Photographic Archival Recording Glebe

Trace Heritage was engaged to prepare a Photographic Archival Recording for a grand Federation Queen Anne residence in Glebe. The recording was a condition of development consent and was required to be completed prior to commencement of approved construction works involving alterations and additions to the property.

The Property and Its Heritage Context

The subject property is a substantial Federation Queen Anne style house occupying a prominent position on one of Glebe's principal streets. The property is individually listed as a heritage item under Schedule 5 of the Sydney LEP 2012, with the listing extending to the house, its interiors, the front fence, and front garden. It also sits within the Toxteth Heritage Conservation Area.

The Federation Queen Anne style, with its picturesque massing, decorated gable ends, terracotta ridge capping, and integration of Arts and Crafts detailing, represents a significant phase in Australian domestic architecture. This property is a particularly accomplished example of the style.

What Is a Photographic Archival Recording?

A Photographic Archival Recording is a systematic photographic documentation of a heritage building, prepared in accordance with guidelines established by the NSW Heritage Office (now Heritage NSW). It serves as a permanent record of the building's physical condition, architectural character, and relationship to its surroundings at a specific point in time — typically before construction works commence.

Our Approach

Trace Heritage undertook comprehensive internal and external photographic documentation of the residence, producing a detailed archival record structured in accordance with NSW Heritage Office guidelines. The recording included historical background research, a physical description of the heritage item, a statement of heritage significance, and a complete catalogue of high-resolution photographs with location plans and descriptive metadata.

The final archival package comprised the photographic report, thumbnail image sheets, catalogue sheets with descriptive metadata, and a digital archive on USB containing full-resolution TIFF files.

Outcome

The Photographic Archival Recording was completed and submitted to the City of Sydney Council, satisfying the conditions of development consent and clearing the way for the approved construction works to proceed. The archival record now forms part of the City of Sydney's heritage archive.