Office of the Department of Agriculture

Statement of Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (refer to attachments for expanded statement of significance) The Office of the Department of Agriculture, a single-storey brick and tile, Inter-War Free Classical style commercial building, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place has close associations with the development of the Agricultural Bank of Western Australia; the place has retained a high degree of authenticity; the place is prominently located on the comer of Queen Street and Marine Terrace and compliments the Old Courthouse and Gaol on the opposite comer; the place terminates the commercial precinct of Queen Street from the marine recreational environment; and, the place has social significance for the people of Busselton as it is a reminder of that period when Busselton was an important service centre for the surrounding district.

Physical Description

The Office of the Department of Agriculture is a single storey brick and tile building, with rendered details, designed in the Inter-War Free Classical Style. The building has a corner location and is situated directly across the road from the Old Courthouse and Police Station. The building is at the northern end of town, on the edge of the main commercial precinct. The building has a small strip garden on the northern side, planted with Australian natives. A cyclone mesh fence separates the garden from the pavement. A car-park, sealed with bitumen is located on the southern side of the building. There is a short section of cyclone mesh fence on the southern side of the building. The front of building is symmetrical and features a porch that displays a formal arcade of three arches either side of tall rectangular openings. The walls of this porch and the front wall are rendered. The render has been marked out to resemble ashlar masonry and then painted white. The front entry has two, large twelve paned, double-hung windows on either side of the front door. The sides of the building display stretcher bond brickwork with a rendered band below the eaves line that is the same as that found at the front. Six, double hung sash windows (similar in detail to the front windows) are evenly spaced down both sides of the building. The hipped roof is clad with clay tiles. A rendered chimney-stack, with moulded details, is located on the southern side of the building towards the rear of the building. The interior of the Office of the Department of Agriculture is divided into two sections: the public reception area and front offices and the rear section. Offices are located on either side of a central corridor. At the back of the rear section is a large open space which contains a safe, fireplace and access to the rear of the building. Beyond the back door are toilets and a new addition which is not included in this assessment.

History

Assessment : 2001 Constructed: 1931 Alterations/Additions: 1956, 1966 The Office of the Department of Agriculture was constructed in 1931 and initially opened as the Agricultural Bank's Busselton Branch. The building ceased operating as a bank in 1956 when the Bank moved into rented premises due to a shortage of space in the original building, The Departments of Agriculture and Forestry moved into the vacated building and made some alterations at the rear of the building in 1966 when a new carport was added.

Integrity/Authenticity

The original internal layout of the building was generally open in plan, with furniture and light stud walls used to define work areas and offices. Taking into account that the building is no longer used for banking purposes the Office of the Department of Agriculture is considered to have retained a moderate degree of integrity

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update