29 September 223 Very sad and annoyed to read that Yarra Trams is going to halve the City Circle W Class Tram service, by running them only one way, every 12 minutes. They’ve never wanted to run them, nor did the PTV before them - they just want to run modern vehicles - even though … Continue reading W Class Trams and the City Circle →

11 October 2023: This delightful house called ‘Fleurs’ on the #StKildaHill on Princes Street was built c1882 for retired lawyer John Barker. Which is pretty much all the Port Phillip Heritage Review says; though I can add he was superintendent of the Mint from 1872, and also a St Kilda city councillor, and that not … Continue reading Fluers, Princes Street, St Kilda, →

9 October 2023 This is the inside of the very fabulous 2nd Church of Christ Science, in Cookson Street Camberwell, just near the station. It was built in 1936, designed by Bates Smart McCutcheon, and is one of the very few Art Deco churches in Victoria (albeit not a traditional church). Lots of great details … Continue reading 2nd Church of Christ Scientist, Camberwell →

10 October 2023 Zander’s Store No 2, at 11 Highlander Lane, off Flinders Lane near King Street. Built 1854, when warehouses came to dominate this end of the city. JC Zander died in 1858, and unusually his wife, Cecilia, took on the business, expanding to adjacent sites over the next decade or so (see plan). … Continue reading Zander’s Store, Highlander Lane →

5 October 2023 Not Melbourne, but by Melbourne architects - the HQ for the AMP, built in Pitt Street Sydney in 1864, designed by Reed & Barnes (ie. by Joseph Reed). Interesting to compare with their Bank of NSW of 1858, once in Collins Street, the facade now at Melbourne University - more elaborate so … Continue reading Sydney AMP building, 1864 →

Original post 1 October 2015 Cambridge Terrace, Drummond Street Carlton, just north of Princes Street; named after the home town of the bricklayer owner/developer, which also explains the dominating #brickyness. A row of six, apparently the first part (which part I don't know) built 1867, pretty early for face #brickwork and #polychromebrick for that matter. … Continue reading Pretty brick terrace, Carlton →

Original post 4 October 2019 Stanthorpe, built 1874, Barkly Street, St Kilda, #CrouchandWilson architects. #StKilda has quite a few large houses, big terraces and even some mansions from the late 19th century, scattered between and behind the interwar and postwar flats, from when it was maybe the second most desirable suburb after Toorak. Apparently this … Continue reading Stanthorpe, St Kilda →

Original post 2 October 2018 The London Chartered Bank, architect Leonard Terry, 1871, a nice stone-built survivor on this prominent #BourkeStreet corner, probably because it stayed a bank until 1990. (Later #ESandAbank then ANZ). Plus it’s very nice. Pics 2 is 1929, @library_vic, and then a pic from the 1870s from @statelibrarynsw, showing that the … Continue reading London Chartered Bank, Bourke Street →

23 September 2019: From Swanston Street opposite the ex brewery - when I saw the plans for the one at the back, which faces Queensberry St, I couldn’t believe they were proposing apartments looking only into a #lightwell on the side of the building, or that the planners thought it was ok ! Between 4 … Continue reading Apartment standards (lack of) →

26 September 2023 In the middle of the Gothic Rialto/Olderfleet group in Collins Street is one that’s classical, but fits right in with its delicious level of detail, and matching height. Record Chambers was designed by J A B Koch (who did Labassa) and built in 1887 for the printing and publishing firm of McCarron, … Continue reading Record Chambers, Collins Street →