Rotunda

Statement of Significance

Rotunda
Rotunda, a decorative, open sided pavilion on a half ellipse plan, constructed from timber posts and beams supporting a zinc clad roof, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place has a high aesthetic value in its unusual half ellipse plan and the quality of the timber workmanship.
The place has historic value due to its association with the setting aside of Queen's Park, Albany, as a public reserve in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
The place is highly valued by the local community as an example of a civic amenity, partially funded by public subscription.
The place is associated with the architect Robert Greenshields who designed other significant buildings in Albany and also served as Town Clerk and Surveyor for the Albany Council.
As a former focal point for local entertainment, the place has landmark qualities due to its location on the edge of Stirling Terrace commanding a sweeping view of the railway station and harbour facilities.

Stirling Terrace Precinct:
Stirling Terrace Precinct, a predominantly late Victorian and Federation period townscape set along a segmented crescent plan overlooking Princess Royal Harbour, Albany and containing a diverse range of building types and styles, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the historic precinct is a fine and relatively intact example of a late nineteenth century and early twentieth century townscape, dating primarily from 1867 to 1915, demonstrating a range of activities and support infrastructure associated with the foundation and development of a prominent nineteenth century town;
the historic precinct is rare as a prominently located townscape with a town plan dating from the foundation of the settlement with a set of finely designed Victorian and Federation period buildings;
as the original commercial heart of the town, the historic precinct was an important part of the development of the region and the State to varying degrees from the 1830s until World War One when Albany was a prominent town in the Colony and Australia, due to its role as the Colony’s coal depot for the international mail and passenger service, which linked Europe to the eastern colonies. This role was expanded with the addition of regional railways and interstate telegraph links;
viewed from the harbour and from the western approaches to the town, the historic precinct as a whole is a landmark, strengthened by the strong vertical accents of the Royal George Hotel and the former Post Office;

the historic precinct is highly valued by the local community for its aesthetic values and historic associations and, along with the defining topography of the Princess Royal Harbour, Mount Melville and Mount Clarence, is as one of the elements that contributes to the local community’s sense of place and to the identity of Albany;
within the precinct, G.T. Poole’s designs for the Post Office and Court House demonstrate creative excellence and J.T. Hobbs’ design for the Sandover & Co store, which later became Drew Robinson & Co.’s store, at 108-110 Stirling Terrace makes innovative use of large plate glass windows;
and
the historic precinct includes buildings designed by prominent architects James Manning, Lt. General Sir J. T. Hobbs, J. Herbert Eales, and George T. Poole, and was historically the location of businesses founded and run by significant Albany and regional identities including Thomas Sherratt, Alexander Moir, John Robinson, Charles Drew, Frank Dymes, Edward Barnett, J.F.T. Hassell, and E.G. Everett.

Physical Description

The Rotunda is built in a Federation Carpenter Gothic style, displaying a vigorous and confident use of timber craftsmanship, with elaborate balusters, posts, capitals, brackets and bosses. It is an open-sided pavilion, situated on the south side of Stirling Terrace, overlooking the Queen’s Jubilee Park and the RSL Memorial Gardens, the railway station and Princess Royal Harbour. It is positioned at pavement level approximately 3.5 metres from the kerb. A curved granite retaining wall forms the base of the rotunda and steps lead down to Proudlove Parade.

The Rotunda is in plan half ellipse, with the curved section of the ellipse facing the Queen’s Jubilee Park and the views beyond, and the straight section aligned parallel with Stirling Parade. The random granite retaining wall base is expressed for the curved section only, and is surmounted by a stucco moulding. A central gabled entrance, with its axis aligned at right angles to Stirling Terrace, projects over the pavement to come within one metre of the kerb, and provides the only entrance to the rotunda. This gabled section appears to be a recently added item. A perimeter timber balustrades is continuous around the Rotunda interrupted only at the entrance. Timber posts and beams support a timber framed, zinc clad roof. The soffit is at present lined with painted asbestos, although originally the roof structure would haven exposed or perhaps lined with pressed metal.

The building is in fair-good condition but the granite base wall and the stucco moulding at the top has several large cracks, probably caused by either insufficient sub soil drainage or by vibration from passing traffic.

The Queen’s Jubilee Park follows the Federation garden style, which has its roots in the Queen Anne architectural style of the 1890s as well as the Federation style associated with the different stylistic manifestations of the Federation era which continued until the 1920s. Typical features include an informal style following natural contours, sweeping lawns, curved pathways paved with crushed gravel or other hard surface, timber fencing, minimal ornamentation, garden seats usually timber and wrought iron. [from Australian Heritage Commission, Parks, Gardens and Special Trees, 1991]

Refer also to: Considine & Griffiths Architects in association with Kris Bizzaca, Stirling Terrace, Albany, Conservation Plan, October 2000.

