I thought this rather large plain thing on the side of #VictoriaBarracks was maybe 1950s but no it’s 1940, and I guess it’s meant to be #Georgian; the #cartouche and the #wroughtiron lamp are very nice but the rest is a bit dull. Probably by #GeorgeHallendal who did all the Army’s Deco/Classical drill halls in … Continue reading George VI Georgian, 1940 →

The former Western Hotel, later Bayview Hotel, 1 Mercer Street Geelong. Built in 1854, prominently located on the road into Geelong from Melbourne, later a school and a guest house, then a hotel again, now apartments. Apparently #sandstone under many layers of paint. Architect John Young, described in an early study as ‘the most accomplished … Continue reading Gold Rush pub in Geelong. →

The rather grand #TempleCourt in the financial heart of #CollinsStreet was built in 1924-25, designed in ‘#CommercialPalazzo’ (US influenced) style by #GraingerLittleBarlowandHawkins ( #MarcusBarlow just before he went solo). It replaced the 1857 #PurchasAndSwyer building of the same name which extended the legal precinct from Little Collins, one block of which was known as Chancery … Continue reading Temple Court, 1925 →

Spotted these fine #terracehouses in #KerferdRoad, #AlbertPark a little while ago, can’t miss them really, a set of 5, with a tower on the middle one! Built 1882-1892, designed by one of my fave #highvictorian architects, Walter Scott Law, who did the nearby #AlbertParkCoffeePalace. Lots of elaboration here, and unusually for terraces, done in a … Continue reading High Victorian terraces, W S Law does it again →

The fine #Neoclassical 1928 #ESandAbank on the corner of #SwanstonStreet and Little Bourke by #HareAndHare has been a bank again for nearly a year; I was a bit disappointed to see that after I’d helped get it on the #VictorianHeritageRegister in 2015 (only the facade was listed, and renovations were going to destroy the great … Continue reading 1928 ES&A bank restored, but best bits mostly hidden. →

Remember Batman Records ? This is at 215 Swanston St when it was one of three city stores, photo taken as part of the 1985 Central City Heritage Review. A great place to get your second hand vinyl, or rent a record, take home and tape it ! And just discovered I had a photo … Continue reading Batman Records in 1985 in a nice ancient terrace in Swanston Street →

Repost 2019: Recently repainted, #CurtinHouse, #SwanstonStreet, still a sort of #beigebrown scheme, as it has been as long as Ive known it ! Since the 80s, when it was cheap office space, long time home of the ‘genies’, the #GeneologicalSociety, wonder of they’re still around what with ancestry.com etc ? Now of course it’s a … Continue reading Tattersalls Club, 1922. →

17 March 2025 My all time favourite High Victorian discovery, a series of branches built for the Melbourne Savings Bank, all designed by Wright & Lucas, and all built 1889-1890, at the peak of the boom. All versions of each other, they’re a bit Mannerist, with heavy piers, chunky base levels, pediments open in the … Continue reading Wight & Lucas – Mannerism plus! 1889 →

Gong Hei Fat Choy ! Ok, that doesn’t mean happy new year, more like Good Fortune in Cantonese, but that’s appropriate for this #MelbourneChinatown landmark - it was built in 1888 for Lowe Kong Meng, who I knew nothing about until a minute ago - turns out he was the de facto leader of the … Continue reading Sum Kum Lee, Chinatown, 1888 →

#StKildaPrimarySchool, with its #GothicRevival rocket I mean tower. It’s another one of #HenryBastow’s reputedly 600 schools he designed as architect for the Education Department after school was made compulsory in 1872. This one in the first batch, completed 1875, though only one storey then; the middle upper floors and tower added 1888 (and most of … Continue reading Henry Bastow school No 3, St Kilda Primary, 1874. →