Heritage overhaul to protect East Melbourne’s post-war and postmodern icons

The City of Melbourne is moving to strengthen heritage protections across East Melbourne, with more than 100 properties to be reassessed under a sweeping new review that expands recognition beyond Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

At its meeting on November 11, the Future Melbourne Committee will consider the first comprehensive reassessment of the area since 1983 as part of the the East Melbourne Heritage Review – Amendments C484 (interim) and C485 (permanent).

Conducted by heritage consultants Lovell Chen, the review identifies nine new individual heritage places and updates Statements of Significance for four existing sites.

It also proposes changes affecting more than 85 properties, including adjustments to heritage categories, mapping, and overlays.

Among the new listings are Parliament Gardens and the Coles Fountain, the former Amalgamated Metal Workers’ Union Building on Victoria Parade, and the Medical Society of Victoria Building, a 1925 design by Stephenson & Meldrum.

The review also recommends revising the East Melbourne and Jolimont Heritage Precinct to include new information on Aboriginal heritage values, with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to be consulted throughout.

Under the proposed process, interim protection will be sought directly from the Minister for Planning to safeguard 21 private properties not currently covered by the Heritage Overlay, while permanent controls will later go to public exhibition for community submissions.

Public consultation on the permanent amendment will be conducted via the Participate Melbourne website, with affected owners and occupiers to receive direct notice.

The review forms part of Major Initiative 21 in the Council Plan 2021–2025, which commits to completing local heritage studies across the municipality.

According to the council report, the changes would help “protect and celebrate” the diversity of East Melbourne’s built, natural and cultural heritage while balancing growth, sustainability, and recognition of First Peoples’ history.

This review is the latest in a series of heritage studies undertaken by the City of Melbourne during the past five years, including reviews of the Hoddle Grid, South Yarra, Parkville, North Melbourne and Carlton.

East Melbourne Group president Greg Bisinella told Inner City News in August last year shortly after consultation first began that the community has been calling for a heritage review since one was promised at the beginning of the 2020 council elections.

Since then, Mr Bisinella said the community had “fought several applications that have threatened the heritage fabric of East Melbourne,” costing “much time and expense", at VCAT.

In 2021, East Melbourne residents advocated against a proposal to partially demolish Eblana, a mansion built in 1883 for Young and Jackson pub founder Thomas Jackson, to make way for a luxury apartment building. That redevelopment has since proceeded and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Plans show that the remodelling will follow a recent trend in redevelopments of heritage buildings where only the building’s façade is retained as an homage to its history.

“The last 70 years has seen the degradation of our heritage,” Mr Bisinella told Inner City News.

“East Melbourne could be described as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of intact heritage properties in Melbourne. Others have referred to it as an oasis. What is unequivocal is that our heritage is under threat from inappropriate development applications, lax planning regulations and a system that is biased towards those with the most money.” •