Historical information

The Kew Asylum Entrance Gateway and an adjacent gate lodge were built at the Princess Street entrance in 1873.1 The imposing sandstone pillars and cast-iron gates impressed upon visitors the therapeutic and civilising vision of the asylum. The entrance opened onto a tree-lined drive (now known as Main Drive) which culminated in an elliptical carriageway in front of the main building. (Heritage Council of Victoria)

Physical description

Colour photographic positive of the former Kew Asylum Gates which were relocated in 1942 to Victoria Park in High Street, Kew. The gates were listed by Heritage Victoria in 2020. The citation reads: "The Former Kew Asylum Entrance Gateway consists of two 4.5 metre sandstone gate piers on bluestone bases on either side of a 5.5 metre vehicle entrance set back from the High Street pavement. The 1870s gate piers are of Barrabool sandstone and repairs during 2015-16 were undertaken with sandstone from English Town, Tasmania. The gate piers are highly decorative and feature oculi, triglyphs, dentils, corbeling and other ornamental work. Each gate pier incorporates a pedestrian archway with a cast-iron pedestrian swing gate. Two curved sections of cast-iron palisade fencing on rusticated bluestone blocks extend from the outer edges of the piers to a set of shorter sandstone pillars on the High Street pavement. Straight sections of cast-iron fence extend 4.5 metres ending at two bluestone pillars. Garden beds have been created within the curved sections of fencing, bordered by concreted bluestone and planted with shrubs." (Heritage Council of Victoria)