Evolving Port

Port Melbourne and Fishermans Bend change. Houses are changed or demolished and new forms of housing take their place. Port Houses records some of these changes.

23 September 2023

436 Graham St, Port Melbourne

31 October 2016

"This tightly held premier address debuts on the market for the first time in over seven decades—after just one family ownership!"

source: realestate.com

Graham St, Port Melbourne

March 2020

For sale by Marshall White


March 2020

189 Princes St, Port Melbourne


CoPP planning permit reference 912/2016

89 Dunstan Parade, Port Melbourne

November 2022

The house at 89 Dunstan Parade sold by Marshall White on election day, 26 November. Prospective buyers sought the shade of trees in neighbouring Julier Reserve. 

auction of 89 Dunstan Parade, 26 November 2022


 

378 - 382 Bay St, Port Melbourne

This handsome threesome of houses at the northern end of Bay St was constructed in 1900. The tree obscures some of the details described in the citation below.

The allotment was purchased from the Crown by T Fordham. By February 1900 the land was owned by James McLaughlan, of Howe Crescent, South Melbourne. During that year he erected three 8 room brick houses. It is described as 

'A rare example in Port Melbourne of a grand terrace of three houses, it is of unusually late date for the style. The terrace demonstrates the original mixed residential and commercial character of Bay Street. The terrace is notable for its elaborate parapet design and cast iron balcony decoration.

These three two storey terrace houses were constructed in polychromatic brickwork, now painted. They are relatively wide and have cast iron balconies and verandahs.

The central house is more elaborate than its flanking neighbour, having a triangular pedimented parapet and more complex cast iron decoration. In addition, the central house has tripartite windows, arched to the ground floor, rather than the paired windows found on the other three houses.

The cornice detailing on the two outer houses differ from that on the central house. The south house has a rectangular pediment which differs from the possibly altered pediment on the north house. The original decorative urns have been removed.'

Source: City of Port Phillip Heritage Review

112 Derham St, Port Melbourne

 

112 Derham St, Port Melbourne 2014 photo: Chisholm & Gamon

The former home of Billy 'The Texan' Longley was built in 1920.


18 Stokes St, Port Melbourne

April 2020

18 Stokes St is the first known purpose built Masonic Hall in Melbourne. It was built by Charles Gregory in 1858. The Lodge Hall was situated on the block of land bounded by Beach Street, Stokes Street, Rouse Street and Nott Street which formed Block 1 in the Sandridge Township Plan and was among the first to be offered for sale.

The Sandridge Marine Lodge continued to meet in the Stokes Street Hall until 1917 when it moved to the Lodge's then new Masonic Hall in Liardet Street.

source: The First Lodge Building in Melbourne in Thoughts for the Enquiring Mason February 2020

Graham St, Port Melbourne

December 2014

Graham St, December 2014

17 Rocklea Drive, Port Melbourne

April 2019

The site is owned by Third Street.

The Port Phillip Council considered an application for one 10 level and one 13-level towers (including a shared four (4) level podium, mixed use commercial and residential building and associated car, motorcycle and bicycle parking and construct and/or carry out works. 

See the City of Port Phillip report on the application, 22 July 2020.


261 Bridge St, Port Melbourne

September 2023

The property at 261 Bridge St was sold for $2,120,000 by Whitefox.



19 September 2023

79 Swallow St, Port Melbourne

Wintringham Hostel


Wintringham Hostel

The citation for Wintringham Hostel, at City of Port Phillip Design and Development Awards reads

The scale, site planning and variety of materials and forms are eminently appropriate response to the architect's brief to create a particular kind of supportive home environment.

Residents are accommodated in 35 individual residential units grouped into six family type clusters around communal facilities.

Occupants retain a high degree of personal identity within a low-key institutional setting while having access to private open space and shared indoor and outdoor leisure areas.

