Historical Heritage Report: Former Casey Airfield Hangars, Berwick, Victoria

46 Pages·2017·2.96 MB·English

FinalReport
Historical Heritage Report: Former Casey Airfield
Hangars, Berwick, Victoria
Client
Victorian Planning Authority
6March2017
Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd
Authors
RickBullersandOonaNicolson
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Wethankthefollowingorganisationsfortheircontributiontotheproject:
 VictorianPlanningAuthorityforprojectandsiteinformation.
 CityofCaseyforprojectandsiteinformation.
 HeritageVictoria.
CoverPhoto:Existinghangars,facingnorthwest
(PhotoprovidedtoEcologyandHeritagePartnersPtyLtd)
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 ii
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Activity HeritageAssessment:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars
Address BerwickCampus,MonashUniversity,Berwick,Victoria
Projectnumber 8864
Projectmanager RickBullers
Reportauthor(s) RickBullersandOonaNicolson
Reportreviewer OonaNicolson
OtherEHPstaff NA
Mapping MoniqueElsey
Filename 8864_EHP_CaseyAirfieldHangarsBerwick_HHA_Final_RB_03032017
Client VictorianPlanningAuthority
Bioregion GippslandPlain
CMA PortPhillipandWesternport
Council CityofCasey
Reportversions Comments Commentsupdatedby Datesubmitted
Draftv1 DraftforinternalQAreview - 20.01.2017
Draftv2 Drafttoclientforcomment RickBullers 20.01.2017
Final Finalreport RickBullers 6.03.2017
Copyright©EcologyandHeritagePartnersPtyLtd
Thisdocumentissubjecttocopyrightandmayonlybeusedforthepurposesfor
which it was commissioned. The use or copying of this document in whole or
part without the permission of Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd is an
infringementofcopyright.
Disclaimer
Although Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd have taken all the necessary
steps to ensure that an accurate document has been prepared, the company
acceptsnoliabilityforanydamagesorlossincurredasaresultofrelianceplaced
uponthereportanditscontents.
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 iii
ABBREVIATIONS
Acronym Description
Act,the HeritageAct1995
AV AboriginalVictoria,formerlytheOfficeofAboriginalAffairsVictoria
BHEP BerwickHealthandEducationPrecinct
BPHS Berwick-PakenhamHistoricalSociety(BPHS)
CDP ComprehensiveDevelopmentPlan
CHL CommonwealthHeritageList
CHMP CulturalHeritageManagementPlan
CMA CatchmentManagementAuthority
DELWP DepartmentofEnvironment,Land,WaterandPlanning(Victoria)
DoEE DepartmentoftheEnvironmentandEnergy(Commonwealth)
DPC DepartmentofthePremierandCabinet(Victoria)
EES EnvironmentEffectsStatement
EPBCAct EnvironmentProtectionandBiodiversityConservationAct1999
EVC EcologicalVegetationClass
HA HeritageAdvisor
HHA HistoricalHeritageAssessment
HO HeritageOverlay
HV HeritageVictoria
NES NationalEnvironmentalSignificance
NHL NationalHeritageList
NTR NationalTrustRegister(Victoria)
PMST ProtectedMattersSearchTool
PSP PrecinctStructurePlan
RNE RegisteroftheNationalEstate
SLV StateLibraryofVictoria
VGF VictorianGeomorphologicalFramework
VHI VictorianHeritageInventory
VHR VictorianHeritageRegister
VPA VictorianPlanningAuthority
VWHI VictorianWarHeritageInventory
WHL WorldHeritageList
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 iv
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background........................................................................................................................................1
1.1.1 ComprehensiveDevelopmentPlan............................................................................................1
1.1.2 TheStudy...................................................................................................................................1
1.2 StudyArea..........................................................................................................................................1
2 METHODS .......................................................................................................... 2
2.1 BackgroundReview............................................................................................................................2
2.2 SiteInspection....................................................................................................................................2
2.3 Limitations.........................................................................................................................................2
3 HISTORICAL CONTEXT .......................................................................................... 3
3.1 RegionalHistory.................................................................................................................................3
3.1.1 AboriginalHistory.......................................................................................................................3
3.1.2 PastoralismandSettlement.......................................................................................................3
3.1.3 Berwick......................................................................................................................................5
3.1.4 Edrington...................................................................................................................................5
3.1.5 TheCaseys.................................................................................................................................6
