This 1906 Australian house was saved from demolition; the former Chinese-Australian family home is now becoming a museum

Ballarat councillors have voted unanimously to seek interim heritage protection for Victory House, a home built in 1906 at 742 Geelong Road in the suburb of Canadian. Named after the 1902 Melbourne Cup winner The Victory, it was home to the family of Chinese goldmine manager James Wong Chung until 2008. Landowners want to demolish the house and outbuildings for four dwellings, but the interim protection will prevent that while permanent controls are sought. Chinese Australian Cultural Society Ballarat president Charles Zhang says the long-term goal is to buy the site and turn it into a museum and cultural centre.Why was the 1906 Australian house called Victory HouseAs reported by ABC News, Victory House was built in 1906 and named after the 1902 Melbourne Cup winner The Victory. It was home to the family of Chinese goldmine manager James Wong Chung. According to family history and the council, the family put winnings from that race toward building the Edwardian dwelling. The name "Victory" is etched in the fanlight above the front door. The citation records the Chung family's association with the property for more than 100 years, until 2008.James Wong Chung also worked as an interpreter for the government, assisting with legal and other matters for members of the Ballarat Chinese community. It states that family members held leadership roles in the textile and railways unions. According to the report, the house was remembered by family members as a welcoming place where Chinese heritage and culture were celebrated through informal visits and annual gatherings of up to 200 people of Chinese background.Why was the 1906 Australian house considered locally significantA City of Ballarat officers' report to the Planning Delegated Committee says a history report dated 21 June 2022, prepared by Dr Robyn Ballinger of History Making Pty Ltd, found the dwelling meets the threshold of local significance. The Statement of Significance describes the place as being of local historical, social and associative significance to the City of Ballarat. It lists the contributing elements as the c.1906 dwelling with c.1925 alterations, the mature Cypress hedges, the former miner's residence (c.1880) to the north of the dwelling, and the decorative carved fireplaces and surrounds. The assessment cites Criteria A, H and G.The report also sets out other processes affecting the site. A request under Section 29A of the Building Act 1993 to demolish the dwelling and outbuildings was received on 7 July 2022. The report states that this request has been suspended. It notes that Heritage Victoria found an Interim Protection Order was not warranted but listed the property on the Victorian Heritage Inventory for its archaeological significance. On 26 August 2022, the Heritage Council of Victoria approved an Interim Protection Order under the Heritage Act 2017 while it reviews the place for State-level significance.Why do the landowners want to demolish the historic Australian houseChinese Australian Cultural Society Ballarat president Charles Zhang says the long-term goal is to purchase the site and turn it into a museum and cultural centre. “We are saving this house because we want to save this history," Zhang told ABC. He said the money was there, thanks to private donors. Mick Trembath, whose family has lived in the house across six generations, supports the plan to approach the owner about purchasing the property. He said he was surprised and overjoyed at the council's vote.The landowners want to demolish the house and outbuildings to construct four new dwellings, and the interim protection will prevent that while permanent protections are sought. Councillor Mark Harris, who was one of the four who originally voted against protection, told ABC Ballarat that he had not changed his mind on the heritage value of the home itself. He said the community's response revealed its social significance.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.