Historical information

A civic campaign for new public offices developed in Kew in the 1880s. After much deliberation, the location chosen was the junction of Bulleen and Cotham Roads. The buildings were designed by George Watson and John Henry Harvey, architects within the Department of Public Works (Victoria). Building was commenced in 1887, and after one year, the buildings were opened. The Post Office was transferred to the new Commonwealth Government in 1901. The Police Station and Court House, sold by the Victorian Government to the City of Boroondara in 2007, are now a community cultural centre and performing arts venue.

Significance

The buildings were listed on the Victorian Heritage Register Register (HO885) in 1991. They are historically and architecturally significant to the State Of Victoria because Watson and Harvey's designs exhibit diversity in integrating civil offices, they accommodate the apex of road junctions, and they demonstrate a departure from the contemporaneously favoured High Victorian Classical to the Queen Anne style in the design of civic buildings.

Physical description

35mm colour transparency of an original plan by George Watson and John Henry Harvey, architects of the Department of Public Works (Victoria), in 1887 for New Public Offices at Kew. This plan was copied by the donor from an original held at the Commonwealth Archives in Brighton (Vic). The copy was made to illustrate a report that the donor made on ‘The functional planning design, building materials and construction methods of the Kew Post Office’ as part of course work at RMIT.

Inscriptions & markings

SITE AND DRAINAGE PLAN / SCALE 16' TO 1"