A Walk Through the Past – Historic Melbourne Landmarks

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Melbourne was founded in 1835 by a group of Tasmanian businessmen, in direct defiance of the Governor of New South Wales. Led by John Batman, settlers established a colony along the banks of the Yarra River on Port Phillip Bay. The town was incorporated in 1842 and by mid-century had over 30000 inhabitants.

Having gained its independence from New South Wales in 1851, the new State of Victoria exploded in a frenzy when gold was discovered later that same year. By 1854, the population had swelled to 300000.

The second half of the 19th century and early part of the 20th saw the construction of dozens of stately Victorian buildings, many of which have been lovingly preserved and listed with the National Trust of Australia. Here are some of the finest examples that combine architectural beauty and historic significance.

1. Flinders Street Railway Station

A railway station was originally built on this site in 1854 to service the flood of new colonists arriving with the gold rush. A design competition was held at the turn of the century and won by two railway employees whose entry formed the basis for the iconic Melbourne landmark you see today. The “new” station was completed in 1909 and the red brick and cement structure has undergone several renovations and refurbishments in the intervening years.

2. St. Francis’ Church

The oldest catholic church in Victoria was completed in 1845 and pre-dates the gold rush. The church bell was originally brought over from Dublin in 1853, and the ceiling is made of Queensland cedar. St Francis’ continues to be the busiest church in Australia, and is a popular stopping place for tourists of all faiths.

3. Melbourne University

The establishment of a university in 1853 was prompted by a belief that a place of higher learning would have a civilizing influence during the bedlam years of the gold rush. The first classes were held in 1855 with three professors and sixteen students, only four of whom went on to graduate. Women were subsequently admitted in 1881. The University has numerous architecturally important structures, notably the various residential colleges and the Baldwin Spencer Building. A walk through the sprawling inner-city campus provides a wonderful overview of fifty years of evolving architectural styles.

4. City Baths

By the mid-1850s, the Yarra River was becoming polluted and was the source of a typhoid epidemic which caused numerous fatalities. In order to discourage people from bathing in the river, the City Council initially opened a bath house in 1860. The magnificent Edwardian baroque structure which stands on the same site today was built in 1903. Initially strictly gender segregated, the swimming pool was opened to mixed bathing in 1947.

5. Como House

This Italianate mansion, now owned by the National Trust, was first built in 1847 as a four-room residence for a local lawyer. In 1864, the property was purchased by a wealthy pastoralist and Como house became a magnet for Melbourne high society. The rooms are filled with period furniture and provide a unique look at how the prosperous entertained themselves in the years following the gold rush. The gardens are beautifully well maintained, and you are welcome to bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds.

6. Royal Arcade

Another notable example of Italianate architecture can be found in the Royal Arcade. This covered shopping mall was built in 1847 by famed architect Charles Webb. The intricate glass and wrought iron ceiling towers above rows of boutique shops and eateries. The statues of Gog and Magog have struck the clock on the hour, high in their decorative cupula, for well over a hundred years.

7. Windsor Hotel

Architect Charles Web was also responsible for designing the Windsor Hotel, which has welcomed guests to Melbourne since its opening in 1884. Originally named “The Grand”, it is the only remaining example in the country of a Victorian era “grand” hotel. If you look up, you’ll notice an intriguing stone sculpture over the main entranceway. The male and female figures depict “Peace” and “Plenty”, symbolically stretching over the English and Australian Coat of Arms. The Windsor is a 5-star luxury hotel, considered one of the finest lodging establishments in the city, and has hosted hundreds of world-renown celebrities over the years.

8. La Trobe’s Cottage

From grandeur to modesty, a half hour stroll across the Yarra will bring you to the home of the first Superintendent of the Port Phillip District, Charles La Trobe. The cottage was built in 1839 from prefabricated materials imported from England. Many of his personal effects remain on display, providing a glimpse of everyday life in the nascent colony.

9. Labassa

Another fine Victorian mansion now owned by the National trust, Labassa is lucky to have survived its colourful history unscathed. The original structure was redesigned in the 1880s by the founder of Cobb and Co., the coach service that delivered mail throughout the booming colony. He hired a German architect to remodel an unassuming house into a thirty-five-room mansion in the French Second Empire style.

After housing Melbourne’s elite until the 1920s, the rooms were split into flats and housed a variety of colourful and eclectic figures including Louise Lovely, Australia’s first Hollywood star. During World War II, Labassa was used as a temporary residence for displaced European families. In the sixties and seventies, it was a refuge for artists and bohemians. The National Trust has restored the property to its original splendour, and the interior rooms are replete with intricate wallpaper, stencilling, stained glass, and a must-see trompe l’oeil ceiling.

10. Victoria Barracks

The Victoria barracks were originally built by soldiers of the 40th Regiment in 1856 to house the British Imperial Garrison troops who were brought in to put down the Battle of the Eureka Stockade near Ballarat. These riots pit the gold miners against the government, the police and British military forces, chiefly because of their lack of representation and voice (essentially taxation without representation). The Eureka Stockade rebellion is thus hailed as the “birth of democracy” in Australia.

The original bluestone buildings were erected between 1856 and 1872. Other wings were added in subsequent years, including the art deco inspired “M Block” in 1939. The Barracks housed the Department of Defence for the first half of the 20th century, and the Australian War Cabinet during the Second World War. It is still an operational government building, housing various military departments.

The city’s older buildings are cherished not only for their architectural features, but for the many tales they tell of Melbourne’s rich and layered past. Whether you are attracted by the aesthetic or captivated by their stories, Melbourne’s heritage buildings are among the finest in the world.