Heritage

Our interest and involvment in heritage protection began in 1972 and continues today. Back in 2014 local residents asked us to help to save 1880s Frogmore from demolition. Despite strong community opposition, a petition of over 1000 signatures, a nomination to Heritage Victoria, an interim protection order and a Council commissioned Heritage Report (which concluded that Frogmore was a significant cultural asset of Glen Eira and should be conserved); the Victorian Italianate brick house with its distinctive tower was felled in late 2015. (Scroll down for more information on Frogmore)

We continue to speak out on local heritage issues and have made nominations to Heritage Victoria and been a party to VCAT hearings. We are not able to support every heritage campaign but may be able to provide advice.

The National Trust Advocacy Toolkit is a good online resource to help individuals and communities advocate for protection of places of cultural heritage significance. https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/advocacy-toolkit/

Recent and current campaigns:

GEHS nominates Caulfield Racecourse for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register (January 2022)

Latest – Heritage Victoria says that the Caulfield Racecourse is of State-level cultural heritage significance and should be included in the Victorian Heritage Register (March 2022). ED-RECOMMENDATION-INCLUDE-CAULFIELD-RACECOURSE

A Heritage Council Registration Hearing will be held over 3 days in November, 21-23 November 2022.

Interim Protection Order (IPO) placed on Caulfield Racecourse (January 2022)

Heritage Council has determined to make an IPO in relation to Caulfield Racecourse, following our request.

“The policy guideline states that if the Heritage Council forms the opinion that the place may have a prima facie case for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register (‘the Register’) and is under immediate or imminent threat of damage or destruction, it may make an IPO”

“The Committee has carefully considered written material and documentation provided to it and has formed the view that there is evidence of an immediate or imminent threat to the above place, evidenced both by works currently underway and also works proposed, including to elements within the site which may have prima facie cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria. The Committee has therefore determined that an IPO should be made in relation to the above place [Caulfield Racecourse].”

• See letter on this issue from David Southwick MP, Member for Caulfield to Lily D’Ambrosio MP Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
• Heritage trees destroyed and demolition of significant buildings imminent at the Caulfield Racecourse, reported in The Age online 21 January 2022

10-16 Selwyn St, Elsternwick

Latest – VCAT Hearing (second VCAT hearing) of 11 days was completed on 17 June 2022. Decision pending.

10-16 Selwyn Street, Elsternwick (Woolworths’ entity Fabcot Pty Ltd v Glen Eira CC). VCAT decision of 7/9/2020 refused the planning application http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2020/957.html

Former Woodlands Supermarket, Murrumbeena

430-434 Neerim Road Murrumbeena (former Woodlands supermarket) – development of a seven-level building for student accommodation (97 units) with retail at ground floor. (Vivace Property Group V Glen Eira CC)

Latest – Following a second VCAT hearing in June 2022, (after Glen Eira Council refused  the developer’s initial application in November 2021), a permit was granted on 11 August 2022.

The permit allows: use of the site for Accommodation, construction of a building and construction or carrying out of works, demolition; and reduction in the required number of car parking spaces.

Glen Eira Heritage Overlays

Schedule to the Heritage Overlay at June 2021

Victorian Heritage Register

The City of Glen Eira has 22 places listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Click here

Nominations by GEHS to the Victorian Heritage Register

1. Former Caulfield Repatriation Hospital (nominated 2016)

Decision: That the Former Red Cross Rest House, Caulfield, be included as a Heritage Place in the Victorian Heritage Register, and that the remainder of the Former Caulfield Repatriation Hospital not be included.
https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Former-Caulfield-Repat-Hospital.pdf

Latest – The restoration of the former Red Cross Rest House will commence soon including demolition of the 1970s Montgomery nursing home. The original Red Cross Rest House will be repurposed as a community hub for the aged care services on the site. (Hammondcare Caulfield publicity flyer June 2021)

2. William Dargie Murals (nominated 2015)

Decision 2018: That the objects not be included in the Victorian Heritage Register
https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ED-RECOMMENDATION-DARGIE-MURALS-NOT-INCLUDE.pdf

3. Frogmore (nominated 2015)

Decision: That Frogmore not be included in the Victorian Heritage Register
Heritage-Victoria-NR-Frogmore.doc 

http://www.trustadvocate.org.au/frogmore-soon-to-be-no-more/

Heritage assessment of Frogmore  Graeme Butler and Associates 2015