86-88 Windmill Street, Millers Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 86-88 Windmill Street, Millers Point |
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88 Windmill Street, pictured in 2019.
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| Location | 86-88 Windmill Street, Millers Point, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | c. 1860 |
| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Georgian |
| Official name: Terrace | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 897 |
| Type | Terrace |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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86-88 Windmill Street, Millers Point is a special old house in Millers Point, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's an important building that needs to be protected because of its history and unique style. It was added to the register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
History of the Area
Millers Point is one of the very first places where European settlers built homes in Australia. It was a busy area for ships and sea activities. The houses at 86-88 Windmill Street are two terrace houses built around 1860. They are designed in a style called Victorian Georgian.
What the House Looks Like
The houses at 86-88 Windmill Street are two-storey townhouses. They have four bedrooms, a verandah on the ground floor, an attic, and a basement. The windows have shutters. The verandah has pretty cast-iron railings.
Building Style
These houses are made of painted brick with a slate roof. They have painted timber details. The style is Victorian Georgian. This means they look like the masonry terrace houses built in British cities. They follow the same design, size, and building methods.
The houses at 84, 86, and 88 Windmill Street were built first as a group. Later, houses at 82 and 90 were added. Even though 82 and 90 are separate, all five houses look like they belong together. This shows that the builders and owners worked well together.
Condition of the Building
The outside of the building is in good condition.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The houses at 86-88 Windmill Street are very important. They are part of the Millers Point Conservation Area. This area is special because it has many old homes and places linked to the sea. These buildings date back to the 1830s. They show how people adapted the land in the 1800s.
The houses at 86-88 Windmill Street are important because they are rare examples of modest homes from the late 1850s. They were built by the Musgrave family. This family used the buildings for their business, their own homes, and also rented out other parts. Over time, the Musgrave family became wealthier and moved to the North Shore. They kept these houses as an investment.
Local Importance
These houses were part of a small shopping area on Windmill Street. This area served local people, sailors, and ferry passengers. The buildings are also important because they show how building rules in Sydney and London helped control fires. They also show how English Georgian styles changed to suit the Australian climate.
Many original parts of the houses are still there. This includes cedar wood details, fanlights above doors, and cast-iron work. The cast-iron designs are typical of the early 1800s. They can still be seen in London and other parts of Millers Point. The way the passage leads to the back lane with a staircase is unusual. Most passages like this are at street level.
Part of a Special Townscape
The houses are a key part of the old-fashioned look of Millers Point. This is one of the best-preserved colonial townscapes in Australia. The houses in this area are closer together than in other old towns. This group of buildings, including old pubs and shops, is a great example of a Colonial Georgian townscape. The individual buildings still have their original details.
These houses also show how old buildings can be updated. Modern additions were made to the back of the houses. This was done in the 1980s by the Department of Housing. This allowed for modern bathrooms inside. The houses also show the high quality of buildings that were kept by the Sydney Harbour Trust in the early 1900s.
86-88 Windmill Street, Millers Point, was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. It met several important requirements:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.
* It's proof of the small business area that grew on Windmill Street. This area had shops and pubs for local people, sailors, and ferry users.
- It has a strong link to important people or groups in New South Wales history.
* It's connected to the Musgrave family's business activities. They used the buildings for their business, homes, and rentals. The family was involved in the area for over 50 years.
- It shows great design or building skill in New South Wales.
* Even though there are three separate buildings (82-90 Windmill Street), they look like one. This shows how common their design was in the 1850s. The high quality of construction meant these larger houses were saved after the Darling Harbour Resumption.
- It has a strong link to a community or cultural group in New South Wales.
* People who have lived there for a long time feel very connected to the place. This was shown by their involvement in the "Green Bans," which helped protect the area. It was one of the first areas recognized as important for its overall look.
- It can help us learn more about the history of New South Wales.
* There's a lot to learn from studying how these buildings and the business area developed. We can also learn about the Musgrave family's business.
- It is a rare or uncommon example in New South Wales.
* This type of late Georgian terrace house was once common in Sydney by 1850. But now, very few have survived. Most of the ones that did survive are in the area taken over in 1900. These houses have been owned by the public for over 100 years. They haven't changed much on the outside, except for the new back sections.
- It shows the main features of a certain type of place in New South Wales.
* This kind of building used to be common in inner suburbs like Woolloomooloo, Surry Hills, Chippendale, Pyrmont, and Ultimo. However, many buildings from the 1850s have been pulled down. These houses are a good example of how old homes were updated by the Department of Housing in the mid-1980s.
