Burrows Architects, one of Victoria's most successful firms, and a Melbourne City Councillor. Percy was a significant designer of early modern houses in Victoria and founder of the firm.
Tenders were also called for work there in 1940. (The Directories record Meldrum's occupancy from 1942-1951). Richard Meldrum recalls that the property was sold in 1947-48 to David Worrall after whom the property is still named. Worrall was general manager of radio 3DB. He sold the property to Lin Murray, the brother-in-law of Alan Watson of Jimmy Watson's in Carlton. He is a vintage car collector.
Meldrum confinns that he has seen the house recently and it "looks the same as when it was built".
The other Meldrum houses are all different, but this one is not sufficiently visible to identify comparisons.
Probably of State significance as one of the earliest modern houses in Victoria designed and built by the important domestic architect Percy H. Meldrum for himself and his family in 1937-38. One of a group of four designed by Meldrum at this time in this area. The sons were brought up here: Richard (architect and director of Meldrum and Burrows) and James (important artist, curator and art historian).

3. Sources: Miles Lewis Australian Architectural index: Sands &

MacDougalls Directories; Richard Meldrum, Meldrum Burrows Architects Pty Ltd, pers. comm.

G. Stafford house (4), 37-39 Curry Rd. Park Orchards (195.16)

An interesting design in timber with steeply pitched skillion corrugated steel roofs, which climb successively up to a skylight tower. There are several levels and the timber is dark stained. Set among bushland and pines, this is a pair by the same designer. as no. 41-43 Curry Road, adjacent.
No. 37-39 is an early design of Robinson Chen Pty Ltd of 1982, before the development of their characteristic mature manner.
It can be compared to Peter McIntyre's Dinner Plain buildings, the Gregory Burgess houses at 42 & 58 Berrima Road (195.20 and 194.30) and Kevin Borland's houses.
An exciting early design of the innovative firm of architects and builders, Robinson Chen, and of rare recent architectural interest in the municipality. Of local significance.

(4) Kai Chen Architect, pers. comm.; Architect. October 1982, p.11.

R. S. Hadley house (1), 41-43 Curry Rd. Park Orchards (195.17)

A simpler design than its neighbour no 37-39, this house has a steel deck roof which at steep pitch fonns a series of skillions building up to a fragmented hip. The walls are dark stained tim.ber.lt is an early design of Robinson Chen Pty Ltd of 1982, before the development of their characteristic mature manner.
Some comparisons are Peter McIntyre's Dinner Plain buildings, Gregory Burgess Pty Ltd houses at 42 & 58 Berrima Road (195.20 and 194.30) and Kevin Borland's houses.
An early design by the innovative firm of architects and builders Robinson Chen and of rare recent architectural interest in the city. Of local significance.

1. Architect October 1982, p. 11; Kai Chen Architect, pers. comm.

Inge & Graham King house (2) 18 Drysdale Rd. Warrandyte (175.24)

A simple early Boyd design of about 10 squares on an eight by ten feet module. The structure is a west wall of local rubble sand tone and timber post-and-beam. The ceiling 1s under diagonal lining boards, extending over forty feet with a 6 inch gap for ventilation and bitumenous felt roofing over aluminium 20 gauge sheet lining. The aluminium crept appreciably, so over another three inch gap, a steel deck roof was installed. The solid wall panels are "Connite": a concrete of plaster and expanded metal. It has never cracked.
The house sits on one of the four quarter-acre blocks of bushland. The contents of the house express the inspirational objects of a working sculptor and printmaker. The bush garden is the setting for numerous King sculptures.
The Kings returned from England in 1951 and commissioned the design from Robin Boyd. They found that if you built yourself, building was cheaper than renting in the post war scarcity. An influence was that Boyd had recently returned from his first trip to Japan. He designed only the exterior. The interior fittings were designed by the Kings. There is a raised platform and most of the walls are light partitions.
The Kings had the stone wall and frame built, and then built and excavated the rest themselves, slowly. In 1955-6 the second stage was built from Boyd's drawings. At first, all timber was painted white, then later the trim was black. A deck was later built over the bitumenous felt roof and a tie-rod with a restraining channel held back a crack in the masonry. A studio was dug out of the sub floor space also, bringing the house now to 25 squares. The south-facing pergola did not work, so this was infilled as a music room. Boyd's clients live there still.
Other early Boyd houses including the two built for himself in Riversdale Road, Camberwell and Walsh Street compare. This is not an Age Small Home, but these are also comparable.
Of State historical and architectural importance as an intact simple early Robin Boyd house for his own clients (whilst he was director of The Age Small Homes Service), still lived in by the original owners and builders; also of significance as the working environment, for the last 40 years of (arguably) Australia's greatest living sculptor and her printmaker husband.

