Introduction & How-To Hints
Catch the Route 19 Tram (Flinders Street - North Coburg line) along Royal Parade, alighting at stop number 12, Morrah Street.Welcome! Here are a few how-to hints to help you use this tour.MapThe map provides you with a bird's eye view of the tour, including the location of the next Stop.Press the Map icon to display the map, and navigate around the map by swiping and pinching. Each Stop has a designated number.If your device has GPS signal you can locate yourself via the GPS symbol on the map.ImagesEach Stop is accompanied by photographs and images which will help to familiarise you with key features at each location. Swipe the images to see more.ListPress the List icon to display a full list of Stops for this tour.WALKING SAFELYPlease prepare for this tour by wearing appropriate clothing for variable weather conditions, as well as comfortable walking shoes.Take care when crossing roads, and keep an eye out for cyclists.Public toilets are available in Royal Park north of the intersection of Gatehouse Street and Park Drive, and at the playground at the south end of Gatehouse Street.
Stop 1
Naughton's HotelDirectly opposite the number 12 tram stop, on the corner of Morrah Street and Royal Parade.One of Parkville's earliest buildings, Naughton's Hotel was built in 1873. The original building was slightly smaller, extending approximately to where there is now a large doorway, and adjacent to the north was a series of shops, including a butcher, a barber and a chemist. This is the commercial centre of South Parkville. The pub was modernised in 1924 only to be returned to something of its Victorian style in the 1970s.Note a few fine details in this precinct:1. On the kerb is the base of a lamp post, or perhaps a hitching post for the brewery horses.2. The iron brackets on the verandah of the shops contain the arms of the City of Melbourne.
Stop 2
57 Royal ParadeWalk north from Naughton's Hotel (Stop 1)This section of Royal Parade displays a wealth of architectural detail. The house at no. 57, called Hever was built in 1873 for Joseph Whitfield, a freed convict (convicted of forgery) from Tasmania who was a cutler by trade (made cutlery). This property has a side entrance, to allow staff or customers to enter from the side to do business at the back door. Note the cast iron which is a common theme of this district.The next three houses northwards were all built on vacant land during the Federation period (early 1900s), showing very different architectural forms.
Stop 3
73 Royal ParadeWalk northwards from Stop 2.Built in 1873 for Samuel Amess, who was Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1869-1870. This is an elegent, well-proportioned house, with a fine fence (note the major and minor palisades, and beautifully cut bluestone). It's simple cast iron reflects its early construction date.The neighbouring house at no. 71 is far more overblown as it was built at the height of the boom (1886).Note that each of the neighbouring properties exhibit jutting side walls known as 'fire walls'. These walls were required following fire regulations introduced to Melbourne in the 1880s to limit the spreading of house fires.
Stop 4
75 Royal ParadeContinue northwards up Royal ParadeGrasmere, at 75 Royal Parade, was built in 1905 and displays elaborate decorations. The head of Zeus can be seen high near the roof. A female head (Minerva) surmounts double consoles and a long vertical floral panel is present on the firewall ends. Lower down, there is a lion's head mask on a single console. The fence with its double palisades is a strong element in the street.
Stop 5
77-79 Royal ParadeCorner of Royal Parade and Bayles StreetThis is the site of the former Parkville Ladies College. An imposing building constructed in 1886 as a grammar school for Thomas R Andrews for his wife, who had lost her children. Mr Andrews built this house with a large room at the front which Mrs Andrews turned into a school room, and thus she was able to teach and raise children in her own way.
Stop 6
74 Fitzgibbon StreetTurn left down Bayles Street, crossing Jageurs Lane, then turn left into Fitzgibbon StreetFitzgibbon Street was named after the Town Clerk Edward Fitzgibbon, who in 1868 (at the time of subdivisions) coined the phrase "Hands off the Park". Note the fine large four-panel front door of no. 74 (facing Bayles Street), and the finely decorated corner fence post in the front garden.
Stop 7
Parkville Post OfficeCross to the western side of Fitzgibbon Street, taking in the imposing Post Office building.The Post Office was built in 1889, completing one of the oldest street sections in South Parkville.It was the second post office in Parkville. The windows are not original but came from a demolished post office during renovations in the 1970s. The building has been used in historic films, including playing the role of an English bank/post office for an English production.Continue south. The original subdivisions in this area were in 25 foot lots, but this was soon ignored and the early frontages vary considerably in width.
