Bond Store & Resident Magistrate's Office (fmr), Busselton

Author

City of Busselton

Place Number

00395

Location

22 Kent St West Busselton

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Bond Store & Custom Officer's Residence
The Gulch; Police Residence

Local Government

Busselton

Region

South West

Construction Date

Constructed from 1854, Constructed from 1856

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List YES 13 Aug 2014
State Register Registered 08 Jan 2010 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Register of the National Estate Indicative Place
Classified by the National Trust Recorded 02 Feb 1976
Municipal Inventory Adopted 20 Jun 1996 Category 1

Statement of Significance

Custom officer’s house and police station 'The Gulch' has cultural heritage significance as one of the few remaining early private buildings designed in Victorian Georgian style in the town centre. It is also significant for its association with the early government administration of Busselton, in particular Captain John Molloy and Joseph Strelly Harris who were both resident magistrates for the Sussex District.

Physical Description

A rendered brick walled cottage with a steeply pitched iron roof at the rear of the lot and a timber framed and clad cottage at the front of the lot. There is also a low squat chimney located slightly off centre of the main ridge line. A three-roomed cottage with rendered brick walls inside and out. It has a pressed metal ceiling and concrete flooring. The roof was framed for shingles, which have been replaced with iron.

History

According to Busselton Historical Society notes, the place was built in the convict period as a customs officer’s residence and added to in 1906. John Molloy built the customs house during 1856, primarily as a warehouse space for bonded goods, with additional rooms for a guard and an office for the Resident Magistrate. Comments by the Colonial Secretary’s Office and Molloy and delays relating to its completion indicate that the building was purpose built. Subsequently a larger bond store and office space was built for the Resident Magistrate elsewhere and the place appears to have been used for residential purposes from 1861.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate Degree/Moderate Degree Integrity Notes: The residential nature of the place remains apparent. The integrity of the place is moderate. Authenticity Notes: Both buildings have had minor modifications so that the place retains a moderate degree of authenticity.

Condition

Rear Cottage- Fair. Front Cottage- Good

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
Conservation Plan 1999

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
4072 Conservation Plan for The Gulch. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 1999

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Other Use GOVERNMENTAL Police Station or Quarters
Original Use GOVERNMENTAL Customs House\Bond Store
Present Use RESIDENTIAL Other

Architectural Styles

Style
Victorian Georgian
Federation Bungalow

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Rendered Brick
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Settlements
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES Markets
OCCUPATIONS Domestic activities
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Government policy
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Law & order
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Government & politics

Creation Date

21 Jul 1988

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

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.