Back to search results

QUEENSLAND BUILDING
84-88 WILLIAM STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.
Victorian Heritage Inventory
On this page:

Statement of Significance

This place is included on the Victorian Heritage Inventory, for its potential to contain historical archaeological remains associated with the settlement and growth of early Melbourne. Under the terms of the Heritage Act 2017 there is protection for all historical archaeology sites and objects in the state.

Please visit the Heritage Victoria website to find out more about the Heritage Inventory.

Show more
Show less

    • History

      QUEENSLAND BUILDING - History

      Heritage Inventory History of Site: Date of first documented occupation, 1839

      Heritage Inventory Description

      QUEENSLAND BUILDING - Heritage Inventory Description

      First land sale Block 14, Allotment 1, purchased Wilson & Byrne. 1839 - garden area. 1877 - three-storey bond store, Stuart Couche. 1888 - three-storey building. 1905 - three-storey building, WH Crooker, Solicitor; DJ Toumy Wine Merchant.

      Heritage Inventory Significance: REGISTER OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE - CITATION: THE QUEENSLAND BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1912-1913 AS THE STATE HEADQUARTERS OF THE QUEENSLAND INSURANCE COMPANY. BUTLER AND BRADSHAW WERE THE ARCHITECTS AND JAMES BAXTER WAS THE BUILDER. THIS 6 STOREY OFFICE BUILDING ON A STEEPLY SLOPING FRONTAGE IS CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK WITH A STONE VENEER FACADE IN A STYLE COMBINING CLASSICAL WITH FUNCTIONAL TRADITIONS AND POST ART NOUVEAU ORNAMENTATION. THE QUEENSLAND BUILDING AT 84-88 WILLIAM STREET FORMS PART OF AN IMPORTANT MELBOURNE STREETSCAPE WHICH INCLUDES THE AUSTRALIAN CLUB AND SCOTTISH HOUSE. THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY A NOTED ARCHITECTURAL PARTNERSHIP, BUTLER AND BRADSHAW, AND IS A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF THEIR WORK. THE FACADE, CHARACTERISED BY A CAVERNOUS CENTRAL ARCADED ENTRANCE IN A RUSTICATED BASE AND PROJECTING SEMI-CIRCULAR BAY WINDOWS EXTENDING TO COLONNADED BALCONETTES BELOW THE MASSIVE RECESSED TOP FLOOR, IS WITHOUT PARALLEL IN MELBOURNE. THE FACADE OF THE QUEENSLAND BUILDING IS ESSENTIALLY INTACT. MINOR INTERNAL OFFICE PARTITIONING HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN AS FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS CHANGED. OF STATE SIGNIFICANCE.

      Archeological Potential: Potential/Disturbed

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
Timeline browser

< to 1849
< - 1849
1850 to 1879
1850 - 1879
1880 to 1909
1880 - 1909
1910 to 1939
1910 - 1939
1940 to 1969
1940 - 1969
1970 to 1999
1970 - 1999
2000 to >
2000 - >