Original post 9 Feb 2021: St Kilda Railway Station, as it looked in c1864, from the @cityofportphillip heritage collection- and all of it is still there ! Built in 1857 as the terminus for Melbourne’s 2nd train line, it turned St Kilda from a scattering of villas and mansions into a desirable sea side suburb. … Continue reading St Kilda Railway Station →

Original post 8 Feb 2018: The site of one of the first losses just after I started working at the @nationaltrustvic. Melbourne’s first #cabletram #enginehouse on the corner of Hoddle Street and Bridge Road was demolished for the sake of a flared intersection/slip lane - most annoying cos they could’ve at least kept the furtherest … Continue reading Cable Tram Engine House, lost →

12 December 2023 Expected to find this one particularly horrible, but somehow at least when closer you focus on the restored facades of the 1925 Metropolitan Hotel on William Street, rather than the huge black tower above it. They also did a good job with reinstating the corner windows, the new brickwork matches fine. This … Continue reading Metropolitan Hotel facadism, William Street →

Original post 6 February 2017: The beaut Courier Building on #DorcasStreet #SouthMelbourne, can't find exact date, but I bet 1880s, crazy vertical three storey office building on a terrace house sized block. I can tell you however that the Courier was only published from 1900 to 1914 thanks the the #MelbourneCircle blog (or maybe 1881, … Continue reading South Melbourne Courier →

Original posts 6 February 2021 I still think of this simply as ‘Russell Street’, a fabbo skyscraper style HQ for the Victoria Police, in the news recently since a mini series about the 1986 bombing recreated the scene right in front (!). Replacing old barracks, the #RussellStreetPoliceStation was built 1941-3 (despite war restrictions on everyone … Continue reading Russell Street Police Station →

Original post 5 February 2018: Think replacing one of the buildings at #FedSq with an Apple flagship store is a bad idea ? Especially one that’s practically a copy of the Chicago one ? Then: email the City of Melbourne in support of the motion to request that State Parliament disallow the planning amendment that … Continue reading Apple Store at Fed Square – just say no ! →

Origin post 5 February 2021: Ajax Insurance, cnr Queen and Little Collins, yet another of the 55 #midcentury office blocks up for #heritagelisting, and another fave of mine, even though it’s a bit retro for 1957. Designed by HD Berry, who didn’t go on to much it seems, but did well with this, which would … Continue reading Ajax insurance →

Original post 4 Feb 2021: A bit of #perspectivecorrect makes this archway look very impressive, but then it is ! And it’s at the end of my street. It’s called #Ripplemere on #GreyStreetStKilda, built 1884, designed by one of faves #FrederickdeGaris, who did a few really OTT #HighVictorian at it's highest - though actually this … Continue reading Ripplemere, St Kilda →

Original post 6 December 2017 Finally reading that rather famous book #PowerWithoutGlory, about the notorious #JohnWren, who started the (in)famous ‘Tote’ in Collingwood in the 1890s, and kept it going against police raids and Acts of Parliament and wowser campaigns for 14 years, through bribery and threats if the book is at all accurate. Anyway, … Continue reading Burke Hall →

Original post 2 February 2021: Always had a soft spot for his one - #GuardianInsurance, corner of Collins & William, 1960-61 - it’s clad in precast concrete panels faced with Stawell stone, and its representative of the sudden move in 1960 to a sense of solidity in office buildings, away from the 50s glass curtain … Continue reading Guardian Insurance →