January 2026

The wildly named Zaneth Manor on Brighton Road opposite the St Kilda Town Hall has very interesting drippy brickwork in the gables, probably inspired by 1910s Dutch expressionist work, via the US. It was built in 1936, and has the added distinction that I lived there 1990-93 in flat eight, middle top floor – which has that fabulous fireplace (which I don’t remember) and really great zigzag glass doors (which I do), including double ones to the lounge (which the real estate pics don’t show). I assume they all had them, though the 1936 article said each flat was a different colour, and pics of other flats show that doorways and fireplaces are different, and many have been opened out. Back then the kitchens and bathrooms were intact, lots of terrazzo and tiles in cream and green. It was so nice ! I even got used to the traffic noise.

It was designed by James Wardrop, most famous as part of Hudson & Wardrop who did the Shrine, but he went on to do some pretty notable places, the Clifton Hill McDonalds, the Orrong Hotel and Alkira House in Queen Street, all different versions of Art Deco, and not really repeated in Melbourne.

Heres a profile on Flat 7, owned by comedian Bev Killick.

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