National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

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The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

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Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

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Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

History

An inner-city residential suburb, transport hub, industrial precinct, and world-famous sporting ground, Woolloongabba is many things rolled into one.

It has a long history of occupation and development, but is now poised for new prominence as an Olympic destination in 2032.

And to take advantage of the future infrastructure is Silk Lane, the apartment development that will rise high above The Gabba, the hub of the Olympic Ganes.

Woolloongabba however was not always the melting pot that it is today.

University of Queensland associate professor in history, Geoff Ginn, shares the history of the suburb.

<h2>A Meeting Place</h2>

Before the onset of British colonial development in the 1820s, the Aboriginal people of the Turrbal and Jagara clans knew the place as Woolloon Capemm meaning &lsquo;place of whirling water&rsquo;, a name that reflected the abundant waterholes, swamps and creeks in the area, said associate professor Geoff Ginn.

Ceremonial places included a bora ground on top of Woolloongabba Hill, at the site now occupied by Holy Trinity Church in Hawthorne Street, and two &lsquo;pullen pullen&rsquo; grounds for ceremonial fighting nearby.

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&ldquo;In 1824, the founding of the Moreton Bay penal settlement heralded the beginning of the European presence in Queensland and the displacement of the First Australians in the area&rdquo;, Ginn continued.

In an attempt to achieve self-sufficiency, convicts in the fledgling settlement cleared and cultivated the south bank of the Brisbane River.

Known as &lsquo;One Mile Swamp&rsquo;, this area had isolated houses and farm dwellings in the 1840s through to the 1850s, when allotments were surveyed and sold.

<figure><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="375" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2021-08-26_at_12.54.37_am.png?itok=gP2p_Jns" title="Woolloongabba Fiveways traffic in 1955" width="580" />

<figcaption>Woolloongabba Fiveways traffic in 1955</figcaption>
</figure>

As the European settlement of Brisbane gathered pace in the 1860s-1880s, most of the southerly traffic from Ipswich Road and Logan Road converged at the site, at the intersection with Stanley Street and Main Street through Kangaroo Point to create the famous &lsquo;Gabba Fiveways&rsquo;.

&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t until the 1870s that the name of Woolloongabba was officially used.&rdquo;

A tram service drawn by horses was active after 1885, with electric trams after 1897. After 1895, these brought crowds to football and cricket matches at the recreation reserve later named the Brisbane Cricket Ground.

A major railway station and goods yard appeared at the site and the surrounding industrial areas as streets rapidly filled up with workers cottages and small timber &lsquo;Queenslanders&rsquo;.

A few local landmarks from this period included Woolloongabba Post Office, the Princess Theatre and many hotels in prominent positions at road intersections.

&ldquo;There were also churches and other centres associated with distinct immigrant communities such as the Deutscher Turnverein (now German Club) established in the mid-1880s, the nearby Russian Orthodox Church&rdquo;, Ginn said.

<figure><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="377" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2021-08-26_at_12.54.44_am.png?itok=a71ZJC_1" title="International cricket match at the Gabba in 1931" width="580" />

<figcaption>International cricket match at the Gabba in 1931</figcaption>
</figure>

By this time, with vehicles, trams, and trains filling its streets and footpaths crowded with shoppers and workers, Woolloongabba had assumed its modern form.

<h2>Local Amenities</h2>

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Now an energetic place of work, transport, leisure and community, Silk Lane residents are offered convenient local amenities that dot the suburb.

The apartments are in close proximity to Queensland University of Technology and Torrens University, as well as secondary schools including Anglican Church Grammar School and St Laurence&rsquo;s College.

Other local amenities include the soon-to-be-completed Cross River Rail station, The Gabba, Gabba Central shopping centre, Deshon Street Park and Brisbane City Indoor Sports centre.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=107345]

University of Queensland associate professor in history, Geoff Ginn, shares the history of the Brisbane suburb

max.kwok_55688

The history of Woolloongabba: From isolated houses and farm dwellings to the home of the Olympic Games

<html><body>
Such a simple idea that provides such an incisive look at Melbourne's history. Today's article is a shout-out to the increasing popular Past 2 Present which provides an impressive glimpse into Melbourne's past by comparing it to the present.

