[The Collector]

Queen Street, Marvellous Melbourne

Photographs taken over the past three years.

From south-end to north-end

Part 1

 

[The Collector]

Part 2

Below, Former John Smith’s House at 294-308 Queen Street.

Next three, The Queen Vic Market at the end of Queen Street.

The last two show the view looking south from a Melbourne Terrace apartment.

 

[Bronteboy]

Lovely architectural feature shots Collector.

But do you know what I wish?

I wish that for ALL our major cities we could at some point have moved away from that boring, repetitive British royalty nomenclature in our street names, which of course is replicated all over the Commonwealth.

A small big idea. I propose when this booming country FINALLY takes to step to a republic, at least ONE of these British royalty street names in EACH of our cities is RE-NAMED for one of our Australian federation figures.

OUT with Queen, King, Elizabeth, Victoria, George , Albert, and William - IN with Barton, Parkes and Deakin! Two cents given.

 

[Bronteboy]

So, no peoples answer, eh?

Vive La Republic! Out with old silly hat roast biff Queenie King street names!

dean, flickr




I bare my ASSES to la street signs of Melbourne!

Chris&Steve, flickr

 

[tayser]

Bravo Collector.

Bravo Monsieur Frog!

 

[Anberlin]

Awesome collection, Collector

 

[The Collector]

Problem with your proposal Bronteboy is that then all Australian cities would be like Canberra! :lol:
Viva the republic anyway! :yes:

 

[gappa]

Splendid old bean!

 

[Yardmaster]

I worked for the Greater Good of the People of Victoria in one of those buildings for quite a while ... you missed out a few buildings of worth, Collector, but it's late ... well done.

 

[The Collector]

Thanks for all the comments.

A couple of great old postcards of Queen Street, enjoy!

 

[Ipggi]

Problem with your proposal Bronteboy is Viva the republic anyway! :yes:

Even Canberra doesn't escape it though. There is Kings Avenue that links the Australia America memorial to new Parliament House. Also King Edward terrace, Queen Victoria terrace and King George terrace feed off that lol

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&...006,149.135585&spn=0.012994,0.028667&t=h&z=16

 

[The Collector]

From Walking Melbourne, The National Trust Guide to The Historic and Architectural Landmarks of Central Melbourne.

Former Melbourne Safe Deposit Building
88-92 Queen Street

Constructed in 1890 for the safe keeping of valuables and securities in vaults in the basement, this building is another notable example of the Gothic Revival, the favoured style of the architect, William Pitt. The façade includes moulded griffins and heraldic figures in delicate Gothic detailing, and has an overall form that was further elaborated in his design for the Stock Exchange around the corner the next year.

 

[The Collector]

Text from Walking Melbourne
The National Trust Guide to The Historic and Architectural Landmarks of Central Melbourne.

Former Records Office
287–295 Queen Street

Designed by SE Bindley of the Public Works Department, and completed in 1904, this is a wonderfully flamboyant example of the French Second Empire style, with tall stepped bays topped by ornate mansard roofs. The main stair hall is an impressive space, while the simple rectangular structure to the rear housed important records in fireproof strong rooms. Following sensitive alterations including a snappy ‘concertina’ walled addition to the strong rooms by Peter Elliot in 2003, it now houses the Law School of the Victoria University of Technology.

Edwardian postcard above.

An old print I found at an antiquarian bookshop above and three of my own shots below.

 

[The Collector]

Text from A Short History of Melbourne Architecture

Republic Tower
Corner of Queen and La Trobe Streets
2000
Katsalidis Architects

With the sculptural profile of an armour-clad samurai warrior, the Republic Tower apartments are built from off-form concrete, stainless steel and glass. A huge combination of a concave and a convex billboard addresses the street corner as the site for a constantly changing display of public art, commissioned by the Visible Art Foundation.
Shops, a café, and a restaurant are incorporated behind a timber pergola which faces La Trobe Street.

Four of my own photographs below.

 

[CULWULLA]

one of the great unit blocks in australia.
elegant design
simple finish

 

[The Collector]

Text from Walking Melbourne
The National Trust guide to the historic and architectural landmarks of central Melbourne

Australian Catholic Assurance (ACA) Building
112-118 Queen Street

Designed by Hennessy & Henessy and completed in 1937, this is one of the most attractive examples of the Moderne in Melbourne, with its concrete-derived ‘Benedict Stone’ cladding in pink, Jazz Moderne decoration, vertical fins, and a central tower thrusting above the 132ft height limit.

Below, postcard of Queen street with the ACA building dominating the view.

Two of my own below.

 

[The Collector]

Text from Walking Melbourne
The National Trust guide to the historic and architectural landmarks of central Melbourne

Alkira House
18 Queen Street

Designed by J H Wardrop and completed in 1937, the black and green tiles, glass blocks and verticle design that seems squeezed between taller buildings make this one of the most delightful and colourful examples of the Moderne in Melbourne.

Three of my own below.

 

[accadacca]

^^
That's an interesting building, I love the cluster of black spikes at the top

 

[The Collector]

Alkira House is so easy to miss because of its relative small size.
What it lacks in size is more than made up by its flamboyant art deco/moderne design.
One of my favourite buildings in Melbourne.