5 August 2021
Park Mansions, #ParkStreetSouthYarra, one of the earliest flat developments in Melbourne – I think – can’t find out much for certain!
Earliest ads are from 1913, which makes it 3 years after #FawknerMasions, the oldest extant flats – but it seems it was more like a boarding house, with rooms and suites to let, communal dining and roof terrace, and an ‘automatic lift’. Lots of mentions after that for various people ‘taking a flat’ there. The ad with early photos comes from William Batters real estate page, and they don’t say when it dates from, but presumably round WWI.
It’s now like 5 long terrace houses on top of each other, each complete with front verandah.
The first floor flat was the scene of bomb event in 1987 that killed “rally driver, businessman and gambler Stewart McLeod” and injured his wife. A freind who was staying with them was charged and acquitted.
Update 2024: the South Yarra Heritage Review 2023 says it was it was originally called Mayfair, and built 1913-14, but the first ads are 1913, for Park Mansions. Also that it was built for Elias Cunliff, and the architects were probably Godfrey & Spowers.
2025
2021
Storey of Melbourne 