(2) Inge and Graham King, pers. comm.

Inge & Graham King house, 18 Drysdale Road, Warrandyte

"Carawatha" - F. Tuininga house (3), 10 - 12 Enfield Ave. Park Orchards (195.18)

A brick pavilion with a skillion deck roof over a rectangular plan. It is very carefully sited, neatly into the slope. The roof is a split pitch, with a clerestory terminating in a chimney, with timber weatherboard panels between the glazing. There is a cantilevered timber deck and it is set in a well planted native garden.
Designed by Graham Reid of Keith Reid & John R. Reid architects and built by R. C. & L. J. McInnes in 1977.
Comparable to other houses by Reids, espe cially 42 Melbourne Hill Road (175.25), 7 Ranleigh Rise (193.25) and McLachlan Street (173.45).
Of local architectural significance.

(3) John Reid, Letter to Richard Peterson, 28 Feb 1991

Merchant Builders System House (4), 1 Exford Place, Donvale, (214.21)

A coffee coloured, brick gable-roofed pavilion house. It has a rectangular plan, with a shaded pergola facing north-east, and an inset entry porch in the west comer. There are horizontal timber ship-lapped boards, over the Stegbar windows. The entrance is brick paved and there is a horizontal-boarded dark stained fence.
This design won the Merchant Builders Pty Ltd Systems House Competition's second prize in 1972. This is the prototype house, but a number were built throughout the suburbs.
It compares to other Merchant Builders & Reid designs. (eg. 412-418 Porter Street, 7 Ranleigh Rise, Lower Templestowe, & Winter Park).
Of regional significance as the prototype of an influential and well-designed project house exploring the system concept for Merchant Builders, and designed by John Reid of Keith Reid & John R. Reid Architects in 1972.

(4) Woman's Dav. 23 October 1972.; John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson, 28 February 1991.

"Treetop" 24 Foote St. Templestowe (173.43)

Built c1950, this is a low pitch gable roofed, white painted brick house of a rectangular plan, with a pergola-roofed courtyard inset in the central bay. It has grey cement Marseilles tiles on the roof, a chimney, casement win dows in triples or fours, and agricultural pipe vents in the gable ends. There is a garage contemporary with the house and plantings.
Of local interest.

Bill Snell house (5), 1 Fran Court, Templestowe (172.17)

A rectangular plan pavilion with a projecting deck, it is built of brick with a wall of bluestone facing the street, and a steel deck roof. It has large sliding timber windows. It is carefully integrated within its casual garden context of natives and exotics amongst boulders in the Ellis Stones manner.
Meg Henderson designed and built the house in c1964, and she also designed the garden. It is intended to relate to the design of her own house and garden of four years earlier. She had sold the land to Bill Snell after negotiation with the CRB. She feels she did a better job here than with her own house. Meg Henderson did the Melbourne University Atelier course and never qualified. She completed a course in concrete technology at RMIT in 1963 before designing this house. It was designed from models.
The house employs 'Solareit' panels. The concrete floor system is an invention of Meg Henderson. It incorporates 'Dicon' pipes for heating, with a resin layer as a waterproof membrane against rising moisture. There is a pebble screed above with a silicon gel plastic surface finish.
It can be compared to her own house at 232 Greenslopes Drive and later houses by the Reids at 42 Melbourne Hill Road (175.25, 1966) and McLachlan Street (173.45, 1966) and Templestowe Uniting Church (173.06, 1962).
A rare and beautiful house and garden de signed and built by a woman designer, still occupied by her client. An early neo-brutalist design, contemporary with other similar work in Templestowe by Keith Reid and his sons, and which relates particularly well to its site and the context of its earlier neighbour, by the same designer and similarly intact.

Of regional significance.

(5) Bill Snell. pers. comm.: Meg Henderson pers. comm.

Bill Snell house, 1 Fran Court, Templestowe

Watson house, 11 & 13 Ians Grove, Templestowe (172.18)

A low-pitched steel deck roofed pavilion in a shallow boomerang plan. The walls are timber, of painted ship-lapped boards.
Of local interest as a well preserved timber house, typical of the 1960s period, and as part of the Greenslopes Drive/Fran Court setting.

