Archive for May, 2009

Earlier this year we raised concerns over the future of the Oakleigh Motel.

That future is (for now at least) secured, as common sense prevailed.  Heritage Victoria intervened and the building is now on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Although unbelievably, the developer has appealed the decision.  Let’s hope that with official legal protection this madness doesn’t proceed any futher.

The ABC television news recently ran a story about the demise of Dimmey’s in Richmond including the closure of the store, the planned hi-rise development behind the recently heritage listed tower, facadism and the demolition of the heritage listed “History of Richmond” mural to make way for a new multi-storey carpark.  The video footage features interviews with prominent locals including Mirka Mora.

The Age has also chipped in with an article specifically about the fate of the Hayden Dewar designed mural titled  “Dim Future for Dimmey’s Mural“.

The future of Dimmey’s is now in the hands of Heritage Victoria and a State Government whose planning minister Justin Madden has public stated his willingness to forsake our cultural heritage to stimulate the economy.

It would be a terrible tragedy for Melbourne to lose such an institution and important cultural landmark.

National Theatre, St Kilda

St Kilda’s Australian National Memorial Theatre on the corner of Barkly and Carlisle Streets is having $600,000 work done as part of a conservation plan to keep it open as a performing arts venue.

Some of the money for the 1921 Beaux Arts theatre’s maintenance has been contributed by the state government.

Still, the theatre needs over $750,000, so the CEO, Robert Tayler has called for private donations to fill the funding gap.

Donaions are tax deductable.  For more information, visit the National Theatre website.

The Bourke Street Salvation Army Temple is  being restored thanks to a heritage grant as part of a redevelopment of the building.  The restoration of the 1895  five storey French Second Empire and Mannerist style building will also include the reinstatement of a verandah demolished in the 1950s.

Well they say that Adelaide is the city of churches, but I’d have to say that Melbourne has just as much claim to that title.

Apart from the two main cathedrals of St Pauls and St Patricks, Melbourne has some truly magnificent churches.

One such church is the 1893 St Mary Star of the Sea in West Melbourne.  It is an unusually large sandstone church (like St Pauls and unlike many others that were built in bluestone).  In recent decades it was falling into disrepair so the church began a public appeal and  called for public donations to restore its interiors and exteriors in early 2002.   While St Pauls had quite a public restoration appeal back in 2006, St Mary Star is also quite signficant but doesn’t quite share the same limelight.

Well the appeal has gone really well, with a significant amount of fundraising done to date.

The works have also advanced significantly since then, with the outside restoration works complete and the interior restoration also almost finished.

The church has created a mini documentary and uploaded it to YouTube to show just how much it is money well spent – not just for spiritual and historical purposes, but also for the craftspeople involved and the pure architectural eye candy as well !

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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