Architect: Allen Kong
Funding: Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services
Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs
State Department of Human Services


17 Rocklea Drive, Port Melbourne

July 2020


17 Rocklea Drive, Fishermans Bend
17 Rocklea Drive, October 2020


2 - 14 Thistlethwaite St, South Melbourne

16 - 20 Thistlethwaite St, South Melbourne



green wall CoPP report
but due to lack of detail in the supporting documentation it is currently unclear if this can be realised
podium of 4 storeys
Referred to SAC
CoPP 22 July 2020
https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/media/3alp1wcd/report-6-2.pdf
Architect: Nidal Ammache 


Complete Post is a creative hub servicing the Film and Television Industry post production

12 Thistlethwaite St, December 2018


Sales history
2016: $6,600,000 (by private treaty)
1986:  $385k (by private treaty)

99 Lorimer St, Fishermans Bend

August 2021

Nick Theodossi and Ross Pelligra paid $50.5 million for the Subaru site. 

Dawkins Occhiuto’s Andrew Dawkins and Walter Occhiuto brokered the off-market sale.


118 Evans St, Port Melbourne

 30 April 2014

This house was sold on 30 June 2012 for $845,000.  The advertisement said that  'this is either the most challenging renovation you could ever undertake or a magnificent development site (STCA) in one of the districts premier bayside precincts.'

A planning application for the demolition of the dwelling and the construction of a two storey dwelling was lodged on 19 June 2013.  A permit was finally granted by VCAT on 9 January 2014.

The house was demolished in the last week of April 2014.

 

Bayview, 84 Bay St, Port Melbourne

Bayview

The Bayview development on the corner of Rouse and Bay St was completed in 2003.

231 Bay St, Port Melbourne



National Australia Bank

A first-time international investor has beaten six other bidders to nab the Port Melbourne NAB bank branch at 231 Bay Street.

About 80 people turned up to the auction of the 252 sq m branch which sold for $3.86 million on a 3.65 per cent yield.

165 - 167 Gladstone St, South Melbourne

December 2017

Eight level Night Fall was completed in December 2017.

It comprises 45 dwellings with 22 carspaces

Architect:  DKO

Developer: BPM

Builder: Ironside

21 April 2015

After considering the application at a meeting on 21 April, the City of Port Phillip issued a permit for the development on 24 April 2015. (ref 1140/2014).

There was previously a single-storey commercial building on the site.








229 Esplanade East, Port Melbourne

February 2020

The property is listed for sale with Greg Hocking. The advertisement is headed 'No heritage overlay'.

A permit was issued for a double storey dwelling and carport in April 2019. (CoPP ref 736/2018)

The property, with two street frontages, was last sold by Cayzer in 2010 for $1,040,000.

It is said to have been built in 1900.


Esplanade West house, Port Melbourne

2022

The property is for sale by Marshall White. The asking price is $2,405,000.

2014

2014

Matt stripped this house back to bare essentials and meticulously returned it to life.

44 Cruikshank St, Port Melbourne

December 2019

A permit was issued on 17 December 2019 for partial demolition, alterations and additions to an existing dwelling including a ground and first floor addition with roof terrace and a two storey garage/studio to the rear of the dwelling. (Ref City of Port Phillip planning application 336/2019)

September 2016

44 Cruikshank St, RT Edgar

The property was sold by R T Edgar on 10 September 2016 for $1,350,000

Sales history

December 1993: $189,000

June 1986: $78,000

September 1977: $27,000 (source: realestate.com.au)

159 Cruikshank St, Port Melbourne

July 2021

This two bedroom, one bathroom property was sold by Jellis Craig Greg Hocking for $1,379,000 on 17 July via zoom auction. The property is about 200 sqm.

Sales history

2003 $440,000

1998 $223,000

70 Clark St, Port Melbourne

November 2019

The house, described as uninhabitable, was sold by Biggin and Scott for $995,000 on 23 November.