Meg Henderson house (6) 232 Greenslopes Drive, Templestowe (172.19)

This house was designed and built by Meg Henderson in 1960 whilst she was a student in the University of Melbourne Architecture Atelier. It took 18 months to build. She also designed and laid out the garden. Later she sold 1 Fran Court to Bill Snell and designed and built a house and garden for him. She was a successful entrant in a Womens Weekly competition, which also awarded prizes to Peter McIntyre and Barry Patten and which boosted her confidence. The house was designed from models she built.
There are no comparisons in Templestowe. Richard Neutra's Californian houses are prob ably relevant (eg. the Sydney R Troxell house, Los Angeles, c1960), and the houses of Chancellor & Patrick in Melbourne, and to those of Phyllis Murphy. There is probably some Japanese influence via Robin Boyd.
Of State architectural significance as a very fine domestic design and a quintessential expression of its time. It is integrated into and floating above its site with great skill: the garden design contributes crucially to this characteristic. With its neighbour, 1 Fran Court, (both are still lived in by their original owners) it forms a complete composition. Both houses and gardens are rare examples of designing and building by a woman.

(6) Meg Henderson, pers. comm.; she has original drawings in her possession.

Meg Henderson house, 232 Greenslopes Drive, Templestowe.

John and Val Reid house (7) 72 Macedon Rd. Lower Templestowe (193.26)

A rectangular symmetrical open plan pavilion of painted brick, supported on two groups of four stripped pine poles. The roof is of grey cement Roman pattern tiles. There are dark stained timber windows, with timber panels above. The gate end fronts the street and there is bush planting in the manner of Ellis Stones.
The house was designed by John Reid of Keith Reid and John R. Reid Architects for himself and his wife Val. The builder was the late H. C. McEwan. 13.4 squares were built in 1964 at 390 pounds per square and a 7 square extension, in 1988. It received the 1964 RAIA award for one of the seven best homes in Victoria. John Reid still lives there. The adjoining house (74 Macedon Road) was designed in 1966 to "harmonise (but not repeat) the design".
It appears to be directly derived from Charles W. Moore's own house at Orinda, California of 1961. According to John Reid Moore's work was one of several influences on the design. 74 Macedon Road & 7 Ranleigh Rise Lower Templestowe (193.25) can be compared to this house.
Of regional significance as a simple but memorable and most influential design in Victoria by John Reid for himself and his family in 1964. With its neighbour of 1966 it forms a pair by the same architect.

(7) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson. 28 February 1991; Australian Home Beautiful. April, 1965; Herald, 5 June 1964; Cross Section. No. 146, 1 December 1964.

Alwyn Seir house (1), 74 Macedon Rd. Lower Templestowe (193.26)

This painted brick house consists of a nest of gables facing the street, including a front car port. There are timber panels over the win dows, and the timber is stained charcoal in colour. There are deep eaves on this house anq it is set in a bush garden planted in the Ellis Stones manner.
It was designed by John Reid of Keith Reid & John R. Reid Architects, and built by D. Bur rowes in 1966. It was extended in 1988 for its new owners, L. & E. Sinnott.
Comparable to 72 Macedon Road & 7 Ranleigh Rise Lower Templestowe (193.25), and other Reid houses. Also Graham Gunn's houses for Merchant Builders of this period, and Meg Henderson's two houses at 232 Greenslopes Drive (172.19) and 1 Fran Court (172.17).
Of local significance as a typical architect designed house of this period and of the work of the architects Keith Reid and John R. Reid in 1966. An interesting pair with its neighbour 72 Macedon Road by the same architect.

(1) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson, 28 February 1991; Herald. 28 September 1968: Cross Section. No. 196, 1 January 1969.

House(2), McLachlan Street (SW cnr Dellas Avenue), Templestowe (173.45)

A clinker brick rectangular pavilion house, on an elevated steeply sloping site. The roof is pitched at a similar slope to the land, with clerestories above. There is a cantilevered deck on the front (north) elevation and a chimney. The timber is stained dark brown and the house is set amongst eucalypts, with a spectacular view of the Yarra River.
The architect was John Reid, and it was built by D. Burrowes in 1966. There were some extensions carried out in 1970.
Comparisons are other Reid houses eg. 7 Ran leigh Rise (193.25), 12 Enfield Avenue (195.18) and 42 Melbourne Hill Road (175.25). Also the Templestowe Uniting Church (173.06) and some of Robin Boyd's houses.
A well designed house, typical of its period in a neo-brutalist style and of the Reids' work in Templestowe. It relates particularly well to its steep site, making the most of a suburban block. Of local significance.

