Manufacturers House

Item details


Name of item:	Manufacturers House
Other name/s:	Manufacturer's Mutual Building
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Commercial Office/Building
Location:	Lat: -32.9287069678 Long: 151.7842422320
Primary address:	35-37 Watt Street, Newcastle, NSW 2300
Parish:	Newcastle
County:	Northumberland
Local govt. area:	Newcastle
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Awabakal

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1		DP	342578

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
35-37 Watt Street	Newcastle	Newcastle	Newcastle	Northumberland	Primary Address
King Street	Newcastle	Newcastle	Newcastle	Northumberland	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	Private

Description


Designer/Maker:	Spain and Cosh
Construction years:	1920-1920
Physical description:	Manufacturers House is a three storey building designed in the Classic Revival Style. Its sandstone-clad faade features a base, columns, two storeys high capped by a detailed string course and a third floor terminated with a parapet including balusters. It retains its original multi-paned windows. A particularly fine feature of Manufacturers House is its splayed corner which incorporates the main entrance flanked by two sandstone columns. Internally the building is divided into small offices with access of a spine corridor. Of particular interest are the stair well and the corridor areas. (Heritage Office Branch Managers Report 26/1/1984)
Modifications and dates:	It has been substantially improved to provide modern commercial premises. (Media Release 1984)


Current use:	Office space

History


Historical notes:	Constructed in the 1920s to the design of Spain and Cosh. Manufacturers house was one of 30 buildings on which s.130 order were placed in 1981 because of their importance to the Newcastle Business District and East End. A Permanent Conservation order was placed over the building on 15 June 1984. It was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Constructed in the 1920s to the design of the architects Spain and Cosh.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The building is designed in Classic Revival style and is located on a prominent corner at the centre of Newcatle business district.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	00314	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former	00314	15 Jun 84	93	3128
Local Environmental Plan		03 Jul 92

References, internet links & images

None

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045379
File number:	S90/05392 & HC 32854

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