Right here stands the Former East Kew Fire Station. It whispers tales of bravery and architectural elegance. Designed by Harry Winbush in 1940-41, this building at 35-37 Belford Road is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a piece of Kew’s history.
The Former East Kew Fire Station is of local historical and architectural significance. Imagine the scene in the late interwar period. This was a large suburban fire station. It proudly showed its purpose. The central flagpole stood tall. The MFB crest was clearly visible. Its overall form spoke volumes.
Architecturally, the Former East Kew Fire Station represents Modernism. This style was popular in Melbourne for smaller institutional buildings around 1940-41. Winbush’s design holds its own against contemporaries like Seabrook and Fildes. Even Percy Everett’s designs. Its plainness and elegance set it apart. It’s a key example of Modern architecture in Boroondara.
Look closely at the building’s physical description. It is a large interwar building of face red brick. It was designed around an elongated rectangular plan. The facade is breakfronted and parapeted. The styling is distinctly Modern. It features an symmetrical design.
The central bay projects out and up. Originally, this housed the engine bays. A dentilled cornice adds detail. Concrete fins provide vertical accents. Rendered spandrel panels sit above the original engine bay doors. These doors survive, but now have new window and wall insertions.
Notice the flagpole and crest. They clearly mark the building’s original use. Sadly, the lettering ‘metropolitan fire brigade’ has been removed. It was once proudly displayed beneath the flagpole. Bands of ribbed Manganese brickwork define the fenestration bands. Secondary elevations are in plain red face brick.
A pair of pedestrian entrances flank the central bay. They are screened by concrete hoods. These provide access to glazed stair halls. Fenestration is repetitive. Grouped window openings hold timber-framed double-hung multi-paned sashes.
The front and side boundaries feature low brick walls. These are contemporary with the Former East Kew Fire Station. Later steel and timber fences have been added. Letterboxes and screen planting date from the building’s conversion to residential use. However, the building remains externally intact.
The Former East Kew Fire Station stands as a reminder of Kew’s past. It operated as a fire station for many years. It protected the community from the threat of fire. Today, it has been repurposed. It now serves a new function. Its historical and architectural significance remains.
Remember the Former East Kew Fire Station. It stands as a tribute to those who served. It represents a significant chapter in Kew’s history.