3.1.6 FormerCaseyAirfield.................................................................................................................8
3.2 PreviousHeritageInvestigations......................................................................................................18
3.2.1 HeritageoftheCityofBerwick(GraemeButlerandAssociates1993)....................................18
3.2.2 CaseyHeritageStudy(Context2004)......................................................................................19
3.3 HistoricalSocietyConsultation........................................................................................................20
4 SITE INSPECTION................................................................................................21
4.1 CurrentConditiontheHangars........................................................................................................21
4.1.1 Building1–the1969MaintenanceHangar.............................................................................21
4.1.2 Building2–theSmallerHangar/Sheds....................................................................................23
4.1.3 Building3–the1982HelicopterHangar.................................................................................24
4.1.4 OtherFeatures.........................................................................................................................25
5 CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE......................................................................27
5.1 AssessingHeritageSignificance.......................................................................................................27
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 v
5.2 SignificanceAssessmentoftheCaseyAirfieldHangars...................................................................27
5.3 DiscussionandInterpretation..........................................................................................................28
APPENDICES............................................................................................................33
REFERENCES............................................................................................................37
Appendices
Appendix1:SignificanceAssessment..............................................................................................................34
Tables
Table1:HeritageCriteriaandAssessment......................................................................................................28
Figures
Figure1:CardiniaCreekRunswiththeapproximatelocationofthestudyareainyellow(Source:BPHS1982:
4)........................................................................................................................................................................4
Figure2:CardiniaCreekRunwiththeapproximatelocationofthestudyareainred(Source:Spreadborough
andAnderson1983)..........................................................................................................................................5
Figure3:LordCasey,c.1930s(NPG2890797)..................................................................................................6
Figure4:MaieCasey,1953(NPG2016.32)........................................................................................................6
Figure 5: The Casey’s Percival Vega Gull (VH-ACA) at Mascot in September 1938, with R.G. Casey as pilot
(CaseyAirfieldBlogspot)....................................................................................................................................7
Figure6:OriginalaerodromelicenceissuedtoR.S.Ryanon21June1938......................................................9
Figure 7: Original Casey Hangar at Edrington, part of a photograph taken in late 1960s. Note the ‘Berwick’
airfieldidentifierasperMaieCasey’sletterin1938..........................................................................................9
Figure 8: Richard and Maie Casey, with their son Donn, at Berwick in 1938. They are standing next to their
newlypurchasedPercivalVegaGullinfrontoftherecentlycompletedSydneyWilliamshangar..................10
Figure9:GypsyMothsattheinaugural‘fly-in’atBerwick,Summer1938(CaseyAirfieldBlogspot)..............10
Figure 10: Original airfield warning sign at the Clyde Road entrance, c.1950s (Source: Still from film Queer
Birds)................................................................................................................................................................11
Figure11:GlideroperationsatCaseyAirfield.c.1950s(Source:StillfromfilmQueerBirds)...........................11
Figure 12: Hangars at Casey Airfield in the late 1960s, looking east, from left to right: VFMG glider hangar,
VFMGoperationsroom, VFMGclubroom,thepoweredaircrafthangarandtheoriginalCaseyhangar(Casey
AirfieldBlogspot).............................................................................................................................................12
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 vi
Figure13:AerialphotographofCaseyAirfieldin1963,showingrunways,hangarsandconifers(LandVictoria)
.........................................................................................................................................................................13
