Heritage Advisory Service

 City of Doncaster Templestowe

Heritage Advisory Service (1991)

Introduction

A study of the City's heritage has identified over 250 buildings, places and landscapes in the municipality which have varying degrees of heritage significance. The report called City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study, by Context Pty. Ltd. (July 1991) is available for perusal from local libraries in the municipality or can be purchased from the municipal offices.

In addition, our municipality still has remnants of Aboriginal occupation from thousands of years ago.

An archaeological study called The City of Doncaster and Templestowe: The Archaeological Survey of Aboriginal Sites, by Isabel Ellender (1990), has identified fifteen sites of significance with the potential for more.

The City of Doncaster and Templestowe has a diverse and interesting range of places which reflect the early history of the area. Some examples include the Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Doncaster Road which is classified by the National Trust, River Red Gums in Porter Street Templestowe, 'Friedensruh' - a picturesque Gothic cottage and one of the earliest houses in the area, and an Aboriginal scarred tree in the grounds of the Heide Gallery, Bulleen.

People who have lived for a long time in an area, may value familiar places and may mourn their loss if they are destroyed or altered. Places may be important because we have a direct connection with them - our church, football club, workplace or childhood home. Other places help create the character of our local area - local landmarks such as a town hall, river red gum trees, pine wind breaks reminiscent of a lost orcharding landscape, old farm houses surviving within a suburban street, historic landscapes or archaeological sites.

Why Conserve our Heritage ?

There are many reasons for identifying and conserving our heritage. Heritage assets provide tangible evidence of our history, reflecting past lifestyles, work practices, industries and our aspirations. A sense of history and tradition is an integral part of our identity as a community, and places evoke a sense of the past that cannot be gained from books. Many people are interested in learning more about history, from children doing theirschool assignments to tourists who flock to heritage sites.

Heritage Advisory Service

A specialist Heritage Advisory Service is now available at the City of Doncaster and Templestowe. This is a new free service available to residents, property owners and businesses in the municipality. Advice can be given by a specialist conservation Architect, Horticulturalist or Archaeologist on proposed building alterations new developments, structural problems, modifications to landscapes and tree problems.

The Heritage Advisory Service may save you time and money and will help you make informed decisions about conserving the heritage value of sites.

The Service is not intended as an alternative to employing your own consultant architect or landscape architect to do design work or undertake works.

How the Service Works

The Service operates by appointment. Contact the Strategic Planning Department on 840-9432 or 840-9285 at the Municipal Offices, City of Doncaster and Templestowe.  Free specialist advice can be given on architectural, horticultural and archaeological matters. The Service aims to help you conserve those important characteristics of sites which have been identified as having heritage value. You may require the advice of the Heritage Advisory Service about: 

• Conservation and repair, alterations and additions to buildings which are of heritage interest or significance.
• Initial advice on damp or structural problems with these buildings.
• Exterior colour schemes and painting.
• Constructing a new building which is sympathetic to the surrounding area that contains sites of heritage interest or significance.
• Horticultural and archaeological matters if you propose to alter or preserve heritage landscapes, gardens or trees.
• Remnants or sites which have archaeological significance particularly if excavation works will be

Source: Pamphlet - Sept 1991