6 Fullagar Road, Wentworthville War Service Homes Group 

War Service Homes Group
Inter-War bungalow
Constructed: 1920
Listings: Holroyd Heritage Study 1993; Holroyd Heritage Review 1998; Heritage Conservation Area 2 - Fullagar Road Conservation Area; RAIA Register of Twentieth Century Buildings of Significance

Statement of Significance

The Fullagar Road War Service Homes Group has local and state significance as the largest and most intact representative example of Inter-War service homes and provides evidence of contemporary social and architectural attitudes to housing service personnel in the years immediately following WWI.

The buildings are significant individually and as a group as fine and largely intact examples of Inter-War Georgian style constructed in quality materials with good layouts and style. This group is one of the earliest War Service Homes estates so far to the west of Sydney and one of the few groups which were constructed in this distinctive style.

Recommendations

This group of War Service Homes should be retained intact on the LEP. The group is significant for the integrity and quality of the style, form and detailing of the buildings and their integrity as a group. There should therefore be no redevelopment within the group which impacts on this integrity particularly from the streetscape quality.

There should be no roof additions allowed or any modifications which alters either the visible facades or the form or fabric of the roofs. Those buildings in the group which are face brick should remain unpainted or unrendered. There should be no modifications to either the classical detailing or fenestrations to the front of the buildings. Additions could be allowed at the rear of the houses but proposals should be consistent with the character of the building and existing fabric.

Description

The subject house is an L-shaped 1920s Inter-War bungalow with a hipped roof of terracotta tiles and rendered brick walls, on a face brick base. It is similar in style to houses at 24, 26, 30, 32 and 38 Fullagar Road, which form part of the War Service Homes Group, comprising a cohesive group of face or rendered brick houses in the Inter-War style. The roof features wide eaves, exposed timber rafters and a rendered brick chimney.

Windows are generally multi-paned timber casement located individually or group in pairs and have painted brick sills. The projecting bay to the street features a group of three such windows. The front entrance has been modified and is a single modern timber panelled door with aluminium security grille.

The verandah differs from others in the group, extending along the front façade, however, has similar pairs of rendered classical style columns with simple capitols and bases. The verandah retains its original metal sheeting and has a pebblecrete floor. Typical french doors on the eastern elevation have been removed, and original casement windows on the western elevation replaced with aluminium sliding.

Rear lean-to extends along entire façade and has rendered brick walls supported on open brick piers, similar roof tiles and timber awning windows. A driveway along the western boundary leads to a small fibro garage towards the rear. Low timber paling fence to the street.

Located on a large block the land slopes down from the NE corner to the SW. Located to the east is a large modern two storey face brick residence, and to the west No. 8, a face brick residence which also forms part of the group. Opposite are several brick, fibro or weatherboard houses dating from the 1950s.

Modifications / Condition

Largely intact however modified including rendered brick lean-to at the rear. Non-original front door and single aluminium sliding window have been installed in the original casement window opening on the western elevation. French doors on the eastern elevation have been partially infilled to form a window.

Generally in good condition and well maintained. Some tiles have been replaced. No major cracking evident or cracking or flaking to paint to timberwork, typical of other houses in this group. Garage constructed 1969.

History

The subject property formed part of the 1065 acre Government Domain which was subdivided into 20 and 50 acre allotments from 1859. In 1859 William Fullagar purchased over 37 acres between Fullagar Road, the Great Western Highway, Toongabbie Creek and Bridge Road. Fullagar purchased extensive tracts in the present day Westmead and Wentworthville areas at this time.

In 1920 the land along Fullagar Road was subdivided and purchased by the War Service Homes Commission, and the present property boundaries were formed. The Commission was established in 1919 specifically to construct houses and provide loans at low interest rates for returned soldiers. The Commission purchased large areas of land in suburban Sydney during and after the war, and by 1920 a group scheme on Fullagar Road had been completed.

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