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Flemington Post Office

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51-492: Flemington Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 2A Wellington Street, Flemington , Victoria , Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011. Flemington's first official post office was established during the 1880s, replacing the various "non-official" post offices that had operated in the area since the 1850s. Architect J. R. Brown from

102-405: A box cornice, a close or closed cornice, or an open cornice. Box cornices enclose the cornice of the building with what is essentially a long, narrow box. A box cornice may further be divided into either the narrow box cornice or the wide box cornice type. A narrow box cornice is one in which "the projection of the rafter serves as a nailing surface for the soffit board as well as

153-485: A cornice (from the Italian cornice meaning "ledge" ) is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a pedestal, or along the top of an interior wall. A simple cornice may be formed with a crown, as in crown moulding atop an interior wall or above kitchen cabinets or a bookcase. A projecting cornice on

204-503: A building has the function of throwing rainwater free of its walls. In residential building practice, this function is handled by projecting gable ends, roof eaves , and gutters . However, house eaves may also be called "cornices" if they are finished with decorative moulding. In this sense, while most cornices are also eaves (overhanging the sides of the building), not all eaves are usually considered cornices. Eaves are primarily functional and not necessarily decorative, while cornices have

255-444: A cast iron pillar box were installed on the footpath opposite the main entrance c. 1920s. The domed side porch roof was replaced at an unknown date between 1917 and 1963 with a parapeted flat roof which involved creation of semicircular arched openings in lieu of original three-pointed arch and Moorish detail. The cast iron gates were removed from the porch as part of the work. A stamp vending machine and postal slips were installed in

306-434: A decorative aspect. A building's projecting cornice may appear to be heavy and hence in danger of falling, particularly on commercial buildings, but it often is actually very light and made of pressed metal. In Ancient Greek architecture and its successors using the classical orders in the tradition of classical architecture , the cornice is the topmost element of the entablature , which consists (from top to bottom) of

357-492: A five level tower. The building is a distinguished feature of the surrounding Flemington Hill Conservation Area which is characterised by a highly intact Victorian character. The highly artistic and skilful handling of an awkward triangular site demonstrates great merit and unity of conception, despite the hand of three separate designers. Flemington Post office has social significance within this inner region of Melbourne , not just for its continuity of providing postal services from

408-441: A mail room, bicycle/scooter shed, cleaner's store, post office box lobby, covered loading bay and plant enclosure. This involved demolition of the original rear verandah and pantry and subdivision of the original ground floor pantry to provide a passage to the new building. The southern half of the original dining room east wall was demolished to facilitate access to the passage. Alterations at first floor level included construction of

459-600: A mix of housing styles including detached single family homes, terrace houses and semi-detached homes, many dating to the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The area around Wellington Street and Farnham Street includes many walk-up privately owned flats built during the 1960s and 1970s. Flemington also contains a large public housing estate consisting of four twenty storey towers and several three and four-storey walk-up blocks of flats. Public housing in Flemington makes up 24% of

510-417: A national postage stamp series of Australia 's leading post offices. The post office is noted for retaining its original timber counter with cast iron colonnettes supporting arched openings, and original timber writing desks with leather inlaid writing surfaces, fitted to alcoves in the public space. Flemington Post Office is an exceptional example of a large suburban post office with quarters. The composition

561-524: A sliding timber door between the original mail and letter carriers' rooms, replacement of lights, installation of heating and fans. The skirting boards were also replaced in the former dining room (later parcel room) and vinyl flooring and carpet laid throughout. Around this time, the rear of the original counter was altered to accommodate modern equipment. The rear single-storey wing had been re-roofed with corrugated galvanised steel roofing by 1975. In 1989-90, extensive rear additions were constructed to provide

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612-407: A small kitchenette in the former sitting room and installation of staff amenities in the western half of the plan. A galvanised steel tube handrail installed at the main entrance doors and concrete topping was poured over main bluestone step. General internal refurbishment of finishes was also carried out. Flemington Post Office is at 2A Wellington Street, corner Shields Street, Flemington, comprising

663-472: A timber-framed double-hung sash window . Entrances contain panelled timber doors and the former private entrance is surrounded by matching panelled side and highlights finished with etched ruby glass. The side panels have been infilled with timber boarding. The slate roof and tower require very careful restoration. The cast iron palisading and finials on the roof have been removed. Externally, Flemington Post Office's ability to demonstrate its original design

714-401: Is a simple return without these features. The term cornice may also be used to describe a form of hard window treatment along the top edge of a window. In this context, a cornice represents a board (usually wood) placed above the window to conceal the mechanism for opening and closing drapes. If covered in a layer of cloth and given padding, it is sometimes called a soft cornice rather than

