Historical information
Photo taken at time of ownership by Eric Staff.
Originally purchased by pioneer Eltham farmer Henry Stooke, Belle Vue farm comprised about 56 ha (140 acres) extending northerly from the northern boundary of Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. On the present day map the southern boundary was just north of Elsa Court and Grove Street. The western boundary was the Diamond Creek and extended northerly to Main Road where it turns easterly towards Research. It was traversed by the main road to Kangaroo Ground and beyond and from 1912 by the railway to Hurstbridge. From 1895 the farm was owned by William Williams and his wife Mary Ann. In 1914-1915 they built a new house now known as “Belle Vue”. They sold the land in 1920 and residential subdivision began soon after that.
“Belle Vue” remains today on a large residential lot in Livingstone Road. The house and many old trees on the site have been subject to a heritage overlay under the Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Despite that overlay, most of the heritage trees were removed during sub-division and development of the property.
Physical description
Digital file only from scan of copy on loan to EDHS
References
- Statement of Significance What is significant? The 1914 house, the surrounding trees, the rock retaining wall, the early entry driveway and the surrounding site to the title boundaries. How is it significant? The house is historically and aesthetically significant to the Shire of Nillumbik. The surrounding garden is historically and aesthetically significant to the Shire of Nillumbik. Why is it significant? The house is historically significant because it is associated with the pioneering Williams family and the earliest development of Eltham and is situated on land that has been farmed since 1852 (Criteria H & A). The house is also significant as a rare example of a twentieth century farm in the Eltham area and as a representative example of a well developed and prosperous mixed use farm and dairy in Eltham that operated in the nineteenth and early twentieth century (Criteria B & D).The house is aesthetically significant because its construction demonstrates typical Federation Arts and Crafts characteristics, particularly in the form, roof design, the galvanised iron cladding, the splayed corbelled red brick chimney, the gable end decoration of roughcast plaster between timber strapping, and the timber weatherboard cladding). The interior of the house has also been well preserved: the windows are intact as is the front door and door furniture, the timber dado in the hall, the extensive plaster walls and ceilings and the fireplace mantels. The house also features several Art Nouveau decorations, including the letter slot in the door, the timber hall screen, the tiles and the fireplace surrounds (Criterion E). The garden is historically and aesthetically significant because the landscaped setting features large mature exotic Oak, Bhutan, Cypress and Pine trees which are a reminder of patterns of planting at the time of the house's construction and which are now rare in the Shire (Criteria A, B & E).
- Belle Vue 17-21 Livingstone Road, Eltham: Heritage Management Guidelines