16 September 2023

70 Station St, Port Melbourne

 June 2023

70 Station St was sold by Marshall White Port Phillip on 17 June.

70 Station St was the home of Pat Grainger of the Port Melbourne and Historical Preservation Society from 1982 to 2022. 

Read more about Pat Grainger here. 

Sales history

21 September 1982 $51,830

2 - 4 Douglas St, South Melbourne

September 2023

The Age reports that the property has been sold for $5.65 million.

August 2023

The 929 sq m property is for sale by Stonebridge on 1 September.  

13 September 2023

40 The Crescent, Beacon Cove

July 2022

The City of Port Phillip (CoPP) has refused a planning application for this address. The proposal was for: a permit for partial demolition, buildings and works comprising alterations and a third storey addition with terrace to an existing dwelling.

The reasons for refusal included the following: The proposed third storey would not respect the existing or preferred character of the neighbourhood. The form and position of the third storey would be inconsistent with the single and double storey character of the neighbourhood and would detract from the existing unique character of tower forms in this neighbourhood

05 September 2023

276 - 281 Ingles St, Port Melbourne

September 2023

The Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, has approved a development for this site.

It comprises 389 apartments, 8693sq m of commercial office space and 2088sq m of retail space.

Studio Kristen Whittle designed the plans for the tower. Studio Kristen Whittle describe the project:

"The concrete forms echo the surrounding post industrial historical built form language that surrounds Australia's largest port complex. The three 'silo' forms are expressed with red oxide low embodied energy fly ash concrete and thick set bronzed curtain walling.  A roof garden sits on top of the carparking podium .. The tower is raised two storeys above the roof garden to allow for the strong northerly winds to pass through the development without significant downdraft impediments." (source: Studio Kristen Wittle)
 
2 April 2020

The 2,746 sq m site was sold in March 2020 for $7.95m. It will be leased back to Winfield.
(source Australian Financial Review)

It is in the Sandridge Precinct of Fishermans Bend.


276 Ingles St, March 2020

276 - 281 Ingles St, Port Melbourne

 September 2023

The 2764sq m site was the home of Winfield Automotive Services for 31 years prior to its sale in March 2020 for $7.95 million.

It comprises 389 apartments, 8693sq m of commercial office space and 2088sq m of retail space.

Studio Kristen Whittle designed the plans for the tower. 


28 August 2023

181 Rouse St, Port Melbourne

 August 2023

The property is for sale by auction on 9 September by Cayzer.  The site has three street frontages and a land area of 158 sq m. It is in the Mixed Use Zone of Port Melbourne. 

181 Rouse St, Port Melbourne, August 2023

Sales History

1984:    $49,000

1978:     $19,500 (source: realestate.com)

18 August 2023

Ingles x Heath St, Port Melbourne

 August 2023

The weeds grow abundantly on the cleared site. Planar Arc's banner is on the Ingles St fence. 

The weeds respond to the rain and the site disturbance

March 2023

The site is cleared for the development, March 2023

May 2016

Facing Ingles St, cnr of Ingles x Heath, May 2016

The backyard on Ingles St, May 2016


15 August 2023

269 Williamstown Rd, Port Melbourne

 August 2023

The 1,591 sq m site was sold by Lemon Baxter after an expression of interest process which closed on 6 July. 


12 August 2023

13 - 33 Hartley St & 95 - 97 Lorimer St

 August 2023

13 - 33 Hartley St and 95 - 97 Lorimer St are being offered for sale by Gorman Allard Shelton either together or individually. The Hong Kong based Wong family has held the properties for more than twenty years. (The Age, 19 August 2023)

13 - 33 Hartley St has a permit in place for a 50 level tower. (The Age, Saturday 12 August)

June 2023

13 - 33 Hartley St

Planning approval has recently been given for a 50 storey development with 400 apartments over a five level podium containing car parking, retail, recreation and commercial spaces. 