765-535: Is a substantial two-storeyed building with corner tower which makes dramatic use of its triangular corner site and unusual Moorish detail. Brickwork is Tuckpointed and polychromatic with brown body bricks, red, white and black string courses and red dressings to openings. Cornices , parapets and windows are enriched with deeply moulded stucco work and the facetted corner tower has a facetted conical sheet metal clad roof surmounted by an onion-domed sphere and finial recalling Moorish architecture. Similar references occur in

816-411: Is an architectural term for an eave or cornice that runs along the gable of the roof of a modern residential structure. It may also be called a sloping cornice , a raking cornice . The trim and rafters at this edge are called rakes , rake board , rake fascia , verge-boards , barge-boards or verge- or barge-rafters . It is a sloped timber on the outside facing edge of a roof running between

867-675: Is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne , Victoria , Australia , 5 km (3.1 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District , located within the Cities of Melbourne and Moonee Valley local government areas . Flemington recorded a population of 7,025 at the 2021 census . Flemington is located between the Maribyrnong River and the Moonee Ponds Creek and includes the locality of Newmarket , in which

918-662: Is one of the most distinguished. The curtilage includes the title block/allotment of the property. The significant components of Flemington Post Office include the main postal building and corner tower of 1889-90. [REDACTED] This Misplaced Pages article was originally based on Flemington Post Office , entry number 105517 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2019 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 9 March 2019. Flemington, Victoria Flemington

969-648: Is seen in Syria and ancient Iran , for example at the Tachara palace of Darius I at Persepolis , completed in 486 BC. Inspired by this precedent, it was then revived by Ardashir I (r. 224–41 AD), the founder of the Sasanian dynasty . The cavetto took the place of the cymatium in many Etruscan temples, often painted with vertical "tongue" patterns, and combined with the distinctive "Etruscan round moulding", often painted with scales. A typical example may be seen at

1020-888: Is served by two railway stations, Newmarket on the Craigieburn line , and Flemington Bridge on the Upfield line . The Flemington Racecourse line operates only during events at Flemington Racecourse or the Melbourne Showgrounds. It has two stations, Flemington Racecourse and Showgrounds , and branches off the Craigieburn line just north of Newmarket station. However, the line does not serve Newmarket station, instead running direct to North Melbourne , Southern Cross and Flinders Street . ^ = territory divided with another LGA ^ = territory divided with another LGA Cornice In architecture ,

1071-487: Is skilfully conceived taking full advantage of the awkward site to dictate the program arrangement. Its stylistic eclecticism is an extraordinary example associated with the period of public works department "Battle of the Styles". Its hybrid Victorian-Federation style is tied together by unexpected embellishment using Moorish motifs. Architecturally, Flemington is an excellent solution to an awkward site, considered to be one of

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1122-436: Is sometimes also known as an "Egyptian cornice", "hollow and roll" or "gorge cornice". It has been suggested to be a reminiscence in stone architecture of the primitive use of bound bunches of reeds as supports for buildings, the weight of the roof bending their tops out. The cavetto cornice, often forming less than a quarter-circle, influenced Egypt's neighbours and as well as appearing in early Ancient Greek architecture , it

1173-421: Is very good with regard to the architectural conception, principal materials and detail despite rear additions constructed in 1989 and replacement of the private porch roof. The design of the rear addition is low-key and it attempts not to compete with the original from a distance, however closer inspection indicates subtle difference in detail. The exterior appears generally well-maintained and conservation works in

1224-513: The Department of Public Works prepared plans for a new post office in 1888, under the supervision of John Thomas Kelleher . The tower was detailed by architect Alexander James Macdonald , and the builder was B. Pratt. The post office was moved from its original site south of Buckland Street, Flemington, to Wellington Street in 1890 so that it was close to the developing commercial centre along Racecourse Road. Timber public telephone booths and

1275-509: The corbel table to the main cornice and the cusped window heads. The complex roofscape is variously composed of mansard and jerkinhead forms and clad with slate, however original cast iron cresting has been removed. The single-storey rear section is hipped and finished with recent corrugated galvanised steel. Fenestration is regular between the long elevations and between floors, however openings are variously defined by alternative arch and tracery types according to hierarchy and each contains

1326-405: The reconstructed Etruscan temple at Villa Giulia . Additional more obscure varieties of cornice include the architrave cornice, bracketed cornice, and modillion cornice. A cornice return is an architectural detail that occurs where a roof's horizontal cornice connects to a gable's rake. It is a short horizontal extension of the cornice that occurs on each side of the gable end of

