Butcher's Shop (Former)

Statement of Significance

The Old Butcher’s Shop is of significance: • As the oldest commercial building still standing in Augusta. • For its landmark value, as embodied in its traditional form and prominent street frontage, and its location near the entrance to the town. • For its associations with the Dahlberg family, who were early pioneers of the district and instrumental in the town’s development.

Physical Description

The old Butcher’s Shop is a small rectangular building, constructed to the alignment of the front boundary (noting that the former verandah would have extended over the footpath). The walls are clad with square-edged weatherboards and the gable roof with modern profile, flat-pan, steel sheeting.The front façade features a central boarded door, flanked by a 2-panel casement window on the LHS and a 2-panel casement window with 2 fixed side panels on the RHS (each with 3 panes per panel). Each of these windows has a small projecting timber and galvanised iron head.There is a skillion addition to the rear.Either side of the old shop, the site is bounded by a partly collapsed timber post and rail fence, with woven wire infill.

History

This old butchers shop (which traded as C A Dahlberg & Co, Butcher and Smallgoods Meats) was built in 1921 to cater for the first wave of group settlers coming into the district. Dahlberg employed George Sutton as his butcher and slaughter man. The place ceased operating as a butcher’s shop around 1925-26. In 1926 Dahlberg added two more rooms and later moved his family from their farm ‘Callalup’ to live there. A rear shed was erected around this time. Charles Dahlberg was a prominent builder in the area. Other places he built between 1905 and 1930 include the old newsagent’s store in the centre of town (for W Ellis – general store), the hall next door (since burnt down), ‘Dingle Dell Guest House,’ ‘Callalup’ (his own farmhouse), and ‘Blackwood’ (a home for his sister) – all in Augusta, and McCaullay’s store at Witchcliffe. He also did most of the carpentry in Augusta Hotel (1912).Charles died in 1932 aged 55 years and his wife, Bertha, died in 1947.The front verandah has been removed (n.d) and in the early 1990s the roof was replaced.Currently (February 2012) the place is vacant.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low: The use has been altered and the original use cannot be readily discerned. Medium: The place has had some alterations, but the original intent/character is still clearly evident

Condition

Poor *Assessed from streetscape survey only.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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