"The design aims to create a human-scaled podium using warm materials, integrated vertical landscaping, and a rhythmic expression that echoes the charm of the nearby wharf and piers." (MGS architects)

02 August 2023

1 Bay St, Port Melbourne

 2 August 2023

The Pier Hotel is being offered for sale for the first time in 20 years by JLL. Expressions of interest close on 30 August. 

The has planning approval for a rooftop and a 3.00 am license. 

26 July 2023

500 Williamstown Rd, Port Melbourne

 July 2023

The 967 sqm site is for sale by Savils. There is a permit for 3 apartments over 5 levels.

The site is for sale by Expressions of Interest closing on 23 August at 2.00 pm.


17 July 2023

240 - 246 Normanby Rd

 

Frontages to Normanby, Montague and Munro Sts 

Is the height appropriate?

, the approvals have been considerably lower than ‘legacy’ permits and are aligned with the mid to high rise building definitions. 

Approved on Thursday 13 July

16 June 2023

Montague Street, 91 - 95 Montague St

June 2023

Montague Street is a commercial tower designed by Plus Architecture alongside Gravity Tower.

Client: Thousand Degree 

13 June 2023

9 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne

10 June 2023

Mr Hobson at 9 Waterfront Place is for sale by international expressions of interest closing on Wednesday 12 July at 12 pm.

Colliers Restructuring Property Services has been instructed by Receivers and Managers KPMG to offer  Mr Hobson for sale. 

12 June 2023

21 - 23 Lalor St, Port Melbourne

 June 2023

The property is once again for sale - this time by The Company. The auction date was 3 June but the property did not sell.

21-23 Lalor St, June 2023

May 2022

The former panel beaters, car painters and repairers, Holmes & Lovell, is for sale by Whitefox.

The vacated former auto repair shop at 21-23 Lalor St, May 2022

Sales history

The property was sold in 

  • March 2020 by private treaty for $2.5m
  • June 1986 by private treaty for $65k (source: Domain)

08 June 2023

Hartley St, Lorimer precinct

June 2023

Planning approval has recently been given for a 50 storey development with 400 apartments over a five level podium containing car parking, retail, recreation and commercial spaces. 

"The design aims to create a human-scaled podium using warm materials, integrated vertical landscaping, and a rhythmic expression that echoes the charm of the nearby wharf and piers." (MGS architects)

02 June 2023

47 Swallow St, Port Melbourne

June 2023

47 Swallow St, early morning 2 June 2023

January 2021

The house takes shape.

The architects are Thomas + Williams Architects @architects_tw

September 2020

The house at 47 Swallow St was demolished. It was built in 1997.

47 Swallow St, the site is cleared

47 Swallow St, demolition underway 



47 Swallow St, Port Melbourne 
Planning history

The City of Port Phillip issued final planning approval for the development of a three storey house in April 2020. (Ref 750/2018) 

Sales history

April 2018: $3,425,000

February 1995: $235,000

February 1987: $157,000

(source: realestate.com.au)

Land area: 494 m2


01 June 2023

Robur Tea House, 28 Clarendon St, Southbank

26 June 2024

Permit Application P39527

Heritage Victoria has approved a permit for construction of seven integrated towers and buildings ranging in height from 30 levels to 3 levels surrounding the Robur Tea Building on the north, south and west elevations, and part demolition, adaptation and conservation of the Robur Tea Building.

Unsympathetic additions will be removed and and the principal façades will be returned to their original design and historic presentation.

The applicant is required to prepare a heritage management plan and an interpretation plan. 

Heritage Victoria is of the opinion that the re-development will enable 'the Robur Tea Building to sit proud in the streetscape and retain some landmark qualities'.