1377-430: The ridge and the eave . On a typical house, any gable will have two rakes, one on each sloped side. The rakes are often supported by a series of lookouts (sometimes also called strong arms ) and may be trimmed with a rake fascia board (which is not a true fascia ) on the outside facing edge and a rake soffit along the bottom. The cornices of a modern residential building will usually be one of three types:

1428-674: The Maribyrnong River and the Moonee Ponds Creek. The Victorian Goldrush of the 1850s encouraged further development as Mount Alexander Road was the main route to the North Western Goldfields. Flemington Post Office opened on 1 January 1854; the current heritage-listed building dates from 1890. It was originally included in the City of Essendon at its formation in 1861 and the first Melbourne Cup

1479-1150: The Racecourse Road and Pin Oak Crescent shops. Barry Humphries declared in 2005 that his favourite building in Melbourne was the Flemington Post Office, which is on Wellington Street. Flemington has three kindergartens, three primary schools, a secondary college and a special needs school. The suburb has twelve parks, reserves and ovals. In the 2016 census , there were 7,719 people in Flemington. 52.7% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Vietnam 5.2%, Ethiopia 3.3%, Somalia 2.2%, New Zealand 1.9% and China 1.8%. 50.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Vietnamese 5.5%, Somali 4.9%, Arabic 3.9%, Cantonese 3.5% and Mandarin 1.9%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 33.9% and Catholic 18.0%. Flemington has

1530-594: The Racecourse Road shopping centre, is complemented by William Wolf's Kennedy Terrace of 1888, a wedge-shaped housing development, in addition to the Public Works Department's own Court House and Police Station, completed several years after the Post Office. The rear service yard occupies the broad northern portion of the triangular site and crossovers from Wellington and Shields streets provide vehicular through access. A steel-framed canopy shelters

1581-572: The area Flemington after Flemington Estate in Scotland where his wife's father was a manager, which was in turn named because of Flemish settlement in the area. Flemington and neighbouring Kensington consist primarily of weatherboard cottages mixed with attached brick single-storey and some double-storey terrace houses . Most of the homes are in Victorian or Boom style with some Edwardian and Federation style homes. Some sections originally contained factories and industry. The earliest land release

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1632-516: The area taking advantage of the low-cost flat land. By 1911 the population was 6,109. In 1905 the Borough of Flemington and Kensington was subsumed by the City of Melbourne . During the 1950s there was an influx of European immigrants, mostly from Italy. Flemington Magistrates' Court closed on 30 June 1982. Flemington Racecourse is famous for the Melbourne Cup horse race , run on

1683-453: The building (see picture of Härnösands rådhus with two of these). The two most common types of cornice return are the Greek return and the soffit return (also called a boxed or box soffit return). The former includes a sloped hip shape on the inside of the cornice under the eaves, which is sheathed or shingled like the rest of the roof above it and is considered very attractive; the latter

1734-430: The cornice, the frieze , and the architrave . Where a triangular pediment is above the entablature, the cornice continues all round the triangle, the two sides being "raking cornices". The vertical space below the cornice is typically decorated by dentils (little teeth) or the larger modillions . The soffit , or horizontal space under a projecting cornice, may be elaborately carved with vegetal designs. A rake

1785-434: The cornice. A closed or snub cornice is one in which there is no projection of the rafters beyond the walls of the building and, therefore, no soffit or fascia. This type of cornice is easy to construct but provides little aid in dispersing water away from the building and is sometimes considered to lack aesthetic value. In an open cornice, the shape of the cornice is similar to that of a wide box cornice, except that both

1836-408: The decade saw intensified residential development consisting of detached single-storey weatherboard homes and some brick semi-detached or attached single-storey homes on small allotments. Some larger homes including grandiose double-storey brick homes on double allotments, and some double-storey brick terrace homes were also constructed. Industry consisting of mills, factories and warehouses continued in

1887-414: The fascia trim." This is possible if the slope of the roof is fairly steep and the width of the eave relatively narrow. A wide box cornice, a common practice on houses with gentle roof slopes and wide eaves, requires lookouts to support it and provide a surface to attach the soffits securely. Box cornices often have ventilation screens laid over openings cut in the soffits to allow air to circulate within

1938-607: The first Tuesday in November since 1861, by the Victoria Racing Club . Racecourse Road is the suburb's main commercial area. Pin Oak Crescent has a small number of shops and cafes. Newmarket station is on Pin Oak Crescent, near its intersection with Racecourse Road. In the late 1990s, a new shopping plaza was constructed on an old car sale yard on Racecourse Road, directly west of Newmarket Station. Several new apartment buildings were built on empty allotments behind