Covering metropolitan Melbourne, Past 2 Present generates a side by side compilation of dated and current images from the past two centuries. Buildings, significant places, infrastructure and day to day street level life are covered by creator Robert Smith via Facebook, flickr and tumblr.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/10275586_1075838669112035_2334594070966671575_o.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A Spencer Street comparison. Image courtesy Past 2 Present"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="196" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/10275586_1075838669112035_2334594070966671575_o.jpg?itok=_hn-X0M0" title="A Spencer Street comparison. Image courtesy Past 2 Present" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A Spencer Street comparison. Image courtesy Past 2 Present</figcaption></figure>A prime example is the snapshot of Southbank above dated 1930 featuring the Robur Tea Warehouse. Built during 1887-1888 and designed by Nahum Barnet, the building appears dominant over the Spencer Street Bridge but now the 19th century warehouse is little more than a footnote on contemporary Southbank.

Another below sees how much (or little) Melbourne has changed over a century. While many parts of the CBD have lost iconic structures, certain pockets still endure as seen by the State Library of Victoria's image in comparison to that of Robert Smith's.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/16479952268_4932fb9733_k.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Flinders Street over time. Image courtesy Past 2 Present"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="193" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/16479952268_4932fb9733_k.jpg?itok=bbg9FGRv" title="Flinders Street over time. Image courtesy Past 2 Present" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Flinders Street over time. Image courtesy Past 2 Present</figcaption></figure>As the adage states, "You don't know where you're going until you know where you've been."

It's well worth taking a few minutes to tour old Melbourne and gain a better appreciation for our city by visiting <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Past2Present1">Past 2 Present</a>.
</body></html>

silvermb

Past 2 Present: a snapshot of Melbourne's history

<html><body>
A website has surfaced in recent weeks which compares the Melbourne of today to that of 1945. The stark differences can be viewed at <a href="http://1945.melbourne/">Melbourne 1945</a> which provides contrasting aerial imagery using Department of Crown Lands and Survey photography mashed with current Mapbox capabilities.

<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/a-birdseye-view-of-melbournes-transformation-from-1945-to-2015-20150227-13pd5v">Recently highlighted</a> in The Age, Melbourne 1945 provides a tangible resource that charts Melbourne's immense growth over a sustained period. While providing a visual glimpse at Melbourne's past, it also points toward what lies ahead for Melbourne if the current path is maintained. That is further suburban sprawl with implications for both sustainability and the environment.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image92.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne's sports precinct then and now"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="353" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image92.jpg?itok=xjwRjrD5" title="Melbourne's sports precinct then and now" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne's sports precinct then and now</figcaption></figure>A description of Melbourne 1945 as provided by Nathan Jeffrey:

<blockquote>
The aerial map of Melbourne in 1945 was commissioned by the Department of crown Lands and Survey, and conducted by Adastra Airways. This is a snapshot of the city immediately following WWII, and preceding the suburban sprawl of the postwar period.

You'll notice that there are some missing portions in the 1945 map - notably the areas around Wantirna, Blackburn and Frankston. Unfortunately the original photos covering these areas seem to be lost to time.
<cite><a href="http://1945.melbourne/">Nathan Jeffrey, Melbourne, 1945</a></cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image93.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Only a fraction of our population recall Doncaster during 1945"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="329" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image93.jpg?itok=_Rp-_mcE" title="Only a fraction of our population recall Doncaster during 1945" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Only a fraction of our population recall Doncaster during 1945</figcaption></figure><h2>Comment</h2>

As the old adage goes, "You don't know where you're going until you know where you've been."

Melbourne 1945 is an intriguing glimpse into the past while also giving a fair indication as to how Melbourne has constantly expanded since the days of its founding during 1835. This in turn poses the question: will Melbourne continue its sprawl outward over the next 30, 50, 70 years or will suburban sprawl at some point be deemed counterproductive?

To think that Warburton is 72 kilometres from the CBD and still considered part of greater Melbourne is mind boggling! Will the greater Melbourne decades from now stretch beyond a 100-130 kilometre radius from the CBD? That sounds implausible, but I'm sure the equivalent was said during 1945 about locations we now consider middle and outer ring suburbs.

Replicating what has been done for the past 70 years by continually pushing Melbourne outwards is not the way forward, and the Melbourne 1945 website aides by providing an excellent visual representation of what has been. Build up in a responsible manner, not outwards!
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Melbourne: How you've changed in 70 years - but for the better?

