Snapshot, Melbourne University.

Another Melbourne Uni building, the chapel at Newman College to be exact. Another building I walk past so often I almost don't see it any more. It is pretty wonderful, I have been to several concerts inside and it has great acoustics. Even though it is in a Gothic style it still has a very mid-twentieth century feel to it. The clean lines and massed stone, a very modern re-interpretation of Gothic. Its large almost rectangular mass and the way it stands apart from the other college buildings reminds me of the Sydney War Memorial in Hyde Park. It was designed by the architects Connelly, Dale and T. Payne and consecrated in 1942, over twenty years after the college by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin had been completed.

War Memorial in Sydney, Image from Art Deco Sydney.

Protest TOMORROW against the proposed demolition of Lonsdale House

A reminder that the protest against the demolition of Lonsdale House is tomorrow (Saturday 22nd) from 12pm till 1pm. We are hoping for good numbers so please come down, bring some friends, family and let's show the government, the developers, the retailers and the council that we will not stand quietly by while our heritage is demolished. For more details visit www.savelonsdalehouse.com

Sunday Smith St Snapshots.

Despite the gusty winds and rain showers there was some nice sunshine for taking photos. Here are a couple I took as I was out doing errands on Smith St.


The discount television centre is no longer, now a shop of cheap imported knick knacks, there is still a bakery there . I guess these are the kind of signs that will vanish one day, no real reason to retain them, but the vibrant colours and the criss cross of back lines from the electrical wires and tram lines caught my eye and I thought it was well worth recording.

There are masses of really lovely old nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings on Smith St, which I think it is easy to overlook when the paint is peeling and everything is defaced with those godawful boring tags. Though admittedly I do like a bit of peeling paint and old painted signs.


Monsieur Truffe, I read a review of it a few months ago and have been wanting to try it out, this is quite literally the first time I have managed to spot it, not that it is really tucked away, I think I just forget to look for it. Looked delightful this arvo with sun streaming in through the windows.

Snapshot, Melbourne University.

The chemistry building at Melbourne University. Built in 1938 by the Victorian Public Works Department. Don't know who the architect was I'm afraid.

Snapshot, Melbourne

I'm afraid I know nothing about this lovely building. It is at 415-419 Bourke St, just up the hill from Elizabeth St. I would hazard a guess that it dates to the early twentieth century. It has quite stylised classical elements, such as the pilasters which have been reduced to mere dividers with but a hint of a capital. But then there are the large three high relief urns. Curious. Would like to know more so if you have any ideas please let me know.

As an aside I also have to add that I am very much enjoying the framing effect of the bare branches of trees in the city at the moment.

Protest against the demolition of Lonsdale House

There are plans for a protest against the demolition of Lonsdale House as detailed in the post below. Please visit the facebook group here for further details. Also, if you haven't done so already, you can sign the petition here.

It is so important that we do not stand silently by as these buildings are demolished.

UPDATED: A quick update to link to this article from The Age newspaper. Seems the council is not only ignoring their responsibility to safeguard Melbourne's heritage but actually profiting from it. This is really disturbing behaviour in my opinion. Not only the obvious destruction of Lonsdale House, but also the destruction of our laneways. It seems even worse considering the emphasis upon the value and attraction of Melbourne's laneways that was championed by the City Council under John So.

Lane sales to make $1.4m
Kate Lahey
August 4, 2009


MELBOURNE City Council will make almost $1.4 million by selling CBD laneways for a massive new shopping development, after its controversial refusal to protect a historic building on the site....

Read the full article here.