Industrial Melbourne: wool industry

Location: cnr Elizabeth and Chelmsford Sts, Kensington

Status: UNPROTECTED

Period: Early 20th Century industrial

It's a familiar sight to City-bound commuters on the Craigieburn line, a solid five storeys of late Victorian red brick brilliance. Where Sydney's former woolstores provide a spectacular backdrop to Darling Harbour, this is Melbourne's equivalent corner of towering turn of the century industrial real estate.

Elizabeth Street facade showing newest of the three main structures

But being in Melbourne rather than tinsel-town, it's accordingly much better secreted away, and hence probably unappreciated by those unfamiliar with the stretch of railway between Nth Melbourne and Kensington Stations.

Elizabeth Street Facade, older structure

In fact, the Younghusband Woolstore is cycompletely UNPROTECTED by any heritage overlay, if any readers should require ANY more evidence that there remain significant gaps in this city's heritage regime...

Elizabeth Street facade, with older building on left

In 2011, a development proposal emerged for the site, and the proposed enabling amendments that were put to Melbourne City Council DID propose a heritage overlay for the building, but which also simultaneously proposed a large, inappropriate tower development. In rightly rejecting that proposal, Council inadvertently left the building without any heritage overlay.

CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENT PLANS - JAN 2017

Signage, internal laneway

This was remedied by the c213 planning scheme amendments, which were implemented by Council in 2013. This was part of a heritage study conducted concommitant with the rezoning of land in the Arden-Macauley development corridor.

Internal laneway, with overhead walkways

Thanks, however, to the eternal generosity and public-spiritedness of Mr Solomon Lew, these amendments have been held up pending his Supreme Court challenge to the heritage overlay placed on HIS similarly spectacular former woolstore at Sutton Street, Kensington. City Link regulars will know it well, because it always has four storeys of advertising for Solomon's brands plastered to the exterior.

PROTECTED - Solomon Lew's former woolstore, Sutton Street, Kensington

Thankfully, the Supreme Court rejected Mr Lew's demolition bid, as has rightly been the fate of a couple of recent developer Supreme challenges to the validity of Melbourne's Planning Scheme. So, protection for the Younghusband Woolstore is imminent, as the Planning Minister is expected to finally gazette these changes shortly.

History

Younghusband & Co was a woolbroking and stock and station agent founded by the merchant squatter, Isaac Younghusband in 1889. In 1902, the company took over woolbrokers R Goldsbrough Row & Co Pty Ltd to become Younghusband Row & Co Pty Ltd.

Isaac Younghusband began as a pastoralist on the Killeen or Five Mile Creek ·Lease near Longwood; being credited as a partner with Lyell there from 1875. He entered wool and grain merchandising during the 1880s and became the 'wool manager' for New Zealand Loan and Company late in that decade.

Photo date unknown, possibly 1920s Source: Leader Newspapers

Appearing first as an un-named rate-book entry of 'brick stores' and a railway siding by the end of 1901, this building was listed as owned by R.Goldsborough and Co. Wool Brokers, which was then sold to Younghusband the following year.

Photo date unknown, possibly 1920s Source: Leader Newspapers

Architects, Oakden and Ballantyne did work on the building during 1906, relating to services connections, and it is likely that they did the original design, given their later work for New Zealand Loan and Mercentile.

Working at Younghusband, 1909 Source: Leader Newspapers

Additions to the building in Elizabeth Street from around 1928 appear to be the design of renowned architect Arthur William Purnell. SEE HERE for more information on Purnell.

Building Style

The main site is actually comprised of three distinct buildings, all accessed via a central L-shaped laneway.

'L' bend, internal laneway

An austere but boldly styled Renaissance revival structure, the Wool Store achieves visual force from its deeply recessed wall bays (outlined by pilasters), central pedimented entry bay and massive parapet, held aloft by the pilasters and a dog-tooth brick corbel, to its underside. Only the essentials of classical trabeation are repeated in the facade: the remaining detail contributing also as structure.

Chelmsford Street Facade - showing altered entryway and parapet

Complementary but later bays occur at the rear of this first block. Comparison may be made to the similar T.B. Guest complex in Munster Terrace, North Melbourne.

Newer bays to rear of Younghusband Wool Store

Zany staircase, rear Younghusband Wool Store

Integrity

Although powerfully composed, alterations have been equally extensive in their effect: a giant roller shutter door takes up an end bay; inserted windows and extended openings play havoc with the psuedo-structural elements of the facade, above this door; and the lower entrance bay has been reworked, albeit symmetrically. The voussoirs have been painted.

Contemporary and Future Use

Today, the site is utilised as a series of artist spaces under a scheme coordinated by the City of Melbourne. It is significant, however that when the development proposal fell over in 2012, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle was at pains to point out that it is only at the whim of the property owner that this is at all possible. It is likely that at some point in future the owner will again look to redevelopment of the site, which as a rare Melbourne hilltop site, possesses commanding views in all directions.

Lightdrop Studios Interior,
Younghusband Wool Store, Kensington

The site owners in fact appear to be gearing up for another attempt at redevelopment. They have launched a website http://www.younghusband.com.au, and have engaged both Essential Economics and Ellenberg Fraser (my least favourite architects going round right now) to make an economic and design case for redevelopment.

Rear building, site of proposed redevelopment

The developers are apparently looking to engage in genuine community consultation. I recommend everyone pop along to their site and provide your thoughts. This site does have development potential provided the heritage structure is preserved.

Artists live here.

So watch this space, everyone. I'll post back here with any updates as they come to hand.

I call this one 'hope'... and yes, it's real.

Sources: Both I and this city owe a great debt to Graeme Butler, whose 1985 Flemington-Kensington Heritage Survey remains the only detailed historical research into this and many other notable buildings in the neighbourhood.

All images are the property of Adam Ford unless otherwise indicated.