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Flinders Street Station occupies the equivalent of two city blocks, occupying the site bordered by Flinders Street to the north and the Yarra River to the south. The site extends from Swanston Street on its eastern ground level border all the way to Queen Street in the west.

The first train station on the current Flinders Street Station site was called Melbourne Terminus. The original station was comprised of a collection of weatherboard sheds. Melbourne Terminus opened on the 12 of September 1854 and was the first steam railway station in Australia. Thousands of people attended the opening day to see not only Victoria’s, but also Australia’s, first public steam train, which travelled from Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) to the Melbourne Terminus station at Flinders Street.

In 1889 a worldwide design competition was held for a new railway station to be built. The new building, planned to replace the old sheds, was to be a grand edifice befitting marvelous Melbourne, which was then the largest city in Australia. Two Victorian Railway Officials, JW Fawcett and HPC Ashworth who entered under the syndicate name ‘Green Light’, were awarded the first prize of £500 in 1900. Their French renaissance style station included a large domed entrance and a clock tower.

Construction commenced in 1900, while the final design of station building was still in development. The foundations of the main building were completed in 1903. In 1904 the Railway Commissioners made changes to the original design, leading to the construction of individual roofs over each platform instead of a series of arched roofs over the concourse as originally planned. Additionally to increase office space, a fourth storey was added to the main building.

In 1905 work began on the massive station building itself, starting at the west end and progressing towards the grand entrance and dome at the south-west corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets. The grand edifice was designed to have a stone facade, however cost cutting led to use of red brick with cement render details (blood and bandage). Grey granite from Harcourt, Victoria was used on the Flinders Street side at ground level "in view of the importance of this great public work". Design changes that omitted the concourse roof as previously described, saw the southern facade of the main building above ground level constructed of a lightweight timber frame, clad with zinc sheets scored into large blocks and painted red, giving the appearance of large bricks to replace what would have been open balconies under the roof.

Work on the dome started in 1906. Eleven platforms were completed in 1907 with another two added (Platforms 12 and 13) east of Swanston Street in 1909. Completion and the official opening of the station took place in 1910.

The building is three storeys high at the higher concourse/Swanston Street end, and four at the lower Elizabeth Street/platform end.

A number of ticket windows were located at each entry point, with services such as a restaurant, a country booking office, lost luggage and a visitors help booth at concourse or platform level.

A number of shops and leasable spaces were provided. Some of these shops were on the concourse, and many were along the Flinders Street frontage, some were lower than street level and were accessible by stairs, creating a fifth/basement level. The basement store beside the main entrance has been occupied by a hat store since 1910, known as 'City Hatters', since 1933.

The top three storeys of the main building contain a large number of rooms, particularly along the Flinders Street frontage, with the majority designated for use by the railway, although some were leasable spaces. Most of the top floor of the station was purpose built and occupied by the Victorian Railway Institute. This area included a library, a gym and a lecture hall, which was later used as a ballroom. In recent times, these rooms have been abandoned and have been slowly decaying for decades.

Electric trains were introduced in 1919. By 1926 Flinders Street Station was the world's busiest suburban railway station and it still is in the southern hemisphere. Infrastructure such as the Degraves Street subway, which is part of Flinders Street Station, was extended to the north side of Flinders Street in 1954. In March 1966 platform one was extended to reach a length of 708 metres, making it the fourth longest railway station platform in the world.

Flinders Street Station has over time become Melbourne’s most recognizable landmark and perhaps Melbourne’s most definitive icon. Not surprisingly, it has been listed on the Victorian Heritage Act and by the National Trust.

In 2011 the former Victorian Liberal Government launched an <a href="/news/public-transport-architecture-seagull-on-a-hot-chip-thoughts-on-flinders-street-station-competition-entries">international design competition</a> to rejuvenate and restore this grand edifice. In 2013 architects HASSELL + Herzog &amp; de Meuron were chosen as the winners.

Let’s hope that the Melbourne catchphrase, ‘meet me under the clocks’ under the grand entrance at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, continues for many more years, and that the station restoration and rejuvenation starts sooner rather than later.