2. John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson 28 February 1991; Australia

Home Beautiful. January 1972: Cross Section. No. 198, April 1969.

House (3) 42 Melbourne Hill Rd. Warrandyte (175.25)

A rectangular timber pavilion house on a ter race cut into the steep site with large sliding screen doors and a steel deck roof. The garden is terraced extensively, with bluestone ashlar embankments. The house, which is totally obscured, has a pole construction carport in front of it.
John Reid of the office of Keith Reid and John R. Reid was the architect, (although he did not supervise construction). It was built in 1966 for A H. Snelleman, and renovated in 1970 by Booth & Son.
It can be compared to other Reid houses, eg. McLachlan Street (173.45), 7 Ranleigh Rise (193.25), 12 Enfield Avenue (195.18) and 14 Pine Avenue, Park Orchards (195.15).
Of local significance, typical of the Reids' work in Templestowe, relating well to its steep site.

(3) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson.

"Sunningdale " (4) 16 Old Warrandyte Rd. Donvale (214.18)

A high gable-roof, of terracotta flat pantiles, covers the rich orange brick of this distinguished, comfortable design. There are two dormer windows, one a gable with small panes, and the other a skillion with diamond pane casements. There is an inset verandah on the left and what is possibly a later brick addition set well back. The chimney capping is moulded sandstone. The mature garden is contemporary with the house. The front boundary is set well back from the road, secluded behind a pine plantation. It is one of a group of four houses by Meldrum nearby of this date.
The house was designed by Percy H. Meldrum of Meldrum and Noad. Tenders were advertised in 1941 (when the location was given as Doncaster East). The owner was Frank Green, a printer. His name only appears in the directories from 1950 to 1958/9.
The other three Meldrum houses in this group are quite different. 4 Cat Jump Road (219.19) and 15 & 21 Old Warrandyte Road (214.20 and 214.18). There is no comparable house in the City. The houses of English Arts & Crafts Movement architect, Phillip Webb, are relevant.
Probably of State architectural significance as an important, most accomplished yet very comfortable, house design of Percy H. Mel drum of 1941. Conservative, but well detailed and with careful use of materials and setting. It is particularly intact including the garden and context, and one of a group by Meldrum of this period, all (but one) of which are intact.
(Needs further inspection to clarify level of significance).

(4) Australian Architectural Index: Sands & MacDouaa!ls Directories 1941-60; Richard Meldrum, pers. comm.

Joseph Alexander house (5) 21 Old Warrandyte Rd. Donvale (214.17)

A modern, painted brick house, with tiled skillion roofs behind parapet walls. It has a generally rectangular plan. There are steel framed windows. The bricks are silica. It has recently been disastrously altered, most insensitively.
It was designed by Percy H. Meldrum of Mel drum & Noad, probably in 1941. Alexander was editor of the Australian Who's Who.
The other three Meldrum houses in this group are quite different. There is no comparable parapetted, steel window-framed house in the municipality.
Of local architectural significance as an early modern design by important domestic architect, Percy H. Meldrum, c1941. It has been unfortunately much altered, most in sensitively. One of a group of houses designed by Meldrum here at this time, with 4 Cat Jump Road (219.19), 15 & 16 Old Warrandyte Road (214.20 and 214.18).

5. Richard Meldrum, pers. comm.

Ian H. Grabowsky house (6) 15 Old Warrandyte Rd. Donvale (214.20)

This is a simple timber, single-storey 'L' shaped, gable roofed house The nesting gables have a terracotta Marseilles tile roof. The timber windows have horizontal glazing bars and double-hung floor-to-ceiling windows in doubles and triples. There is a white diamond rail fence and agapanthus plants line the drive. One of a group of four houses in this area by Meldrum of this date.
It was designed by Percy H. Meldrum of Mel drum & Noad. Tenders were let in 1941, (curiously Grabowsky's name does not ever appear in the directories for Doncaster). Grabowsky developed the historically impor tant beef transport scheme for Australian National Airlines. He had both legs amputated after an air accident. He was general commercial manager of ANA.
The other three Meldrum houses in this group are quite different. 24 Foote Street (173.43) is comparable as are houses by Yuncken Free man and others.
Of regional significance. A typical early modern house design of this period by impor tant domestic architect Percy H. Meldrum and with 4 Cat Jump Road (214.19), 16 & 21 Old Warrandyte Road (214.18 and 214.17), one of a group here designed by him at this time. The house and its garden setting are intact.

