9 May 2025 It’s a pretty grand terrace in Grey Street St Kilda, possibly 1870s, maybe 1880s, set back behind large gardens, and the most visible one missing its verandah. But lots of great detailing up top. (Beautiful autumn creepers too in 2025). That house was sold in 2004, when it was mauve inside. Then … Continue reading Grand terraces St Kilda →

9 May 2025 The slightly famous K2 public housing in Raleigh Street, just off the south end of St Kilda Road. It was designed by @designinc_melb, completed in 2007, one of the first new big public housing projects since the early 80s, and won a lot of awards, mainly for the extensive sustainability features. Ive … Continue reading Public Housing →

8 May 2018, updated : Well preserved ghost signs on the cnr of Bank and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne. I didn’t have much to say back then, but @melbourne_ghostsigns has since done great research, so now I know that : The building is 1882, mostly a real estate office until becoming the Baker family grocer … Continue reading Ghost signs, South Melbourne →

3 May 2025 A late post for World Art Deco Day (April 25th) - this was Normans Corner Store, cnr of Bourke and Russell Streets, one of the many smaller ‘department stores’ in the CBD. Norman’s opened here in 1932 in an Edwardian 3 storey thing, survived the depression, then in 1935 added 4 more … Continue reading Tall corner store →

2 May 2025 One of the dozens of #LostMelbourne mansions - Bracknell in Toorak was on a large lot between Lansell Road and Orrong. It was designed by WH Ellerker for politician and land boomer Matthew Davies in 1882; it had a tower and lots of balconies as shown in the sketch (pic3). In 1887 … Continue reading Bracknell / The Towers, Toorak →

30 April 2025 This was always a landmark for me coming into town from Camberwell as a kid - a very grand church on the corner of Power Street and Wallen Road Hawthorn. It’s actually not a church, but a Shrine, dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, patron saint of the lost. It’s one of … Continue reading St Anthony’s, Hawthorn →

29 April 2025 Nomads, Carlisle Street, St Kilda, 2004. Even though this is so brightly coloured and blocky I kind of like it. I guess it helps a lot that the street is mixed and especially that there’s two palm trees in front. Also, it’s kind of just like a sculpture, with that almost blank … Continue reading Red box backpackers →

27 April 2025 This very unusual place once stood in Albert Street East Melbourne, a very elaborate and rare example of the Moorish or Mogul style, a bit Alhambra, a bit Taj Mahal, a lot Victorian invention. It was overlaid as a verandah on an earlier house in about 1877, and might have been designed … Continue reading Moorish style in East Melbourne →

26 April 2025 The Labassa Conservatory features a cast iron structure and roof detailing, with other bits in pressed metal, and a tiled floor, by far the most elaborate late 19thC private freestanding conservatories to survive (there are quite a few attached ones left). It probably dates from c1890 when the gardens were greatly expanded … Continue reading Labassa Conservatory →

20 April 2025 The fabulous Rivoli Theatre at Camberwell Junction, opened in 1940, has the most interesting Art Deco cinema interior left in Victoria. It was designed by cinema specialists Taylor & Soilleux (this is the only one of theirs left), who often did something more than the usual zigzags or waterfall curves - and … Continue reading Rivoli Theatre →