<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/flinders-st-station-project-going-off-the-rails/story-fni0fit3-1227174184017?sv=d402b598f81dab90d9ba8480c074803c&amp;utm_source=Herald%20Sun&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=editorial&amp;net_sub_uid=6353763">The current situation (government assesses redevelopment).</a>

Peter Maltezos operates <a href="http://thecollectormm.com.au/">The Collector's Marvellous Melbourne</a>, a website dedicated to Melbourne's built environment which maintains a vast image collection of Melbourne, both past and present.
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thecollector

Flinders Street Station: Melbourne's most popular iconic landmark

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A small piece of Melbourne's history will begin disappearing in the days and weeks to come as Melbourne Airport's water tower continues to be engulfed by scaffolding and mesh in preparation for demolition.
A pronounced structure viewed by hundreds of millions of travellers yet never at the forefront of anyone's thoughts, the tower has stood the test of time since it began appearing on the horizon during 1969 as evidenced by the Melbourne Airport image below.  More recently the water tower became far more recognisable, gaining a lick of paint to closely resemble a Tiger Airways aircraft livery.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/1384_19-11-2013_3817.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Airport's image of the water tower under construction during 1969"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="380" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1384_19-11-2013_3817.jpg?itok=w69b9LT2" title="Melbourne Airport's image of the water tower under construction during 1969" width="580"></a>
According to Melbourne Airport, demolition will consist of  "A series of innovative cutting and propping techniques, regarded by engineering specialists as the safest procedure for a demolition of this scale."  In what will most likely resemble the demolition of the Lonsdale Street Power Station chimney some years ago, large horizontal rings will be cut with a diamond tipped cable mechanism and then repositioned by mobile crane to terra firma for recycling offsite.
The water tower is to make way for the new integrated ground transport hub with forms part of the larger precinct redevelopment of which <a href="http://www.leightoncontractors.com.au/" target="_blank">Leighton Contractors</a> is the chief builder.  As seen below works have commenced well back from the terminal precinct for associated infrastructure such as elevated roadways and the like.  Piling for the integrated ground transport hub and part of the terminal precinct are well advanced.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Img_3625.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Early works with Melbourne's skyline in the distance"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Img_3625.jpg?itok=WMYbZ732" title="Early works with Melbourne's skyline in the distance" width="580"></a>
Visit Melbourne Airport's website <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/media/photo-gallery?gallery=historical-photos" target="_blank">here</a> to see a collection of images dating back to the early 1960's.  Further construction images of current works are provided in the link below.
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Tiger loses its tail!

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249 Bourke Street.
1901 William Pitt.
Before the Tivoli Theatre was built, the site it stood on what was home to a business consisting of a timber yard and stables in the mid 19th Century.  In the 1860's the Australian and New York Letting and Livery Stables replaced the older business and interestingly the business also included a hall on the upper level.  During 1866 the hall was known as The Varieties and then later as the Opera Comique; the first Australian performance of the Can Can was staged in The Varieties hall.
In 1872 it became The Prince of Wales Opera House (or just The Opera House) and a syndicate calling themselves the Opera House Company presented a wide variety of popular entertainment, including the first Melbourne performance of The Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore.
Some years later in 1894, the walls of the building were leaning and The Opera House was described as the most dangerous theatre in Melbourne.  The building which housed a capacity audience of 2127 people, was deemed a fire risk and a health hazard.
A year later an English singer and comedian named Harry Rickards took a three-year lease on the risky theatre.  On the 22nd of August 1896, the magician Carl Hertz projected the first motion pictures to be seen by the Australian public.  In 1897, the city council objected to the theatre still being used.  Harry, who still had 3 years left on his lease, asked for a delay in the closure and finally during 1899, a month after the lease expired, the city council closed the theatre.
The optimistic Harry Rickards then negotiated a new 50-year lease with the owners that included the condition that the old theatre be demolished and replaced with a new one.
The New Opera House was completed on the 18th of May 1901 and was designed in a Moorish style by William Pitt who had also designed the Princess Theatre on Spring Street.  It was made of red brick with marble columns and embellished with coloured tiles and ornate cast-iron work with the roof featuring a huge illuminated globe.
Inside two highly decorated corridors led from the street to the main foyer, which included a rockery with palms, ferns and a water feature while a marble stairways swept you up to the dress circle.  A three level auditorium, with its décor dominated by red and gold colours throughout, had a capacity of 1539, and the three tiers of seating created an intimate relationship between the performer(s) and the audience.  The Tivoli Theatre underwent renovations over the years and was rebuilt significantly in 1956.
In 1912, the New Opera House was renamed the Tivoli Theatre by Harry Rickards’ successor, Hugh D. McIntosh.  The Tivoli was the home of Melbourne vaudeville for 65 years until it closed on the 2nd of April 1966.  During its 65 years as a theatre it hosted stars like the escapologist Houdini, comedian W.C. Fields, illusionist Chung Ling Soo, entertainer George Formby, actor and singer Tommy Steele, singer Shirley Bassey and comedian Chico Marx amongst many others.
Lavish revues were introduced in the 1930's and became the Tivoli's standard fare, with pantomimes at Christmas and in the later years, the occasional musical. In the early 1950s the Folies Bergere Revue encouraged controversy about the amount of bare flesh on show for publicity.  In truth, what was on show was only a little more than a typical Tivoli show, but the audience ‘bought it’ and the revue ran for nearly fifteen consecutive months.  English actor and comedian Jimmy Edwards starred in the final live show in 1966.
A month after the closure of the theatre, the Tivoli Cinema opened, although round midnight on the 4th of April 1967, a fierce fire badly damaged the Tivoli.  What was left of the theatre/cinema was demolished and a new office building with the aptly named Tivoli Arcade on the ground level was built on the site, which is now home to the RMIT University's Business School.
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The Titillating Tivoli Theatre

