Doery House was originally constructed as two buildings during the 1850s. Number 353 was, like many of the homes on Church Street, owned by a series of medical professionals.355 Church Street, was purchased by John Mullaly, probably in the late 1850s. Mullaly had arrived in Melbourne from Ireland in 1840, working as a customs officer, before becoming second in command at Customs House. He eventually established his own private import business Mullaly and Byrne. Although he died in 1898, his family owned the house until 1917.Both properties were acquired by the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) in 1917. The buildings were transformed into 40 rooms for accommodating young women in need of support. The building was extended multiple times over the ensuing decades, and now acts as a hotel. The iron balustrades which adorn the façades are not original to the buildings. The buildings are graded as Individually Significant under Heritage Overlay 315.
by LWyatt on June 24, 2020Please login to comment on this item