Figure14:ColonelKeithHatfield.....................................................................................................................14
Figure15:MajorRonKerrison.........................................................................................................................14
Figure 16: Hangars at Casey Airfield in April 1968 when Groupair took control of the airfield, looking
northeast, from left to right: VFMG glider hangar, VFMG operations room, VFMG clubroom, the powered
aircrafthangarandtheoriginalCaseyhangar(CaseyAirfieldBlogspot).........................................................14
Figure17:AerialphotographofCaseyAirfieldin1970,showingthenew‘maintenancehangar’,theoldestof
thethreehangarsstillpresentatthesite(LandVictoria,inChamberlainandDiFazio2015)........................15
Figure18:Topographicmapfrom1974showingthenewrunwaylayout(StateLibraryofVictoria).............16
Figure19:The‘maintenancehangar’soonafteritwasbuiltin1969,minushangardoors,lookingwest(Casey
AirfieldBlogspot).............................................................................................................................................16
Figure 20: Aerial photograph of Casey Airfield in 1989, showing the study area with the 1968 ‘maintenance
hangar’, the secondary shed/hangar and connecting shed, and the ‘helicopter hangar’ built in 1982, and
conifersreferredtoinGBA(1993)(LandVictoria)...........................................................................................17
Figure21:Photographofthethreeextanthangarsandshedstakenin1992,showingthe‘helicopterhangar’
at left, the smaller hangar/shed at centre, and the 1969 maintenance hangar at right. Note the row of
conifersintheforeground,referredtointhisreportasthe‘firstrow’...........................................................18
Plates
Plate1:Front(Eastern)elevationofBuilding1,facingwest............................................................................22
Plate2:SteeltrussesinBuilding1,lookingtowardstherearofthehangar....................................................22
Plate3:Corrugatedsteelcladdingontherearelevationofthebuilding,facingeast.Notethesmallfan-outlet
offthe‘quarantineroom’................................................................................................................................22
Plate4:GalvanisedsteelIBRsheetingonthenorthernsideofBuilding1,facingsouth.................................22
Plate5:NarrowconcreteaproninfrontofBuilding1,facingsouth................................................................22
Plate6:Detailofthedoorleavesandslide-railsinBuilding1.........................................................................22
Plate7:Three-roomedstore/officeattheSW(rear)cornerofBuilding1......................................................23
Plate8:Storage bench/shelf?intherear(NW)cornerofBuilding1............................................................23
Plate9:Front(Eastern)elevationofBuilding2,facingwest............................................................................23
Plate10:GalvanisedsteeltrussesandtubularframesinBuilding1,withtimberstringers............................23
Plate11:Skillion-roovedextensiontotherearofBuilding2,facingnorth......................................................24
Plate12:InteriorofBuilding2,facingtowardstherear(west)skillionextension...........................................24
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 vii
Plate13:Skillion-roovedin-fillshedbetweenBuildings1and2,facingwest..................................................24
Plate14:LoweredgesofBuilding2onthesouthernside,withBuilding3inthebackground.......................24
Plate15:Front(southeastern)elevationofBuilding3,facing northwest.....................................................25
Plate16:SoutheasterncornerofBuilding3,showingthecutintotheminorslopetotherear.....................25
Plate 17: Detail of the upper door-rails that extends several metres from the south western corner of
Building3.........................................................................................................................................................25
Plate18:DoorrailsonBuilding3andframeworkforasmallwindsock..........................................................25
Plate19:GravelcarparkandconcretepadoppositeBuildings1and2,facing west......................................26
Plate20:Closerviewoftheconcretepadinthegravelcarparkeastofthestudyarea..................................26
Maps
Map1:LocationoftheBHEPandtheStudyArea............................................................................................31
Map2:ExtentoftheStudyArea......................................................................................................................32
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 viii
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.1.1 ComprehensiveDevelopmentPlan
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is preparing a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for the
BerwickHealthandEducationPrecinct(BHEP)withtheassistanceoftheCityofCasey(Council).TheCDPisa
long-termplanforurbanredevelopment.Itdescribeshowtheprecinctisexpectedtobedevelopedandhow
and wheredevelopmentmay changeexistingland uses. The BHEP is located between the Monash Freeway
andthePrincesHighway,eithersideofClydeRoad,Berwick(Map1).