Stop 8
61 Fitzgibbon StreetWalk south from the Post Office (towards the city).This was the first house built in Fitzgibbon Street (1873). It had a side verandah which gave a good view of the Bay to the south (before there were tall city buildings and street trees!). Behind the tree on the left hand side was originally a side entrance, which has since been filled in with a bathroom extension. Note that the front fence has been replaced, unfortunately the architect chose to align the base of the fence with the slope of the street, rather than the more aesthetically-pleasing method of building the fence on a horizontal stone base.The adjacent no. 59 (Buchanan Villa) was built in 1879.
Stop 9
57 and 53 Fitzgibbon StreetSouth down Fitzgibbon StreetThese adjacent houses are an example of the eccentric house numbering found in South Parkville (there is no number 55!). They were built for the local blacksmith (JG Sachs - who had a shop on Flemington Road), his wife and his daughter (early 1880s).The iron is not original but has been carefully restored with a pattern of the right period.Unfortunately, during the 1960s, the pediment (the stonework above roof level) was removed from number 53, as previously the two adjacent houses were identical.
Stop 10
52 Fitzgibbon StreetLook across the roadLooking across the road at no. 52 Fitzgibbon Street, you see an imposing house built in 1875 for David Scott, the founder of the Melbourne Sports Depot. It has a very beautiful glass surrounding to the front door; the shutters are modern.
Stop 11
Butlers Lane / BakehouseTurn right from Fitzgibbon Street into Butler Lane (cobblestones)Butler Lane was named after Charles Butler and his son, local builders of five of the adjoining houses. The lane gave access for the horses and vehicles to be stabled at the rear of properties.On the corner is a former bakehouse, now a dwelling, where once the first gas-fired bakery in Victoria operated.Continue along Butler Lane. Be careful on the historic cobblestones, and note some old brick outhouses (early toilets) abutting the lane.
Stop 12
18 Wimble StreetFrom Butler Lane, turn right onto Wimble StreetOn this large site (currently a childcare co-operative) there was a dairy run by the Trotter family, who milked a conserable herd of cows which were grazed on Royal Park. The building is Edwardian (early 20th century) with interesting fence.The adjoining house to the north (no. 20) was originally occupied by a French polisher (built 1870s). This is typical of the artisan occupations of South Parkville's first residents.
Stop 13
30-34 Wimble StreetWalk north up to the corner of Wimble Street and Bayles StreetAs you approach the intersection, note the imposing red brick front wall of no. 26 Wimble Street. This property was formerly a carriage stable and then a garage since the late 1920s.On the corner of Bayles Street is a neat row of three large adjoining terrace houses, known as York Place, built in 1884 by Harry Lockington as three "cottages".
Stop 14
Corner of Wimble Street and Park DriveWalk west across Wimble StreetThis triangular shaped block on the corner of Park Drive and Wimble Street was the original Post & Telegraph Office (early 1880s), and then a butcher's (Mr & Mrs Jackson), and more recently a Laundromat. It has lost its fine decorative Victorian verandah.
Stop 15
159 Park DriveDiagonally across on the corner of Bayles Street west.As you cross over to the west side of Park Drive, looking up the street take note of several houses on the east side built at an angle to the alignment of the street. This was done because Park Drive was originally proposed to be the boundary of Royal Park, and the owners of these properties wanted to appreciate the view down into the park.The property at no. 159 Park Drive copes with the slope of the land by having a deep step just inside the front door. The colour scheme is unchanged from the original 1887 painting. Note the windows details, fine fence and the foundry marks on the verandah posts - "Brunswick Foundry".Continuing down the hill along Bayles Street, note the distinct change in elevation between the front and rear of the properties. The reserve between Park Drive and Gatehouse Street (Ievers Reserve) was formerly a natural watercourse (known as Gully Creek) which originally drained from Parkville through North Melbourne to Moonee Ponds Creek. The creek was enclosed and its function replaced by underground stormwater drains in the 1920s, and the resulting grass reserve named after a local councillor.
Stop 16
148 Gatehouse StreetContinue west on Bayles Street towards the park to the corner with Gatehouse Street.Gatehouse Street was cut in 1878 and named after then Lord Mayor Sir James Gatehouse. The corner house (no. 148 Gatehouse) has unusual Egyptian heads as bosses on the window moulds. The side view from Bayles Street shows how a single storey house may be gracefully changed into a two-storey house without impacting on the heritage streetscape.
