Explore the Weekend's Heritage Highlights
In 1974, after years of campaigning by heritage and conservation activists, the Victorian Historic Buildings Register was formalised by the Victorian government. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that legislation, known today as the Victorian Heritage Register.
For heritage lovers, The Weekend boasts so many options, you may not know quite where to start. Here’s our pick…
From Ned Kelly’s armour to a LEGO model of the Library, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the State Library of Victoria, established in 1854 and today comprising 23 architecturally-designed buildings. You can wander through the library or book a spot on a Heritage Architecture tour with Architectus to really get beneath the surface of this important space.
Take a guided tour through one of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings, the Melbourne Town Hall and view the reception rooms, stand on the Portico balcony where The Beatles waved to the crowd below, and see the richly carved Town Hall grand organ. You can also tour the Town Hall Art and Heritage Collection Store, (note, an additional booking is required), home to the City of Melbourne’s eclectic collection of more than 13,000 artworks and objects.
Nearby, the 1924 Capitol Theatre (also called Capitol House), described as ‘the best cinema that was ever built or is ever likely to be built,’ is an important example of Marion Mahoney Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin’s commercial architectural work, and a significant cultural building in Melbourne’s arts spine.
Shaping Remembrance: Exploring Alternative Visions for the Shrine invites you to consider how art and architecture can shape remembrance. Ninety years since the official opening of Melbourne’s grand Shrine of Remembrance, hear from architecture experts and tour the building. To explore more of the Melbourne Arts Precinct heritage, check out Lovell Chen’s Stroll on the South Side.
La Trobe’s Cottage is set in the gardens surrounding the Shrine and is the original home of Victoria’s first Lt. Governor. Take a short tour of one of Melbourne’s oldest buildings and learn more about the building itself and its inhabitants.
Como House and Gardens in South Yarra is an intriguing mix of Australian Regency and classic Italianate architecture, offering a glimpse into the privileged lifestyle of its former owners, the Armytage family, who were famous amongst Melbourne high society for their elegant dances, dinners and receptions.
Brighton Council Chambers (aka Brighton Municipal Offices), is a must-do for mid-Century aficionados. Echoing the famous design of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the iconic curved Brighton Chambers was officially opened in 1961 and with its circular foyer, council chamber and two circular meeting rooms is a striking example of the architecture of its era.
Almost completely out of sight on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, discover the hidden world that is Jack’s Magazine, with a look inside this former explosives store built into an escarpment, a largely untouched former industrial facility managed by Working Heritage.
Pentridge Piazza is part of the dramatically transformed former Pentridge Prison in Coburg, which is now a residential and retail precinct. Take a walking tour of the new Central Piazza which incorporates rescued materials from the original site into the new one, ensuring the prolific stories hosted by the site are not lost or forgotten, while bringing a new lease of life to the heritage-listed building and grounds.
It might sound a little macabre, but the Former Williamstown Morgue is an intriguing spot to take a look. Significant both for its architecture and the essential (if morbid) role it played for the local community, you’ll be fascinated by this glimpse into our past.
Enjoy stepping back into Melbourne’s history!
The Victorian Heritage Register now includes approximately 2,400 places and objects that are significant to the history and development of Victoria. It protects a variety of heritage, not just historic buildings. Heritage can be buildings, objects, collections, archaeological remains, gardens, shipwrecks and more.
To celebrate this milestone, Open House Melbourne and the Heritage Council of Victoria presented Open FRAME: capturing 50 years of heritage, a photography competition for all Victorians to capture their favourite building or object on the Victorian Heritage Register.
The judging panel of John Gollings, Maddison Miller and Michael Cook selected the winners which you can view below.
Open FRAME winners