(6) Australian Architectural Index; Sands & MacDougalls Directories 1941-60; Richard Meldrum, pers. comm.

C & P Mylins house (7) 14 Pine Ave. Park Orchards (195.15)

A brick pavilion house with a shallow pitch steel deck roof. It is set well back on the site in a mature garden.
Designed by John Reid of the office of Keith Reid and John R. Reid in 1965 and built by
H. L. Williams. Reid says it was "built as an adaption of the John Reid house which the client liked". The roof was originally Roman pattern grey cement tiles.(8)
72 Macedon Road (193.26) and other Reid houses are comparable.
Of local significance. Typical of the Reid work in Templestowe.

(7) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson.

(8) John Reid, correspondence 11 June 1991.

Former Merchant Builders Display Houses, 412-418 Porter Street (cnr Blackbum Road) and 4 - 12 Beverley Hills Drive, Templestowe (174.23)

Four brick, gable-roofed pavilions with ends facing the street. The gable roofs are generally with chimneys and minor decoration such as oculus vents in gables, chimney caps, lattice, etc. Three of the four houses are painted.

Nos. 4-12 Beverley Hills Drive are five low- pitched gable-roofed houses without postmodern affectation. They are carefully landscaped. Nos. 1-7 Beverley Hills Drive and 2, 3, 4 and 10-14 Hollywood Close are sympathetic to the Merchants group.

The Beverley Hills Drive houses were built in 1987 (9), and the Porter Street houses from cl989. A communal park was provided at No. 2 Beverley Hills Drive, also landscaped.

Merchant Builders was the most innovative project house building firm since the time of the early A V Jennings estates of the mid 1930s. It was founded by David Yencken and John Ridge in 1965 to produce good architecture at an affordable price.

This is a particularly intact group of display houses by Merchant Builders of high architectural quality yet relatively low cost. The landscaping is carefully related to the design. \

Of regional significance

(9) City of Doncaster & Templestowe planning permit records.

Former Merchant Builders Display houses, 412-418 Porter Street, Templestowe

P & J McQuie House (10), 7 Ranleigh Rise, Lower Templestowe (193.25)

An orange brick and low pitch roofed house in apparently a bascilian plan with a clerestory. This is fragmented by a pergola over the central entry courtyard and angled walls. There is a carport in the entry, under the roof pitch and supported on pine poles. It is now stained fawn. There is a fine lemon scented gum tree at the entry.

It was designed by John Reid of Keith Reid & John R. Reid Architects and built by D. & I. Irvine in 1972.

Other Reid houses, particularly 72 & 74 Macedon Road, McLachlan Street and Fairfield Avenue are comparable.

Of regional significance as an interesting development of the earlier Reid houses in Templestowe.

(10) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson.

P & J McQuie house, 7 Raleigh Rise, Lower Templestowe

Carter house (1) 2 St. Georges Ave. Templestowe (193.24)

A brick house painted cream with matching steel deck roofs. It is fragmented into various steeply pitched roof forms, linked by flat roofed sections. These all step down the steep site below the road, set in bushland.
It was designed in 1973 by .Dennis Carter of Robinson & Carter Architects for his parents. It won the Age/RAIA House of the Year Award of Merit for 1973.
Comparisons are McLachlan Street (173.45) and Heide II (172.05).
Of regional significance. An interesting de sign for a house which talces full advantage of the steep site to isolate its various functions, in sympathy with its environment.

(1) Architect, July 1986, p.7; Dennis Carter pers. comm., holds photographs and drawings.

Carter house, 2 St Georges Avenue, Templestowe

L. Crooks house (2) 18 Tower Street (NE cnr Goodson Street) Doncaster (193.23)

A gable-roofed pavilion aligned across the block, facing north. It has an inset pergola over windows. The walls are coffee-coloured brick and there is a large expanse of north facing glazing. There is also a gable-roofed porte cochere on brick piers, and a brick fence. The roof material is cedar shingles.
It was designed by John Reid of Keith Reid and John R. Reid Architects. (The date and builder are not known).
Architecturally, this building can be compared to (for example) 1 Exford Place (214.21), and 7 Ranleigh Rise (193.25).
Of local significance. A typical Reid house, well related to a particularly exposed site and well designed to capture the north sun. It in corporates the generally pretentious porte cochere element here into a modern design.

(2) John Reid, letter to Richard Peterson.

Source: City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study (Context Pty Ltd, Peterson R & Stafford B, 1991) Published online with permission of Manningham Council (May2020)

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City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study (1991) Pt08 - Artists and Architects