December 2019
#BoerWar Memorial, #AlfredSquare, #StKilda, 1905; designed by #ArthurPeck, though its assumed that it’s probably also/mostly #RobertHaddon, who consulted a lot. He was almost the only architect in Victoria to fully embrace #ArtNouveau, and this has all the sinuous lines and vegetal motifs of that style. Also, it’s green, so green. No idea if it’s meant to represent something, like an #obelisk ? A #cenotaph ? And don’t know what the shields supported on those iron structure are exactly. It’s great though. Also just revealed again after being behind a lined box for a month – I assume to fix the rather cracked tiles, but they look the same ! Maybe shinier. And last time I posted it in 2015 it had a light on top…
In 2015 with the light on top: 
November 2025
The St Kilda Boer War Memorial in Alfred Square was unveiled in May this year after a lengthy restoration process. It looks much the same from a distance, but close up you can see it looks much better, the chips have been filled in a matching colour, and some tiles are completely new (colour matched by @pennb). My pics are 2019 compared to now. The wreaths and the spiky crown in bronze have also been reproduced, it’s pretty amazing.
The memorial was unveiled in 1905, one of many across the state, but only 3 in Melbourne. It’s the only Art Nouveau one, and it’s a nice and curly one, with tendrils in the ceramic and wild curved straps up top supporting the shields. The designer was Arthur Peck, who put his name on it, but given he didn’t do anything else remotely like this, it’s thought it was probably designed by Robert Haddon who did loads of designs for other architects. Though this is pretty out there even for him. It’s just a pity the ceramic didn’t hold up too well. Congratulations to @cityofportphillip for funding the restoration.
Storey of Melbourne 