28 August 2023:
In the Age yesterday a story about abandoned / disused heritage places, including the basement vaults of the Safe Deposit on Queen Street. The building was designed by William Pitt in 1890, and he presumably designed the vaults too. They’re pretty intact as far as I can tell, with their leadlight and timber privacy booths, and thick ‘undrillable steel’ walls. They were run by the ES&A, then the ANZ bank right up until 2017, when they handed over management and contents to Guardian Vaults in William Street, in the process revealing such items as gold nuggets and a set of solid gold cutlery. I’m not fussed if they’re not used, as long as they stay intact and perhaps visitable for open days. Or maybe a very quirky bar ? First image the Age, others the internet, last one mine.
Storey of Melbourne 