The Old Treasury Building on
Spring Street Spring Street may refer to:
* Spring Street (Los Angeles), USA
* Spring Street (Manhattan), New York City, USA
* Spring Street, Melbourne, Australia
* Spring Street, Singapore
* Spring St (website), a US based lifestyle website
Subway and trolle ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, built 1858-62 as a home for the Treasury Department of the
Government of Victoria
The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive ...
as well as the Governor In Council, now houses a range of functions, including a
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
of Melbourne history, known as Old Treasury Building Museum.
History
![Old Treasury Building facade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Old_Treasury_Building_facade.jpg)
The Treasury Building was constructed between 1858–62, and is considered one of Australia's finest
Renaissance Revival
Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...
buildings, constructed in
palazzo
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
form and built from wealth accumulated during the
Victorian Gold Rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. It led to a period of extreme prosperity for the Australian colony, and an influx of population growth and financial capita ...
. One original purpose was to house some of that wealth in the 'gold vaults' in the basement, but by the time it was finished the rush was over, and they were used to store government documents instead.
The building was designed by young architect
J. J. Clark who was just 19 years of age. The oldest surviving designs for the building date back to 1857, and many of J J Clark's drafts are on display throughout the building. Clark later went on to design many government buildings both in Victoria and elsewhere, notably the
Brisbane Treasury in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, considered to be another fine example in a classical style. Architectural historian
Miles Lewis
Professor Miles Lewis (born 1943, Amersham, UK) is an Australian academic serving as a Professor in the Faculty of Architecture, Building & Planning, at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is one of Australia's most notable Architectura ...
once described The Old Treasury as the "finest public building exterior in Australia".
While the building itself was completed in 1862, a shortage of funds meant that the forecourt remained unfinished. Until 1868 the front steps and terrace were temporary, with individual staircases leading to the three main front doors. These were replaced with the grand forecourt still standing today.
It is the cornerstone of the Treasury Reserve government precinct adjacent to the
Treasury Gardens
The Treasury Gardens consist of on the south-eastern side of the Melbourne central business district, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The gardens are bounded by Wellington Parade, Spring Street, Melbourne, Spring Street, Treasury Place ...
and creates an important
vista
Vista usually refers to a distant view.
Vista may also refer to:
Software
*Windows Vista, the line of Microsoft Windows client operating systems released in 2006 and 2007
* VistA, (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture) ...
terminating
Collins Street, the financial spine of the city.
When the official treasury offices were moved next door to 2 Treasury Place in 1877-78, the building was nicknamed the 'Old Treasury'.
As a leading public building in Melbourne, located in a prominent position with open space around it, the Old Treasury has been the focus for many celebrations and major public events. The arrivals and departures of the Governors of Victoria were occasions for expressions of loyalty to the Crown and sometimes for political statements.
In recent years it has been the destination for the
Grand Final
Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...
parade of AFL footballers.
The building is also notable for its role when Melbourne was the temporary capital city of Australia after Federation, with the National Executive Council meeting there.
Previously in February 1899, a "secret" Premiers' conference was convened, when it was decided Melbourne's
Parliament House would be the temporary capital until the location of the
Australian National Capital was officially decided.
Establishment of a museum
![Old Treasury Building at dusk Dec 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Old_Treasury_Building_at_dusk_Dec_2012.jpg)
During the 1970s, the Victorian government, led by Premier
Dick Hamer
Sir Rupert James Hamer, (29 July 1916 – 23 March 2004), generally known until he was knighted in 1982 as Dick Hamer, was an Australian Liberal Party politician who served as the 39th Premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981.
Early years
Hamer ...
was developing policy for museums in Victoria. In 1981, Hamer's Arts Minister, the Hon.
Norman Lacy
Norman Henry Lacy (born 25 October 1941) is a former Australian politician, who was a Victorian Government Minister from May 1979 to April 1982 who grew up in Richmond, Victoria and three times represented his state at national under age basket ...
, established a Museums Development Committee to develop a comprehensive museums policy for Victori
He then also proposed to the Executive Committee of Victoria's 150th Anniversary Celebrations in 1984 that a new Museum of Social and Political History be established at the Old Treasury Building.
Finally in 1994 after restoration of the building, the Old Treasury Building Museum was opened with exhibitions detailing the
history of Melbourne
The history of Melbourne details the city's growth from a fledgling settlement into a modern commercial and financial centre as Australia's second largest city, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria.
Pre-European settlement
The area around Port P ...
, the
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. It led to a period of extreme prosperity for the Australian colony, and an influx of population growth and financial capita ...
, and the history of the building.
Operations of the buildings and the museum are vested in an Old Treasury Building Reserve Committee of Management, and is a registered charity. The Museum has changed name a number of times, becoming the Gold Treasury Museum, the City Museum at Old Treasury and then the Old Treasury Building Museum again. Since 2011 it has presented programs in partnership with
Public Record Office Victoria
Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is the government archives of the Australian State of Victoria. PROV was created by the Victorian Public Records Act 1973 with responsibility for the better preservation management and utilization of the public ...
(PROV).
In the media
The Old Treasury Building features in the climactic sequence of the film ''
Knowing'' (2009). Though set in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Massachusetts, the movie was shot in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
(the two cities are officially recognised as being
sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
). A number of other Melbourne landmarks are also featured.
Occupants
The Old Treasury was built to house the Treasury Department and store gold, but also provided offices for the leaders of the young colony, including the Governor, the Premier (at the time called Chief Secretary), the Treasurer and the Auditor General.
Since its construction in 1862, it has also held the office of
His Excellency
Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder ...
the
Governor of Victoria
The governor of Victoria is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the Australian state of Victoria. The governor is one of seven viceregal representatives in the country, analogous to the governors of the other states, and the ...
, who still holds weekly meetings of the
Executive Council, consisting of the Governor and at least two
Ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is a formal constitutional term used in Commonwealth realms to describe a minister of the reigning sovereign or viceroy. The term indicates that the minister serves at His Majesty's pleasure, and advises the sovereign or ...
, that is, the leaders of the governing party. The ''Governor in Council'' as this meeting is called, is the formal enacting of
legislation
Legislation is the process or result of enrolled bill, enrolling, enactment of a bill, enacting, or promulgation, promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous Government, governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law i ...
when the Governor's signature and the
Great Seal of Victoria is put in place on the
bill
Bill(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)
* Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature
* Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer
* Bill, a bird or animal's beak
Plac ...
. Various other appointments and other regulations are also formally made at this weekly meeting, upon the advice of the
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
and
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and ...
.
In addition to the museum, the Old Treasury Building is now home to Leadership Victoria, th
Office of the Victorian Government ArchitectThe Victorian Marriage Registry and offices for most living former Premiers of Victoria.
References
* The Treasury Reserve. Frances O'Neil. Department of Infrastructure. 2000.
External links
Old Treasury BuildingPublic Records Office VictoriaA Submission for a Museum of Social and Political History at the Old Treasury Building to the Executive Committee of Victoria's 150th Anniversary Celebrations in July 1981
{{Melbourne landmarks
Museums in Melbourne
History museums in Australia
Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre
Government buildings completed in 1862
1862 establishments in Australia
Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne
Italian Renaissance Revival architecture
Landmarks in Melbourne
2010 establishments in Australia