Stop 17
114 Gatehouse StreetWalk south down Gatehouse StreetAs you walk, note the variety of stone faces, iron work and beautiful glass windows on the buildings looking out towards Royal Park.Underburrow (no. 114) displays around its front door some of the most superb glass in Parvkille.
Stop 18
60 Gatehouse StreetTurn left into Morrah Street and stop to look across the streetAs you turn onto Morrah Street, look south to the interesting architecture of no. 60 Gatehouse. This house, known as Saunders House, was designed and occupied by the late Peter Saunders - a famous Australian architect. The land was occupied by a builders' yard for some time. As such, Saunders House is one of the most recently constructed houses in South Parkville, dated in the early 1960s.
Stop 19
107 Park DriveContinue along Morrah Street, up the hill and turn left into Park DriveThe four matching cottages on the north-west corner of Park Drive and Morrah Street have the interesting names Omuna, Nuaro, Torra and Nydia. The iron varies in each house, as they were built sequentially over a number of years. No. 107 displays cast iron brackets with a crown commemorating Queen Victoria's 1897 Jubilee.
Stop 20
54 Park DriveCross over Park Drive at the roundabout.As you cross Park Drive, look to the north of the lane and note the plain and undecorated row of whitish houses facing the street on an angle. These were some of the earliest houses built in Parkville (~1873 for Farquhar McDonald), and as a result they lack the fire protection walls which were later regulated.No. 54 Park Drive is also not aligned with the street, despite being built later (in 1885) after Park Drive had been cut.
Stop 21
48 Morrah StreetNorth-east corner of Park Drive and Morrah StreetThis house is on a wide shallow block with its yard at the side, reflecting some of the difficulties encountered when the subdivisions were constantly forming triangles. It has an 'American balcony' inasmuch as its sides are not covered by a firewall.
Stop 22
62 & 66 Morrah StreetContinue east along the north side of Morrah StreetThis pair of houses designated number 62 and number 66 Morrah Street were built by William Hart (1870s). Apart from their strange numbers (there is no number 64), they also have no rear lane access. The building design overcame the difficulties of having no place for the night man to collect the night soil by including a central entrance to service both backyards.
Stop 23
56 Morrah StreetContinue east along Morrah StreetThis block previously hosted an attractive and elaborate single-storey shop. The current house is modern, and has been built sympathetically with the heritage requirements of the area, in a way that demonstrates that it was not an 'old' house.The shop on the corner of Wimble Street, called the Parkville Store, has an early advertisement on the Wimble Street wall. A great place to suspend your walk to enjoy a coffee.
Stop 24
46 Morrah StreetCross Wimble Street past the former shop on the opposite corner to the Parkville StoreNo. 46 boasts the oldest building application in South Parkville. It was built in 1873 for Frederick Howlett who worked as a clerk at the University (he had previously lived in a tent at the Grattan Street gate!).Next door is no. 44, also built in 1873, by Alexander MacIntosh, a carpenter. Its style is more common in Tasmania, although the dormer window in the roof is not original. Mr MacIntosh sold 8 feet of his standard 25-foot block to Mr Howlett, who as a keen gardener was then able to build a side garden with a glass house adjacent Wimble Street (now no. 48 Morrah Street). Unfortunately the young gentlemen of Parkville used to make a habit of breaking the glass house windows!
Stop 25
North-west corner of Fitzgibbon and Morrah StreetContinue east along Morrah StreetNext we come across a group of three former shops, built in 1889 in front of the old bakery. The bakery was built in 1885 and is still on the back of the block, converted to a residence. The front shops are now a single residence.
Stop 26
22 Morrah StreetContinue east, crossing Fitzgibbon StreetOn the north-eastern corner of the intersection stands a substantial single-storey house of William Downes (~1880). Mr Downes worked as a foreman at the docks. The story goes that Mrs Downes would hang a sheet in the front yard which Mr Downes could see from the docks.The Downes family were Presbyterian and a strong influence in establishing College Church in Royal Parade.
The End
Continue east to Royal Parade.Congratulations! You have completed this tour. You may now continue east along Morrah Street to the starting point at tram stop no. 12, or stop and have a relaxing drink at Naughton's Hotel.For more information on the heritage of our wonderful suburb, see our website: http://www.parkvilleassociation.org.au/
