Restella Studio (fmr), 40 Wellington Street

Statement of Significance

Restella Studio (fmr), 40 Wellington Street, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: • The place displays aesthetic heritage value through its modest Inter-war period form and detailing, including the splayed shop windows and recessed shop entries that positively contributes to the Wellington Street streetscape. • The place is representative of the many small business premises that were established to serve the varied needs of the Bunbury community, the surrounding rural areas and visitors during the first half of the twentieth century.

Physical Description

Restella Studio (fmr), 40 Wellington Street, is a single storey adjoined masonry building with a concealed corrugated steel gable roof displaying characteristics from the Inter-War Stripped Classical style of architecture. The building has a symmetrical form consisting of two adjoined tenancies sharing a single parapet roof. The parapet is simply detailed with some horizontal accents. The building has a cantilevered boxed awning extending along the facade and over the pavement with the words 'THE GREEN DEPOT' across the front. Formerly two tenancies, the shops are combined to form a single building. The front facade has a rendered and painted finish with two separate shopfront entries. The entries are recessed with angled window bays. The doors are timber framed with central glazed panels and a fixed highlight. The westernmost highlight features the words 'Restella Studio' etched into the glass. The glazed shopfront windows are comprised of two large fixed panels atop a ceramic tiled plinth. The eastern shopfront has 'Raspberry Fox Boutique and Gallery' on the facade. The eastern elevation has a wall mural and timber double hung windows.

History

At the beginning of the 1890s, Bunbury had a population of only 572. By the end of that decade, the population had risen to 2,970 – reflecting the rate of increase experienced by the colony as a whole following the discovery of significant gold deposits. This was matched by improvements in infrastructure, including the opening of the Perth to Bunbury railway line in 1893 and significant development of the port. From this time on the town developed not only as an important regional centre, but also as a seaside tourist resort. Despite the adverse impact of war and depression, Bunbury continued to experience residential and business development during the Inter-War era, and the population reached around 6,000 in 1939. The ongoing development and consolidation of the town over time continues to be reflected in its local heritage places. As the town developed through the early twentieth century the number of prominent two storey buildings increased within the main business centre, with hotels, banks, offices and emporiums creating local landmarks. However, the majority of retail premises continued to be housed in relatively modest single storey buildings, typically with simple stepped parapets and recessed entries flanked by display windows. While they attracted little attention in the public records, these small shops offered a wide range of important services and were essential to the local community. Within this context, the section of Wellington Street that linked the main commercial centre (Victoria Street) with the Railway Station provided a prime location for small shops and offices. In the Rates Book of 1951 the owner of this property was listed as Thomas Mitchell and the occupant as Restella Studios. ‘Restella Studio and Photographic Depot’ was advertising its services in Wellington Street, Bunbury, by late 1924, when it was under the proprietorship of George Shape Cox: Mr. Cox, late of Carr and Co., who needs no introduction to Bunbury residents, has taken over the Norma Studio and is bringing the whole plant up-to-date. Since evening weddings are so much in vogue Bunbury has been far behind the times in not having a studio with facilities for night photography. Hitherto wedding parties have had to leave by the night train for the metropolis without being photographed and of course Perth studios benefited considerably by this lack of necessary plant. Country clients, perhaps only able to visit our town for an hour or two Saturday night, have felt the inconvenience. Seeing the present need of Bunbury for an up-to-date studio, electric lights of 9000 candle power have been installed to enable clients to have photographs taken at any hour of the night. All the plant will be electrically equipped, including printing and enlarging. The adjoining shop has been opened as a Kodak Photographic Supply Store, with all the latest in cameras, films, and accessories, etc, with a One Day development and printing service. Films brought in one day, may be had the next. Mr. Cox is managing this branch of the business and has been fortunate enough to secure the services of Mr. Downing, one of the foremost photographers in Australia to manage the studio. Mr. Downing served his time with the Kodak headquarters in Sydney … He managed a studio in Sydney, was official photographer for the N.S.W.. Government during the Prince of Wales' visit, and photographer for the American scientific expedition in the islands, and has just finished a contract for the N. S.W. Government in the interior of New Guinea, so clients can rest assured they are going to get first class work. Over coming years the shop front was used to display photographs of local events and scenes, which were available for purchase. Other services included photographic portraits, development and printing of photographic film and a range of gifts including framed copies of “well-known” pictures. The words ‘Restella Studio’ are still displayed in etched glass above the entrance on the western side of the shopfront. In 2022, the shop is occupied by a local boutique store 'Raspberry Fox Boutique & Gallery'.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Medium Authenticity: Medium Date of Survey: 2/01/2022

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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