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Melbourne in the late 1840s through to the 1860s was affected by a coinage crisis. The crisis mainly related to a shortage of small change in circulation. At this time, British coinage was in use, however not enough coins were being supplied for Melbourne’s booming population and economy.
Out of necessity, savvy entrepreneurial businesses of the day began issuing trade tokens. These tokens, which were mainly made of copper, were most often the size of a penny or a half penny. The tokens promoted the businesses that produced them, thus providing free advertising and helped to create awareness of their business names within the community.
Like the British pennies circulating in Melbourne, tokens often showed the figure of Britannia or symbols of Australia and Melbourne on the reverse side. These unofficial coins proudly promoted the various businesses, such as grocers, drapers and hoteliers, which issued them. While other businesses and clients alike happily accepted them, they were barely tolerated by the government of the day, even though they provided a practical solution to the coinage crisis.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Token6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One penny token, minted in 1862. Issued by Fenwick Brothers, Importers &amp; Clothiers. It features Observatory House and the Flagstaff in Flagstaff Gardens, giving prospective customers an idea of where to find the store. In November 1852 Orlando Fenwick arrived in Melbourne, he brought goods out from England with him to found a drapery business. In 1857, Orlando was joined by his brother Pascoe and had his store located in King Street. "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Token6.jpg?itok=MXRE0spj" title="One penny token, minted in 1862. Issued by Fenwick Brothers, Importers &amp; Clothiers. It features Observatory House and the Flagstaff in Flagstaff Gardens, giving prospective customers an idea of where to find the store. In November 1852 Orlando Fenwick arrived in Melbourne, he brought goods out from England with him to found a drapery business. In 1857, Orlando was joined by his brother Pascoe and had his store located in King Street. " typeof="Image"></a>
The first tokens that circulated in Melbourne and throughout Australia were imported from Birmingham, England in 1849 by the Collins Street business, Annand, Smith &amp; Co. Family Grocers. The importation of a coinage press and blank pennies in 1854 enabled other businesses to also issue tokens. By the late 1860s after enough British pennies had been imported for circulation in Melbourne, tokens were declared illegal in Victoria, but continued to be used elsewhere in Australia.
The most prolific issuer and maker of tokens in Melbourne and Australia wide was Thomas Stoke. He was an apprenticed diesinker from Birmingham who arrived in Melbourne in 1854. In the 1860s, his company Thomas Stokes was based at 100 Collins Street East. The business became a proprietary company under the name Stokes &amp; Son Pty Ltd in 1911. In 1962 Stokes became a public company, renamed Stokes (Australasia) Pty Ltd, with offices in Ringwood and throughout Australasia. Today the business is still thriving, making medals/tokens and has become Australia’s major manufacturer of electrical elements and a distributor of appliance spare parts.
About twenty years ago, I came across my first Melbourne traders’ token and have been fascinated with these little windows of history ever since. Often I find myself trying to locate addresses on tokens, (difficult since the street numbering has changed in the city), to see what has replaced the savvy little businesses that once issued tokens.
The enhanced photos in this article are of my own collection of Melbourne tokens - click for a larger view.
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Melbourne Traders Tokens - History in your palm

