Newtown Heritage Study Review 2008 - City of Greater Geelong

Newtown Heritage Study Review, July 2009 – Volume 1
J P Fawkner was the first purchaser of Allotment 3, Section VII, Parish of
Moorpanyal, County of Grant at the Crown land sales on 26 August, 1840.
The allotment contained 25 acres located on the west side of Frederick Street
(now Cumberland Street). 6
An early resident was A.J Eyre, appointed Clerke to the Bench on 4 October
1839. On an early plan, from the 1840’s or 1850’s, his name was written
across two and half acres on the south-eastern corner of Skene and Frederick
(now Cumberland) Streets (Figure 3.03). 7
During 1844, subdivision of suburban land became more common. Both
Ashby (Geelong West) and Newtown were sold in this way, sometimes in
building sites, others in one acre lots. The activity led to an increase in the
population. By 1846, New Town had a population of 256 and Irish Town
(further south between Belfast Street and Pakington Street) with 135.
It was from the 1850’s that land in this area soon began to be subdivided. N.
McLeod subdivided his estate into residential allotments with frontages to
Aberdeen Street, Frederick Street (now Cumberland Street) and Skene Street
(Figures 3.05 and 3.06). 8
The subdivision plan prepared by Gibbons and Grist Surveyors dated 1858
indicates further subdivision of land between Pakington Street (known as
Great North Road) and Cumberland Road (referred to as Frederick Street)
and Skene Street and Great Western Road (Aberdeen Street) (Figure 3.04). 9
James Austin was the owner of this land in 1858. There are a number of
buildings shown on the plan including a chapel on the south east corner of
Frederick Street and Great Western Road, a residence probably at 66 Skene
Street and two other buildings to the east of this building fronting Skene
Street. Another building is located on the south west corner of Skene Street
and Frederick Street.
By June 1864 other secondary streets, including Cumberland, Blessington,
Charles (now Chadwick), Park and Hermitage Streets had been laid out as
shown on the map of the Borough of Newtown and Chilwell (Figure 3.07). 10
At the turn of century the pace of development was slow with occasional
building blocks released when larger properties were divided. This did not
encourage uniformity. Parts of Newtown at the turn of century seemed to be
hardly built on. 11
Between 1906-1915 the average rate of house construction was a little over
thirty per year. 12 In the twenty and thirties it was about forty per year, with a
noticeable decline in building permits in 1930.
Eyre Heritage Area
In addition to the land sales offered by N. Mcleod’s Estate and the Gibbons
and Grist plan of 1858, further residential development occurred after other
subdivisions in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. The Plan of Subdivision
6 Ibid
7 Model Borough “An Introduction to old Newtown and Chilwell” by Gladys Seaton p14.
8 N McLeods Subdivision Plan 1850’s.
9 Plan of Subdivision prepared by Gibbons and Grist Surveyors 1858.
10 Map of the Town of Geelong and Boroughs of South Barwon and Newtown and Chilwell,
1864.
11 Ibid p 28.
12 Ibid p 30.
Prepared by City of Greater Geelong 54