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Australian Queen Anne Style

1 Jul
Caerleon, Bellevue Hill, Sydney Queen Anne styled mansion in South Yarra, Victoria. A home in the Appian Way, Burwood, Sydney
     
Australian Queen Anne Style

In Australia, the Queen Anne style was absorbed into the Federation style, which was, broadly speaking, the Australian equivalent of the Edwardian style. The Federation period went from 1890 to 1915 and included twelve styles, one of which was the Federation Queen Anne. This became the most popular style for homes built between 1890 and 1910.[8] The style often utilised Tudor-style woodwork and elaborate fretwork that replaced the Victorian taste for wrought iron. Verandahs were usually a feature, as were the image of the rising sun and Australian wildlife; plus circular windows, turrets and towers with conical or pyramid-shaped roofs.

The first Queen Anne home in Australia was Caerleon, in the suburb of Bellevue Hill, New South Wales.[9] Caerleon was designed initially by a Sydney architect, Harry Chambers Kent, but was then substantially reworked in London by Maurice Adams.[10] This led to some controversy over who deserved the credit. The house was built in 1885 and was the precursor for the Federation Queen Anne homes that were to become so popular.

Caerleon was followed soon after by West Maling, in the suburb of Penshurst, New South Wales, and Annesbury, in the suburb of Ashfield, New South Wales, both built circa 1888. These houses, although built around the same time, had distinct styles, West Maling displaying a strong Tudor influence that was not present in Annesbury. The style soon became increasingly popular, appealing predominantly to reasonably well-off people with an “Establishment” leaning.

The style as it developed in Australia was highly eclectic, blending Queen Anne elements with various Australian influences. Old English characteristics like ribbed chimneys and gabled roofs were combined with Australian elements like encircling verandahs, designed to keep the sun out. One outstanding example of this eclectic approach is Urrbrae House, Adelaide, South Australia, part of the Waite Institute. Another variation with connections to the Federation Queen Anne style was the Federation Bungalow, featuring prominent verandahs. This style generally incorporated familiar Queen Anne elements, but usually in simplified form.

Some prominent examples are:
West Maling, Penshurst Avenue, Penshurst, Sydney
Homes, Appian way, Burwood, Sydney
Caerleon, Bellevue Hill, Sydney (sold for $22 million in January 2008)
Annesbury, Alt Street, Ashfield
Weld Club, Barrack Street, Perth
ANZ Bank, Queens Parade, Fitzroy North, Melbourne
Campion College, Studley Park Road, Kew, Melbourne