Repost this day 2018:
The former #ElsternwickFireStation, built 1896, one of 32 new fire stations built between 1892 and 1896 by the newly formed Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade. Before that it was volunteer brigades or competing insurance brigades (they’d ignore you if you weren’t covered). Great #RomanesqueRevival or is it #QueenAnne with a #Moorish #horseshoearch, let’s just say a good bit of #highvictorian eclectic by Public Works architect #JTKelleher, who used the same arch on the Flemington Fire Station. It was excellently restored at some point, having painted all white as seen in the 1976 photo. 2021 update : a huge development was already in planning in 2018, now in its second iteration, being considered by @cityofgleneira, but VCAT has already approved much of it; residents objections I think mean that the tallest part is now right next to and behind the fire station, and the arch is going to be the main resident entry, nice for them, but the doors will then be replaced by glass ones. The carpark entry goes next to it, so at least some space around it, but also some big signs, no finesse. It’s on the #victorianheritageregister, but presumably they’ve indicated this is all ok, they usually only worry about fabric being demolished, not what goes up around it.
Storey of Melbourne 