30 May 2023

Heritage Victoria has refused the proposed redevelopment of the Robur Tea House for the following reasons:
  • The construction of seven interconnected towers and buildings ranging in height from 27 to 3 levels would have significant visual impacts on the place. The combined height, number and density of the tower components and their proximity to the Robur Tea Building would cause substantial harm to the cultural heritage significance of the place. 
  • The Robur Tea Building would be consumed by the proposed development and the ability to understand and appreciate the place as a freestanding landmark building would be lost. 
  • The proposed demolition works to the north, south and west elevations to allow for access between the Robur Tea Building and the proposed development would have adverse physical impacts on the cultural heritage significance of the place.
  • The proposal is based on highest and best use of the place and not the cultural heritage significance of the place. It is considered to be an overdevelopment of the heritage place. 
  • It has not been demonstrated that economic sustainability via a smaller development with less impact on the cultural heritage significance of the place is not achievable or that refusal would affect the reasonable and economic use of the registered place as commercial office space or any other reasonable use. 
  • The negative impacts of the proposal outweigh the benefits. The benefits could be achieved with a less intensive level of development.

August 2022

The City of Melbourne considered the planning application for this site at the meeting of 16 August 2022. (ref TP-2021-345)

The heritage aspects of the proposal will be considered by Heritage Victoria as the Tea House is on the Victorian Heritage Register. 

Concurrent with the endorsement of the plans, a Flood Risk Management Plan to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority and Melbourne Water must be submitted to and approved by the Responsible Authority and Melbourne Water. When approved, the Flood Risk Management Plan will be endorsed and will form part of this permit. audited on anniversary 


Architects: SnØhetta Architects


May 2020

The Tea House, 28 Clarendon St


CostaFox acquired the building for $28 million from R J International (Aus) Pty Ltd.

Heritage Victoria had refused a permit for its proposal to build a 24 storey hotel at the site adjoining the Tea House. (source: Southbank News, May 2020)

181 Liardet St, Port Melbourne

 May 2023

181 and 181a Liardet St was sold by Biggin & Scott on 13 May for $1,080,000.

181 Liardet St, Port Melbourne May 2023


28 May 2023

253- 257 Normanby Rd, Fishermans Bend

R. Iconic, formerly known as the Oxford University Press site

May 2023

The ground floor is for sale with a 10 year lease to Coles. Coles is expected to begin trading in November. 

263 Normanby Rd, getting ready for Coles  May 2023

December 2022

R Iconic viewed from cnr Pickles & Ingles St

April 2022

R Iconic from Ingles x Station Sts, April 2022

R.Iconic is a 31 level development comprising ground-floor retail, supermarket and a 5 level podium.

Construction is well underway, utilising HBS (Hickory Building System), a prefabricated and integrated construction solution with no live edge activities making it the safest system for multi-storey construction.

January 2021

Noting the status of this development at the start of 2021. The Oakwood development at 202 - 204 Normanby Rd (left) and the Normanby at 199 - 201 Normanby Rd (right) are clearly visible. The former Dunlop factory is in the foreground.

The development will contain 456 apartments over 37 and 40 storeys.

Builders: Hickory
Landscape: Paul Bungay

R Iconic viewed from Boundary St

September 2020

Work is underway on site.

R Iconic viewed from Boundary St

May 2020

R Iconic is 'coming soon'. Refer to R Corporation's website to see what the development will look like. 





May 2020 


March 2020

Work has resumed on site.




Exemplary tree protection on both Normanby Rd and Boundary St.



August 2019

The site is being cleared by Delta.

August 2019

December 2017

Development permit No. PA170223 was approved by the Minister for Planning - dated 5 December 2017.

VCAT Ref P1604/2017.

September 2017

The Oxford University Press site 



R Corporation's proposal for this site includes constructing two towers of 33 and 42 storeys including a five level podium containing ground floor level retail and townhouse dwellings, and apartments and a 147 room residential hotel above.

The Minister for Planning is the decision maker for this site, but the Council's advice is sought.

The Council resolved to advise the Minister that they did not support the application because, amongst other things

  • Tower 1 would overshadow Tower 2
  • The communal open space would be overshadowed
  • The buildings would overshadow nearby Fennell Reserve between 11.00am and 2pm on September 22 
  • Visual bulk
  • Poor thermal performance 
The proposal is headed to VCAT since a decision was not made within the required time frame. There will be a Directions Hearing on 05 or 22 October (tbc) and a hearing commencing 28 November 2017 for four days. 

