Apache Hostel

Attached four-bay three-storey commerical building, built 1862, now in use as hostel, with various additions to rear (east) elevation. Pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystack having clay pots, rendered parapet with interlinking circular medallions over rolled moulding flanked by brackets, having cut granite coping and cornice. Red brick, laid in Flemish bond, to upper wall to front (west) elevation with cast-iron tie bolt, over rendered and granite wall to ground floor. Rendered wall to north elevation. Segmental-headed window openings having pyramidal keystones and corbel brackets to granite sills, and two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows to second floor, basket-headed window openings with continuous granite sill course and four-over-four pane timber sliding sash windows to first floor, having moulded render architraves and cable mouldings to reveals throughout. Arcaded ground floor delineated by Doric granite pilasters, having round-headed window and door openings, with timber framed windows, granite sills over cast-iron grilles to aprons, with moulded archivolts and cable mouldings having bearded-head keystones interrupted by raised roundels. Timber panelled door with plan fanlight, surmounted by dentillated cornice having cable moulding, flanked by square brackets. Granite paving and kerb stones to front. Situated to east side and south of Eustace Street.

This building was completed in 1862 for a solicitor, Charles Pickering, by William Caldbeck. It is a thoroughly designed building with a wealth of notable detailing, including the whimsical keystones, dentillated cornice and ground floor arcade. The heavily moulded parapet with its geometric enrichments is early-Victorian in character, and this character is enhanced by the retention of the unusual basket-headed window openings and timber sash windows. It is among Eustace Street's most eyecatching buildings due to the range of decorative detailing and retention of its historical integrity.