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280-318 William Street (south east-corner of William and Latrobe Streets)
1871-1872 John James Clarke
Commenced in 1871 and completed in 1872, on the site of the first Melbourne Exhibition Building, the former Royal Mint is considered one of the finest renaissance revival buildings in Australia. Design work by JJ Clarke of the administration building, which remains today, began in 1869 when Victoria was given permission by the Royal British Mint to establish a Melbourne branch office. The design was based on Raphael’s Palazzo Vidoni-Caffarelli in Rome (1515) and before cost cutting took place, a much grander structure was designed that was three storeys and 55 metres wide, contrasting somewhat from the two storeys, 31 metres wide building that was finally built.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/RoyalMint1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Royal Melbourne Mint (2005)"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/RoyalMint1.jpg?itok=17fZ69LT" title="The Royal Melbourne Mint (2005)" typeof="Image"></a>
The Mint complex with the main freestanding administration building, residence, two corner guardhouses, palisading and tall perimeter wall, originally also contained additional buildings. These were a coining hall, a melting department and an assay department that were demolished in 1968.
The Royal Melbourne Mint was authorized from the start to strike full British gold sovereign and half sovereign denominations, with the mintmark M to designate their Melbourne mintage. The first gold coins were struck in Melbourne in 1872 and were minted until 1931.
Australian coins were minted from 1916 with the first coins being the silver threepences, sixpences, shillings and florins. This was followed in 1919 by bronze pennies, bronze halfpennies in 1923, silver crowns in 1937, and finally copper one and two cent pieces in 1966. Production of coins ceased in 1967.
It is important to note that the architect JJ Clarke also designed, or had a hand in designing other noteworthy buildings such as the old Treasury Building, the original Richmond Town Hall, the City Baths and Government House.
The Former Royal Melbourne Mint is now home to a number of private enterprises. These include Melbourne Mint Pty Ltd who deal in gold and silver bullion. It also houses the cultural institution the Hellenic Museum, founded in 2007 and established with the aim to promote understanding and appreciation for the rich cultural traditions of ancient and contemporary Greece.
 
The website:
http://www.hellenic.org.au/
Click an image for a larger view of the gallery.
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Former Royal Melbourne Mint - A rich history

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299 Bourke Street (second store and current street number) opened in 1883

Collins Street extension in 1906

Closed in 1929

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27728]

Edward William Cole opened his first book arcade near the former Eastern Market in 1873. On the 27 January 1883 he opened his famous second store on the site of the current David Jones Men’s Store, on what is now called the Bourke Street Mall.

With around two million books on its shelves, the extraordinary Cole’s Book Arcade, also known as the Palace of Intellect, was reputedly the largest bookstore in the world. It was one of the iconic ‘must visit’ Melbourne stores in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In fact, it was so well known, that both Rudyard Kipling and Mark Twain visited it during their travels to Australia.

In 1906, the Coles’ Book Arcade was extended all the way through to Collins Street alongside Howey Place.  E. W. Cole paved and built a beautiful glass and iron ornamental roof for Howey Place, at his own cost, which still stands proudly today. When the Cole’s Book Arcade was two-block lengths in size, it was spacious enough to include a menagerie featuring a monkey house, a fernery, a toyland, a stationary department, a second-hand book department, a glass and china department, a refreshment room, and a confectionery department.  If that wasn’t enough, customers of all ages were also enticed with a string band, a symphonion powered by a clockwork mechanism and other mechanical devices, such as a hen that clucked and laid tin eggs containing either a sweet or a toy, when a penny was dropped into a slot. There were also comfortable chairs to sit in and read books, people were encouraged to do so by a sign that read: Read As Long As You Like – Nobody Asked To Buy.

E. W. Cole was an idealist. He believed passionately in the power of education to deliver a peaceful united (federated) world without borders before the year 2000. He expounded his views in pamphlets, books and medallions.  E. W. Coles’ most famous book was the self-produced publication, Cole’s Funny Picture Book, which had many reprints and sold over a million copies, making it perhaps one of the most popular children’s books ever published in Australia.

E. W. Cole issued medallions that were either sold for three pence each or given as change, to be spent on other arcade purchases up to their 3d value. While many people kept them as souvenirs, others also had them pierced to wear on a necklace.  Around 300,000 medallions were minted and 97 different types were issued. They were usually made of copper, brass or aluminium and were often gilded, silvered or bronzed. Creating highly desirable and valued collectibles was a great marketing idea then, as it is today.

