Sean Deany
PO Box 101
Fitzroy Vic 3065
M: 0490444129
Dear Yarra Ranges Planning Authority,
It comes to my attention that the large residence located at 23 Hawthory Rd / corner of Loch Street Kilsyth has recently been sold and has been proposed and approved for redevelopment. As a former resident of Kilsyth (1968 - 1988) and still having family members living in Lomond Ave, in the vicinity of the above property, I wish to raise my deepest concerns.
The very location of this mentioned property at 23 Hawthory Rd and the adjoining blocks at 25 Hawthory Rd, built on in 2009, and 17 Loch Street with existing 1960s brick veneer residence are indeed on the site of the former home of the late 19th century Australian landscape painter James Alfred Turner - a contemporary of the Heidelberg School of artist. JA Turner lived at Kilsyth from 1888 - 1908 in a former orchards residence named The Gables where many of his popular and best know landscape painting were made in his studio on site. To my knowledge there has been some misunderstanding to the precise location of this famous artist residence due to primarily second generational oral history being one of the basis's for this. Many residents of Kilsyth believe that the Gables was located in Crinan Street. However recently with the aid of heritage material in the form of hard data such as a 1900s high resolution photographic view of Kilsyth where the Gables is visible from a distance and where there is no other structures visible in the vacinity of Crinan Street: c1916 topographical mapping where the placement of the Gables residence is titled on land adjacent to modern day alignment of Hawthory Rd and a December 1983 aerial photograph which indicates the former Gables footprint evident based on a scenario I have made of the actual residence dimensions.
While the Gables residence has long gone in its structural form (1960) there is indeed a lasting legacy of cultural important for community. I strongly believe that there should be first a preliminary ground penetrating survey of the site and along with access to historical aerial imagery from the 1952 - 60 Australian Aerial survey, which can be obtainable from the State Archives. These two undertakings will verify the exact location of the Gables.
Lastly and due to the recent zoning law changes and the increased redevelopment of Kilsyth into a medium density suburb, which I don't have any objection to, I am however very concerned of the rapidly disappearing built and environmental heritage of this apparently unremarkable outer suburb.
Ideally the suburban blocks at 23 and even 25 Hawthory Rd., as well as 17 Loch Street, Kilsyth, should be quarantined from any further development until full verification of the former residence of JA Turner has been located through available survey technology. Lastly if the given site mentioned above is fully verified to having been the site of JA Turner's residence the Gables I believe that this puts forward a strong case for its preservation and possible enhancement as a possible museum or heritage park thus putting the suburb of Kilsyth in higher regards for cultural importance and indeed an asset for the numbers of new residents living in the area.
I would be happy to provide copies of the existing hard data verifying to my best of knowledge the actual site of the gables proving that it did indeed stand where the above mentioned property at 23 Hawthory Rd Kilsyth is soon to be redeveloped.
Look forward to your response soon.
Sean Deany (former resident of Kilsyth)