To get a sense of the Council's concerns, view the renderings

The full Council report 19 September 2017

8 June 2016

R Corporation bought the Oxford University Press site for $36.35 m.

The site







22 May 2023

06 May 2023

101 Spring St, Port Melbourne

Clareville 




Clareville is thought to have been constructed in the 1860s or 1870s. Purchased by James B Bartlett at the turn of the 20th Century, Clareville was the location for Bartlett's SP bookmaking operation for around thirty years. The Bartlett family were long time Port residents. James B Bartlett was the son of James John Barlett, former Mayor of Port Melbourne [1884-85], proprietor of the Railway Club Hotel in Raglan St, sporting identity and bookmaker.

Clareville is unusual as an apparently early house which was comprehensively altered at the turn of the century. The result of the alterations exemplifies the stylistic transition that can be seen in many houses constructed at the end of the nineteenth century in which the typical form of a Victorian double fronted house was overlaid with elements such as the half timbered gables, terracotta roof ridging and lead lighted casement windows deriving from the Queen Anne and other Arts and Crafts domestic architectural styles.

source: City of Port Phillip Heritage Review Database No: 685

Clareville courtesy of Frank Gordon August 1998


27 March 2023

169 Bridge St, Port Melbourne

March 2023

On 20 March 2023, the City of Port Phillip approved planning application PDPL/00157/2023 for 'demolition of the existing dwelling, buildings and works for the construction of a new dwelling on a lot less than 300m2 in a Heritage Overlay.

July 2022

169 Bridge St, Port Melbourne, July 2022 image Jellis Craig 

The property was sold on 23 July 2022 for $1,921,000 by Jellis Craig.

Property history

The property was sold on 16 June 1980 for $43,000 

The house was built in 1890. (source: realestate.com)

08 March 2023

84 - 88 Montague St, South Melbourne

March 2023

The site was sold at auction for $4.34 million. The sale attracted more than 70 auction bids. (source: The Age Wednesday, March 9, 2023)

13 February 2023

The site at 88 Montague St will be auctioned by Nichols Crowder on the 2 March at 12 noon.

The site on the corner of Montague and Gladstone Sts, February 2023


04 March 2023

2 Tucker Avenue, Port Melbourne

11 February 2023

The house was sold for $1,910,000 by Frank Gordon on 11 February 2023

February 2023

The former home of Heather and Collin Wale at 2 Tucker Ave is for sale by Frank Gordon.

2 Tucker Ave, Port Melbourne, February 2023

Collin was a life long member of the Mariners, the Port Melbourne Baseball Club. Heather was an active volunteer with the Peter Mac Auxiliary, the Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society and the Port Melbourne branch of the Australian Labor Party. She also volunteered at the Port Melbourne Football Club canteen. 

The house was offered for sale for the first time in 86 years. 

'This pristine 1930’s residence in an idyllic address has un-common design scope to extend and capture ‘never to be built out views’.' (Frank Gordon)

Read more about Tucker Avenue here

116 Farrell St, Port Melbourne (corner Ross St)

4 March 2023

A planning application is advertised for the demolition of all buildings, and buildings and works to construct two dwellings on one lot, and a basement. 

The site is covered by a Heritage Overlay and Special Building Overlay. 

Ref  PDPL/00444/2022

116 Farrell St, Port Melbourne, March 2023


18 January 2022

116 Farrell St (cnr Ross), Port Melbourne January 2022

25 September 2016

Domain reports that a neighbour of a plain Port Melbourne house bought the property to prevent a developer from knocking it down and building townhouses. The purchaser paid a suburb square metre record of $7,163 at the auction held on 24 September. It had not been sold for 50 years.

116 Farrell St, Port Melbourne, September 2016