![WTC Wharf from South Wharf, Docklands, Melbourne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/WTC_Wharf_from_South_Wharf%2C_Docklands%2C_Melbourne.jpg)
WTC Wharf (formerly the World Trade Centre and WTC Northbank) is a twelve-storey
office complex
An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific dut ...
on the north bank of the
Yarra River
The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River, (Kulin languages: ''Berrern'', ''Birr-arrung'', ''Bay-ray-rung'', ''Birarang'', ''Birrarung'', and ''Wongete'') is a perennial river in south-central Victoria, Australia.
The lower stre ...
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 ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
History
On 19 December 1978, 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 ...
passed the Port of Melbourne (World Trade Centre) Act 1978, vesting the
Port of Melbourne Authority with authority to construct, maintain and operate a World Trade Centre in the Port of Melbourne. The centre, an example of
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...
, was built in the early 1980s and opened in 1983.
On 30 June 1994, Melbourne's first casino,
Crown Casino opened in the World Trade Centre. The location was a temporary measure while Crown's permanent home, the
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex
Crown Melbourne (also referred to as Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex) is a casino and resort located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited, and the first casino of the n ...
was constructed across the Yarra river at Southbank In 1997, the centre hosted a temporary exhibition of waxworks from the
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds (, ) is a wax museum founded in 1835 by French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in London, spawning similar museums in major cities around the world. While it used to be spelled as "Madame Tussaud's"; the apostrophe is no longer us ...
wax museum
A wax museum or waxworks usually consists of a collection of wax sculptures representing famous people from history and contemporary personalities exhibited in lifelike poses, wearing real clothes.
Some wax museums have a special section dubbe ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
Current use
The building currently houses some offices of the
headquarters
Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...
of
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''.
, Victo ...
, and the
Victoria Police Museum
The Victoria Police Museum is a law enforcement museum operated by the Historical Services Unit within Victoria Police. The new state-of-the-art museum reopened to the public on Monday 25 September 2023, following a 3 year build and development.
...
, a collection of exhibits and memorabilia from over 150 years of policing in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. It also houses offices for companies, including
Thales Australia
Thales Australia (formerly Australian Defence Industries and ADI Limited) is a defence contractor based in Australia. It is a subsidiary of the French defence technology conglomerate Thales Group.
Thales Australia had been engaged in numerous p ...
. The WTC shopping centre is undergoing redevelopment, including the proposed installation of an environmentally friendly air-conditioning system using water from the
Yarra River
The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River, (Kulin languages: ''Berrern'', ''Birr-arrung'', ''Bay-ray-rung'', ''Birarang'', ''Birrarung'', and ''Wongete'') is a perennial river in south-central Victoria, Australia.
The lower stre ...
.
Shopping centre to use Yarra River for air cooling
''Inside Retailing'', 27 March 2008. Further redevelopment plans include construction of restaurants, cafes, a hotel, a wine store, a function centre, and a health and beauty centre.
References
External links
WTC Wharf website
{{Coord, 37.822378, S, 144.953732, E, display=title, type:landmark
Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre
World Trade Centers
Brutalist architecture in Australia
Port of Melbourne
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts companies
1983 establishments in Australia
Buildings and structures completed in 1983