Proposed Community Bank, High Street, Maldon

March 2011 - Success at VCAT

Our VCAT appeal (jointly with Save Maldon Streetscapes) has been upheld. VCAT’s principal finding was that the bank proposal is unacceptable and it can be modified to result in an acceptable outcome in terms of heritage considerations. Read press release. Maldon Bank VCAT Media Release 8 March 2011 (PDF) 64.07 kB

February 2011 VCAT has heard the appeal brought by the National Trust and Save Maldon Streetscapes. More...

July 2010 The Mt. Alexander Branch of the Trust has been very active lobbying Councilors of Mt Alexander Shire trying to obtain a better outcome on the design proposal for a new community bank in High Street, Maldon. The heritage overlay in Maldon triggers an assessment against the objectives of the Maldon Design Guidelines, and the objection from the branch and head office was that the proposal does not meet the Guidelines, in particular a very odd verandah detailing including use of rusted steel, and the use of oxidized concrete walls. The design was subsequently amended to provide a more tradiitonal verandah treatment, however the corrugated rusted concrete wall is to remain. The Council’s decision of 22 June was to issue a notice of decision to approve the application. The Trust has lodged an appeal with VCAT.

Norfolk Island Pines, Port Fairy

...following an appeal, added to Victorian Heritage Register

The recommendation by the Executive Director Heritage Victoria to include the pines on the Victorian Heritage Register was appealed by the Shire of Moyne in Ocotber 2010. Together with a number of other parties, The Trust appeared at the hearing. We called Expert Witness Dr Greg Moore. On 1 November 2010 the original recommendation was upheld. Read decision....

State election 2010

November 2010 - Response from major parties

In the lead up to the State election in 2010 we wrote to to the Labour Party, Liberal-National Coalition, and the Greens in order to gauge their commitments on nine important heritage issues. More...

Drill Hall, Victoria Street

Apartment tower to dominate

Image from architects

The Royal Melbourne Regiment Drill Hall in Victoria Street, one of the most elaborately detailed and impressive of the Art Deco Drill Halls built in Melbourne in the late 1930s, is to be restored, but also a host an apartment tower held up on legs put through the roof of the hall itself. The building, which had no heritage protection until the Trust nominated it to Heritage Victoria, was bought by the City of Melbourne for a multicultural centre, but was then passed over to Melbourne Affordable Housing for redevelopment.The Trust argued that the new tower would dominate the drill hall, and that more affordable housing could be provided on different non-heritage site.

Yarra Park

....entered onto Victorian Heritage Register following successful appeal in April 2010

Following a successful appeal by combined efforts of the Trust, The East Melbourne Group and Melbourne City Council, Yarra Park has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register. The Heritage Council determined in April 2010 that Yarra Park is of historical significance as part of the system of parks that Governor Charles La Trobe envisaged surrounding Melbourne. It is also important as the place where the earliest games were played in 1858; as an important Aboriginal ceremonial, camping and contact site; and is also significant for its association with a number of persons of importance in Victoria’s history. More...

Cable Tram Engine House, Fitzroy

This well known landmark on the corner of Victoria Parade and Brunswick Street was demolished just before Christmas 2009.

Originally built in 1886 to house one of the engines that drove one of the largest cable tram systems in the world, it was refurbished in 1936 in an Art Deco style, with a striking tower added. Though part of a heritage precinct, and noted individually, VCAT decided that it was not an essential part of the South Fitzroy precinct, and the changes meant its use as a cable tram engine house was not relevant (a view that one committee of the Heritaeg Council did not agree with, though this was overturned by 2nd committee). Unfortunately, the local listing did not mention it as an interesting example of the Art Deco style, so this aspect, which might have been important, was essentially ignored. It will be replaced by a 10 storey office block, that at least will be stepped back from the street on both frontages, so as not to dominate views of the spire of St Patricks.