15 September 2025

I’ve known about this rather extraordinary house in Avoca Street South Yarra for a long time, but only actually had a look today – so much cast iron ! So many unusual features all packed in: it’s three storeys, addresses the corner with an oriel, the verandah has a side curve (all a bit New Orleans), and there’s a fully cast iron stair to get from the front gate to the front door (it’d keep you fit I suppose!). The stair cast iron pattern is particularly fruity.

It’s called Waterloo and was built in 1890 for David Lee, along with the 6 attached terraces. He employed Wilkinson & Permewan architects (who later did the Castlemaine town hall, also an unusual design).

Lee was the organist for the City of Melbourne, an important position, but perhaps it was his wife’s money – her father was a wealthy pastoralist. She died in 1891, and the next year he moved on, and died in 1897.

A follower pointed me to the William Batters real estate site which gives further history : ‘… a bed and breakfast in the 1930s before being purchased in 1955 by the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, used as its headquarters for more than 45 years.’ Which takes us up to 2000, though other followers say that there were business and flats in there in the 70s/80s, so they maybe rented it out?

The house sold in 2023, and even though it was plenty big enough (plan and pics from 2020), the back end is now half demolished, no doubt awaiting a five car garage lap pool outdoor entertaining etc.

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