A group of Clayfield locals is voicing out their opposition against redevelopment on a block where a Victorian-era home is located.
The Mundumburrah on Drake St, Clayfield is a late Victorian era timber house, which has a pending application to be listed as a Queensland heritage home. Protesters are saying that the approved development on the block would render the historical home “unrecognisable.”
Under the plan, the Mundumburrah will be raised and moved to the front of the block. Behind it will be built two apartment buildings. One of the apartment blocks will have five 2-bedroom units, while the other one will have four 2-bedroom units.
Historical and Architectural Significance
The Mundumburrah was built in 1886 by John William Constantine Drane and is the last example of rich Queensland Colonial Pyramid architecture. John Drane and his family played an important and well-documented role in the early history of Brisbane. Drane St was also named after him.
The residential building is the first home to be built on the block. Its design is a fine example of natural, climate-responsive architecture. The house is considerably well-maintained and still has its original features intact.
Petition
The group of protesters has launched a petition on Change.org to gather support for their fight to save the Mundumburrah. They are urging Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and the Brisbane City Council to list the property as a heritage home and reconsider the development plan.
The group insists that a Development Application was approved in September 2016 without considering the significance of the history and architectural significance of the property. They also claim that the City Council did not consider the pending Heritage Listing application for the Drane St home.
The council, for its part, maintains that they are preserving the character of the house even with the redevelopment plan.
The application for the Mundumburrah heritage listing will be tackled on June 23 at a meeting of the Queensland Heritage Council.
(Photo credit: Daile Kelleher – The Greens / Facebook)
