20 Unwin Street Templestowe VIC 3106

This property represents a Merchant Builder home — an important and distinctive component of Australia’s post-war architectural legacy. Such homes contribute meaningfully to the cultural and suburban identity of Victoria.
The associated landscape, including the rock garden, is attributed to Ellis Stones, one of the most influential landscape designers in Victoria’s history. His work is widely recognised for shaping a uniquely Australian approach to garden design that integrates native materials, landform, and ecological sensibility.
In my capacity as the Elisabeth Murdoch Chair of Landscape Architecture at the University of Melbourne, I wish to highlight the significant architectural and landscape heritage value embodied in this house and garden. Together, they represent an integrated cultural landscape that warrants careful recognition, protection, and long-term stewardship.
I respectfully encourage the Board to consider the historic and cultural significance of both the built form and the designed landscape in its deliberations.
Thank you for your consideration.
Professor Alexander J. Felson
Elisabeth Murdoch Chair of Landscape Architecture
University of Melbourne