History

Prior to the development of the Queen’s Jubilee Park, the embankment on Stirling Terrace was little more than a rubbish tip. The idea for beautifying the embankment and building a bandstand (later Rotunda) and dedicating it to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897 was very much driven by the then Mayor of Albany and local businessman, John Moir. Work on the beautification of the embankment commenced in 1895. The Town Surveyor and Town Clerk, Mr Robert Greenshields who was an architect, also submitted a plan for a curved stone wall to form a Bandstand on the top of the embankment.

In 1896, a Tree Planting Committee for the Stirling Terrace Reserve was formed to manage plant selection, preparations for the planting of the trees and shrubs and also the layout of the walks and terraces. The Manager of the Great Southern Railway, Mr Wright, also took a special interest in the work and arranged for the Government Gardener in Perth, Mr Daniel Feakes, to visit Albany and advise the Committee on the planting, as well as the special kinds of trees that would be suitable. Mr Wright also organised for the plants to be transported to Albany free of charge.

Feakes recommended several varieties of trees and shrubs that would be suitable for the position and also the way they should be planted to ensure that they didn’t obscure the view of the harbor from the upper terrace. Some would be supplied from the Government Nursery at Hamel, but most would need to be procured from the Eastern States, including from the well-known nursery C F Newman and Sons in Adelaide.

Cast iron and timber garden seats were purchased, painted and placed in special recesses on the embankment, and jarrah for the steps was sourced but had to be seasoned before the steps could be constructed and installed on the four footpaths coming off both the east and west entrances off the upper terrace. Timber post and rail fencing was installed around the perimeter of the embankment.

With the Reserve well on the way to being completed, the Mayor and councillors set about organising the dedication and other festivities in readiness for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. It was then that the idea for a pavilion to be built over the bandstand emerged but this didn’t happen until after the official opening.

The Albany celebrations for the Jubilee took place on Tuesday 22nd June 1897, with the official dedication of the Queen’s Jubilee Park held at 12 noon, preceded by music on the bandstand. Six pine trees were planted on the occasion by the Mayor and five councillors Haynes, Howell, McKenzie, Muir, Knight to represent the six decades of the reign of Queen Victoria.

In August 1897, tenders were called for contractors to build the rotunda designed by Greenshields. The successful contractor was Nobby Clark. The bandstand was officially opened on 23 May 1898 by Mayor W.G. Knight. The mayor ‘hoped that it would be the means of giving entertainment with the assistance of the band and he was sure that the townspeople and visitors would appreciate it’. From this time, the Rotunda was used regularly for band concerts, public addresses, shelter, and even ceremonial occasions such as the reception of the official party during Fleet Week in September 1908.

Once the park was completed and opened, local Albany gardener and verger to St John’s Church, Matthew Cull, was appointed the caretaker. When gas lighting was introduced to the town, two ornamental lamp stands were put in the Park. Water from the Albany Fishponds was sourced to water the Park.

By the 1920s-30s, the condition of the park started to decline owing to vandalism, traffic on the lawn and plants becoming overgrown. In 1936, the six pine trees planted by the Mayor and councillors at the opening were removed. Other work that would also change the original appearance of the park included the removal of the original jarrah steps and replaced with new concrete steps and the construction of retaining walls.

During the 1940s the covered entrance to the bandstand was removed and Queen’s Park has been reduced to make way for road works. Repairs to the bandstand were carried out in 1972 by the Albany council. Since the alteration of the park and changing patters of use the structure became unsuitable as a bandstand and is now used as a viewing structure and shelter. Restoration works were again carried out to the Rotunda in 1992. In 2016, conservation work was undertaken to improve and revitalise the embankment and better interpret its original design intent.

Stirling Terrace Precinct
Stirling Terrace is one of the City of Albany’s most significant heritage assets, both as a streetscape and as a collection of Victorian and Federation period buildings overlooking Princess Royal Harbour. Stirling Terrace is located in visually striking topography and its segmented crescent plan form remains basically as it was when first recorded by Surveyor Hillman in 1835. The mature trees and the harmonious architectural composition of diverse building types and styles provide additional visual interest.

Stirling Terrace was developed from the 1830s following the establishment of Albany as part of the Swan River colony, and was an important part of the development of the region and the State to varying degrees from the 1830s until World War One. The 1835 Hillman survey plan set the scene for the emergence of Stirling Terrace as the prime location in the town, with a rich variety of social, commercial, leisure, institutional and service functions. The majority of the built fabric which remains today was completed in the period 1867 to 1915. The buildings were designed by some of the State’s most eminent architects and many were built for prominent citizens and institutions.

Over the years the commercial focus of Albany has moved to York Street, with many institutions, such as banks and the post office relocating there. Free of substantial development pressure at a critical time, Stirling Terrace has managed to retain many of its historic structures and features. Viewed from the harbour, and from the western approach to the town, Stirling Terrace has a landmark quality as a whole.

Refer also to: Considine & Griffiths Architects in association with Kris Bizzaca, Stirling Terrace, Albany, Conservation Plan, October 2000.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: Moderate

Condition

High/Moderate

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.