While E. W. Cole passed away in 1918, the business continued after his death. In 1929, the executors of his will decided to wind down the business and sell the land on which it stood, which was at that time, as now, highly desired and valuable real estate. A family member purchased the goodwill and a shop, bearing the name Cole’s Book Arcade, was opened at the new address of 255 Swanston Street. The new venture lasted for an additional 10 years, but failed to survive the 1930s depression.

The Melbourne Museum has a Cole’s Book Arcade collection acquired over many decades. Items such as a mechanical hen, the symphonion and many of the variety of medallions issued can be seen there.

See them on the museum website:

http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/1900/cole-s-book-arcade-collection
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The incredible Cole's Book Arcade

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304–328 Swanston Street, Melbourne
 
1854-1856 Joseph Reed; 1870 Reed and Barnes; 1906–11 Bates, Peebles and Smart;
1951 Percy Everett, Public Works Department; 1990-98 Ancher, Mortlock and Woolley
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Library2pc.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The State Library of Victoria as it looked soon after the completion of the Domed Reading Room."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Library2pc.jpg?itok=MDoy1B8c" title="The State Library of Victoria as it looked soon after the completion of the Domed Reading Room." typeof="Image"></a>
The decision to build a state library for Victoria was made in 1853 by Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe and Mr Justice Redmond Barry. An architectural competition was held and a local architect, Joseph Reed was declared the winner with his submission of an academic classical design.
 
The foundation stone was laid in 1854 and in 1856 the library was officially opened with a collection of 3,800 books chosen by Mr Justice Redmond Barry.
 
In 1859 the first reading room, the barrel-vaulted Queen’s Reading Room (now Queen’s Hall) was opened.  Additional temporary structures were built in the rear facing Russell Street in 1866 for the Inter-colonial Exhibition and were in use until 1909.
 
Construction of the landmark Domed Reading Room begun in 1906 and was completed in 1911. The dome sits on a classically composed polygonal drum that rises over four levels and is punctuated by arched entrances/exits. It was designed by Bates, Peebles and Smart, and a for a short time after its completion, the Domed Reading Room was the world’s largest reinforced concrete dome. In 1959 the Domed Reading Room’s skylights were modified and covered in copper to stop water leaking into the room.
 
The library’s original grand plans made provision for inclusion of a museum and an art gallery. A museum of grand proportions was to be built facing Russell Street, however due to funding shortages a scaled back version was gradually built over the interwar years in a more austere restrained classical style. In the 1990s, the museum was moved to the Carlton Gardens in a new purpose built structure.  The State Library complex was also home to the National Gallery of Victoria until it was moved to its St Kilda Road address in the late 1960s.
 
Between 1990 and 2004 the State Library underwent a $200 million major refurbishment and redevelopment. The most notable of these refurbishments was the restoration of the Domed Reading Room, to allow the return of natural light into the space. It was renamed the La Trobe Reading Room when it was completed in 2003. Other developments included the construction of exhibition rooms and spaces that are used to house permanent and temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibitions include, The Mirror of the World: Books and Ideas and The Changing Face of Victoria, both of which are on display in the upper level galleries of the La Trobe Reading Room. Other permanent exhibition rooms are the Cowen Gallery, along with the Stawell Gallery rooms on level 2a, which house a collection of oil paintings and portrait sculptures drawn from the Library’s Pictures Collection. Temporary exhibitions are held in the Keith Murdoch Gallery, which is entered from the foyer of the main entry on Swanston Street and like the Cowen and Stawell Galleries, used to be a former museum space. The construction of these exhibition spaces has made the Victorian State Library one of the largest exhibiting libraries in the world.
 
The library has moved into the twenty first century with the inclusion of exciting new visitor facilities. This includes Mr Tulk Café, named after the first librarian, Augustus H. Tulk, with its main entrance on La Trobe Street. A Readings Bookshop, is situated next to the library foyer and in 2010, the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas, was set up, with its entrance on Little Lonsdale Street. The Wheeler Centre was named after the Lonely Planet founders, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, who donated funds for its establishment.
 
The State Library of Victoria was the first public library in Australia and one of the first in the world. The library currently holds over two million books, hundreds of thousands of pictures, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts, and has also amassed a large collection of audio, video and digital material. These collections reflect the culture of Victoria over the past 160 years, making the State Library of Victoria one of Melbourne’s greatest cultural icons! 
 
The website:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/
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