House, 16 Carey Steet

Statement of Significance

Medical Office, 16 Carey Street, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

• The place, as part of a group of four houses (No. 13, 15, 16, 18 Carey Street), collectively help to represent the character of early residential development close to the business centre of Bunbury.
• The place has aesthetic significance as a representative example of a Federation era dwelling.
• The place is representative of the trend to convert early residential buildings into commercial premises.

Physical Description

Medical Office, 16 Carey Street, is a single storey rendered masonry building with a corrugated steel hip and gable roof displaying characteristics of the Federation Bungalow style of architecture.

The roof has two decorative rendered chimneys set behind the roof pitch. A third simple chimney is rendered and painted. The street elevation has a rendered and painted finish with a decorative string coursing at approximately 2100mm high. The facade features a gable bay with simple timber decoration to the gable end. A projecting bay window addresses the street with the decorative string course forming window labels. The building has a front lean- to verandah supported by square timber columns with a tiled concrete base.

The four-paneled timber framed front door has sidelights and highlights. Pairs of timber framed double hung windows are located adjacent to the front door.

To the rear is a weatherboard lean-to. To the east is a paved driveway with a bitumen parking lot to the rear. There is a mature tree to the front verge.

The mixed use streetscape has commercial and professional suites.

History

At the beginning of the 1890s, Bunbury had a population of only 572. By the end of that decade, the population had risen to 2,970 – reflecting the rate of increase experienced by the colony as a whole following the discovery of significant gold deposits. This was matched by improvements in infrastructure, including the opening of the Perth to Bunbury railway line in 1893 and significant development of the port. From this time on the town developed not only as an important regional centre, but also as a seaside tourist resort. Despite the adverse impact of war and depression, Bunbury continued to experience residential and business development during the Inter-War era, and the population reached around 6,000 in 1939. The ongoing development and consolidation of the town over time continues to be reflected in its local heritage places.
The following newspaper item indicates that Carey Street was a focus of residential development in the late nineteenth century (despite flooding in winter):
Houses were going up in all directions in Carey-street, and yet people could not get to their places in the winter time except by climbing fences, etc.

A photographic view over Bunbury dated c.1895-1900 shows a house corresponding to the form and position of 16 Carey Street.

The readily available evidence suggests that the house changed ownership on a number of occasions and was frequently used as a rental property. Owners recorded in the available Rates Book included Ephraim Mayo Clarke, merchant (turn of the century) and Herbert Thomson Anderson, motor proprietor/farmer (1920s/1930s).

In 1936, Bunbury underwent a major reallocation of street numbers which resulted in the property changing from 7 Carey Street to its present address of 16 Carey Street.

Aerial imagery suggests that the place was converted to a commercial premises in c.2012 with the backyard being converted to a bitumen parking lot. Since c.2012, the place has been utilised as the medical office of the 'Mr. Paul Armanasco' podiatric surgeon.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low
Authenticity: High-Medium
Date of survey: 2/01/2022

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.