2 Provost Street | Melbourne Streets

2 Provost Street

North Melbourne VIC 3051

photographer: Sue Scarfe

Also known as
Previous Address
Constructed
Style
Architect
Builder

Timelapse Building Images

1960-1980’s

image held by North Melbourne Library, photographer Karl Halla.

Land Details

1895 MMBW map
Compiled Crown Record Plan
The Argus, 1854 Government Land Sale, Mr. J. B. Calder, first Crown land purchaser

Building Details

No Entries Found

Subsequent Building Alterations

No Entries Found

Architectural Features

Doors
Timber
Sue Scarfe photographer
Windows
Glass
Sue Scarfe photographer

Heritage Significance and Listings

Heritage Listings and Explanatory Notes
The desirable Victorian era timber dwelling with its own private back yard garden that once existed on this site was demolished and replaced by an industrial building that has since been demolished and replaced by a block of 4, three storey flats in 2012.

Owners

From	To	Owner	More Info	Data Source
	to date	Private		source: Hatcher Index
1854		Mr. J. B. Calder, first Crown land purchaser		source: Hatcher Index
abt 40 thousand years earlier	1835	Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Victoria	source: Hatcher Index

Residents

From	To	Resident	Data Source
	to date	Private	source Hatcher Index
1970	1974	R. B. Churchley P/L	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.
1930	1965	George Handley, (carrier)	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.
1925	1925	Frederick W. Mills	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.
1910	1920	John Dowdle	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.
1985	1895	vacant	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.
1889	1890	A. Smith cab prop	source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Stephen Hatcher.

Social History

1939 John Walsh once lived at 2 Provost Street.

source: The Age

1914 The Age

LAWSON (nee Maggie Dowdle).— On the 14th February, at Nurse Burrough’s private hospital, to Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Lawson—a daughter ( Catherine Lucretia). Present address, 2-4 Provost-street, North Melbourne.

source: The Age

Context and Streetscape

Precinct
This property sits within the municipality of the City of Melbourne. We respectfully acknowledge it is on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation. source: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/history-city-of-melbourne.pdf historical map source: https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-collections-format/maps/maps-melbourne-city-suburbs

Zoning
The controls listed below affect this property: MUZ (Mixed Use Zone)Schedule DDO31 (DDO31 North Melbourne Central)Schedule DDO66 (DDO66 Hospital Helicopter Flight Path Outer Area)Schedule HO3 (North & West Melbourne Precinct)Schedule PO12 (Parking Overlay 12)Schedule This information must be verified with the relevant planning or heritage authority.

Streetscape
Provost Street was once predominantly a residential street with single and two storey Victorian terrace dwellings, a green grocer shop, butcher shop, pork purveyors, a dairy, a confectioner, dressmaker, bootmaker shop, horse livery, wood yard, cabies, a Coach builder and hotels at either end known as the North Star Hotel at Abbotsford Street corner and Commercial Hotel on the Curzon Street corner. Provost streetscape today is characterised by significantly less heritage dwellings, an addition of some contemporary multi-storey townhouses, and some 1940s to 1960s industrial buildings. In 2022, only seventeen of the original forty seven heritage buildings remain (64% destroyed) which once existed on Provost street, compared to an 1895 Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works map. As of 2022, some addresses on this street’s density level has been allowed to rise by four to five times larger, due to recent increase in council approved multi-level building redevelopments since 1895. In some cases, unrestricted increases in density can be detrimental to existing residents enjoyment of amenity and quality of life.

Streetscape

Provost Street was once predominantly a residential street with single and two storey Victorian terrace dwellings, a green grocer shop, butcher shop, pork purveyors, a dairy, a confectioner, dressmaker, bootmaker shop, horse livery, wood yard, cabies, a Coach builder and hotels at either end known as the North Star Hotel at Abbotsford Street corner and Commercial Hotel on the Curzon Street corner.

Provost streetscape today is characterised by significantly less heritage dwellings, an addition of some contemporary multi-storey townhouses, and some 1940s to 1960s industrial buildings.

In 2022, only seventeen of the original forty seven heritage buildings remain (64% destroyed) which once existed on Provost street, compared to an 1895 Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works map.

As of 2022, some addresses on this street’s density level has been allowed to rise by four to five times larger, due to recent increase in council approved multi-level building redevelopments since 1895. In some cases, unrestricted increases in density can be detrimental to existing residents enjoyment of amenity and quality of life.

Other Information

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Copyright status: This work is in copyright.
Conditions of use: Use of this work allowed provided the creators name and Hotham History Project Inc are acknowledged.

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