Melbourne’s former red-light district pushes for heritage protection

Recent interest by large developers in Melbourne’s former red light district has placed historical buildings in the area at risk of being demolished.

The restaurant and bar hub bordered by Lonsdale, Exhibition and Little Collins streets is home to the threatened Palace Theatre, as well as the former den of 19^th century prostitutes and thieves.

Having gone without a heritage review since 1976, many buildings in this area, which is rich in architectural history, is potentially exposed to the wrecking ball.

Already, the Palace Theatre has been marked for demolition to make way for a $180 million luxury hotel and apartment complex.

Melbourne City Councillor Rohan Leppert says that he is aware of approximately six additional plans in the area that show breaches of height limits or disregard for heritage.

“There are so many applications for new developments that are fundamentally changing the character of the precinct and the laneways,” Leppert says.

“My personal view is that the controls in this area are too weak."

Councillor Rohan Leppert in the Bourke Hill precinct. Photo: Jason South Source: The Age

At Melbourne City Council’s most recent meeting, councillors agreed to scope and cost a review of the heritage grading of all buildings in the Bourke Hill precinct. This work will be consolidated into a draft planning scheme amendment to be considered in early 2014.

The Bourke Hill precinct is the first area singled out since the council resolved to progressively undertake a review of heritage precincts.

Within this area, the Parliament House, first built in 1856, dominates the Bourke Street vista from as far away as William Street, and is emphasised by the sympathetic scale of the buildings on either side of the Bourke Street Hill.

Hotel Windsor (1883) and the Princess Theatre (1889) are other notable buildings in the precinct. Located facing Spring Street and its gardens, they are reminiscent of the variety of social activities that once took place in the area. Buildings such as the Salvation Army Temple (1890) furthermore reflect the interest of social reformers in the nearly ‘back slums’, epitomised by the nearby former Gordon House (1883-1884).

Corner Little Lonsdale street and Spring Street, Melbourne, 1870-75

Lord mayor Robert Doyle notes that the review is about identifying and protecting the city’s best, rather than to halt development completely.

The National Trust, committed to promoting and conserving Australia’s indigenous, natural and historic, has called for a timeline of the heritage review project.

Images: theage.com.au, sourceable.net