May 2026

On the Northcote hill looking down to St George’s Road is the giant home for the aged built by the Little Sisters of the Poor in stages from 1890. It used to be visible from a distance, behind some park-like gardens and the replacement home built in the 1980s, but too many big trees now.

The sisters sold the main building in the 90s (I think) to the Greek Orthodox Church, who established a monastery, adding some nice frescos to the chapel out the back, now the Axion Estin Cathedral.

I always wondered at the scale, and yes most of it has been empty for 30 years. But perhaps not for much longer – since 2022 there’s been a proposal to build a range of new structures around it, including some townhouses and flats out the back, presumably to help fund it, with 3% affordable too. There’s also a Fed grant ready of $10mill to go towards restoration.

The scheme seems very ambitious, with an indoor-outdoor amphitheater on the main corner, a rather big kinder for 3-4yos, a plaza /market in front of the main building, with a restaurant. The old building will contain offices, flats, a boutique hotel, ballroom, bookshop, gallery, and spaces for artists and makers. All for $170mill.

Even though a lot of garden areas will become buildings, and the new stuff is just contemporary good taste style, I guess I don’t mind it. It’s nice to see a mix of for profit and not for profit uses. Not convinced about the amphitheater though, more practical to have a modern theatre than one with a glass wall behind the stage. Or just an open air one. All pics via facebook or the internet.

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