1989-550: The late 1980s have generally restored the building's aesthetic and stylistic attributes. Internally, the 1989 additions have partially diminished the legibility of the original planning and program towards the rear of the complex, however elsewhere it is generally very good. More superficial refurbishment such as overpainting of joinery and installation of floor coverings and the like is largely reversible. The main entrance, public space and former mail room, for example, are all largely intact in form and fabric with added features such as

2040-421: The lookouts and the soffit are absent. It is a lower-cost treatment that requires fewer materials and may even have no fascia board, but it lacks the finished appearance of a box cornice. Ancient Egyptian architectural tradition made special use of large cavetto mouldings as a cornice, with only a short fillet (plain vertical face) above, and a torus moulding (convex semi-circle) below. This cavetto cornice

2091-649: The main commercial area Racecourse Road is located. The suburb was named by settler James Watson after Flemington Estate in Scotland . Another version of the origin of the name relates to Robert Fleming, a Brunswick resident who had owned land beside the Saltwater River and operated a butchery there. The Melbourne Cup Thoroughbred horse race has been held at Flemington Racecourse since 1861. In 1839, James Watson came to Port Phillip to purchase land for himself and English and Scottish investors. He named

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2142-520: The most skilful compositions by the Public Works Department architects at the time. The eastern division of the PWD, in which these architects practised, was considered the most inventive of all of the architectural sections of the Department. Flemington Post Office also has dramatic landmark qualities deriving from its prominent position on an acute-angled site, dual approach, visibility in the round, and

2193-433: The northern wall of the porch. By 1963, all external stucco and bluestone detail including the tower roof had been overpainted in white; signage and insignia had been added to main tower; the windows in tower ground floor had been overpainted and the original clock faces replaced. General alterations were made at an unknown date to internal fittings and services included overpainting of polished timber joinery, installation of

2244-405: The original curved counter and arcaded screen intact. It is apparent that the building is generally well maintained, however there is evidence in a number of instances of rising and falling damp which is starting to damage the adjoining fabric. Repairs are required to some sections of pointing mortar in the bluestone plinth and brickwork and tuckpointing needs repointing. Wall cracking is evident in

2295-411: The rear loading dock directly into the non-original mail room wing which has an integral bicycle shed . The Wellington Street frontage is partly screened by an original cast iron and bluestone palisade fence, while the remaining boundary is defined by a more recent corrugated steel fence and steel gates. Elsewhere, the building is essentially constructed to the property boundary. Flemington Post Office

2346-511: The site for almost 120 years, but also due to its much valued form and architectural treatment. Flemington Post Office is additionally associated with three enduring and capable architects engaged by the Public Works Department during the late nineteenth century, JT Kelleher, AJ McDonald and JR Brown. The eastern district of the architectural section of the Department was considered to be the most inventive and produced many notable and award-winning buildings with remarkable features, of which Flemington

2397-552: The southeast corner of the post-master's office and the ceiling have been repaired. Historically, Flemington Post Office of 1889 was the first in a series of major public buildings, including the Court House and Police Station, sited in the post-gold growth centre of Flemington. Built to replace an earlier post office operating from at least 1869, the building was sited to one side of an old gold rush trekking route. The importance of Flemington Post Office has also been recognised in

2448-478: The total residences. The estate was constructed in the 1960s on flat land adjacent to the Moonee Ponds Creek on a site previously occupied by factories. Small tracts of Housing Commission houses are dotted through other parts of Flemington. The main arterial road is Racecourse Road, which is part of the Princes Highway . The CityLink tollway also runs along the suburb's boundary to the east. The suburb

2499-574: The whole of Lot 15B/4/2541. The Flemington Post Office, Wellington Street, was erected in 1888-89 by the Public Works Department (PWD). The working drawings are signed by J. R. Brown, who probably designed the building in consultation with the district architect J. T. Kelleher. The contractor was P. Pratt. The two storey brick structure with stucco mouldings is dominated by an octagonal tower with conical roof, onion dome and crescent moon finial . The building utilises an acute-angled intersection between Wellington and Shields Street and being 50 metres from

2550-506: Was in the 1840s when fertile land adjacent to the Maribyrnong River was taken up for cattle grazing. Land for Flemington Racecourse was reserved as early as 1845. Around this time the Melbourne Municipal Saleyards were relocated from Elizabeth Street , West Melbourne to Flemington. Also around this time abattoirs and other commercial activities were established. Various industrial activities were clustered around

2601-577: Was run at Flemington the same year. Buntingford Tannery (now demolished) was located adjacent to Moonee Ponds Creek. This business, established by members of the Debney family, moved to the site in 1876 and at one time covered more than an acre of ground and consisted of several buildings. Flemington and Kensington broke away from the City of Essendon in 1882 to form the Borough of Flemington and Kensington as

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