ItisenvisionedwithinthedraftCDPthatthemajorityofvacantlandadjacenttothePrincesFreewaywillbe
developed for employment (commercial or business). A mixed use precinct is proposed to develop around
Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard and the education precinct to the south of Enterprise Avenue Industrial Park.
Themixeduseprecinctwouldbelocatedwithincloseproximitytotheexistingaeroplanehangarsthatform
thefocusfortheheritageassessment.
ThevisionfortheBHEPistodevelopanintegrated,highqualityeducationalandemploymenthubknownfor
its concentration of health, education, business and community institutions. The heritage work
commissioned will inform the preparation of the CDP with the aim to foster a sense of place that
distinguishes this commercial, health and tertiary precinct as a key destination within the wider south east
region.
1.1.2 TheStudy
TheVPArequiresanassessmentoftheheritagesignificanceofthetwoexistingaeroplanehangarswithinthe
formerCaseyAirfield,nowpartoftheBHEP.
The purpose of the assessment is to seek an integrated outcome approach to the proposed CDP where
heritageplaceswillberecognisedasplacesofvaluewithinthefuturecommunity.Toachievethis,thestudy
will aim to assess the heritage values of the former Casey Airfield hangars, document the current condition
of the hangars, determine the need for any heritage protection in the form of a heritage overlay and
consideroptionsforadaptivereuseofthesite,andproviderecommendationsastoanappropriatecurtilage
foranysignificantvaluesoftheplace.
1.2 Study Area
ThestudyareaislocatedattheBerwickCampusofMonashUniversity,ClydeRoad,Berwick,Victoria(Cityof
Casey) and comprises the land immediately surrounding the extant hangars, bounded to the north by the
commercial/industrial area off Intrepid Street, to the east by Venture Drive, to the south by the northern
loopoftheMonashUniversityentrancedrive,andtothewestbytheNossalHighSchoolcarpark.Thestudy
area comprises part of the land known as Lot 1 on Plan of Subdivision 725948P, Volume 10914, Folio 071
(Map2).Thestudyareaisgenerallyflat,althoughitrisesatthenorthwestcorneralongtheboundary.
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 1
2 METHODS
2.1 Background Review
The following documents were taken into account as part of the preparation of this Historical Heritage
Report:
 HeritageoftheCityofBerwick(GraemeButlerandAssociates1993);
 TheCityofCaseyHeritageStudyVolume1:ThematicEnvironmentalHistory(December2004);
 TheCityofCaseyHeritageStudyVolume2:KeyFindingsandRecommendations(2004);
 TheCityofCaseyHeritageStudyVolume3:KeyFindingsandRecommendations(2004);
 TheCityofCaseyHeritageStrategy(8May2001);
 PlanningPracticeNote1:ApplyingtheHeritageOverlay(DELWP2015);
 The Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Heritage Significance (the
BurraCharter)(AustraliaICOMOS1999);and
 TheCaseyPlanningSchemeAmendmentC207ExplanatoryReport(VPA2015).
2.2 Site Inspection
A site inspection of the Former Casey Airfield Hangars was conducted on 7 December 2016 by Rick Bullers
(Senior Heritage Advisor/Archaeologist). The heritage place was walked on foot and inspected from a
numberofvantagepoints.
2.3 Limitations
The historical cultural heritage information used to inform this Historical Heritage Report is limited to that
obtainedthroughdesktopassessmentandasitevisit.
HistoricalHeritageReport:FormerCaseyAirfieldHangars,Berwick,Victoria,March2017 2