120 Ferrars St, South Melbourne

2 December 2023

The 1226 sq m site is for sale by Tiga. (source: The Age)

8 July 2021

Detectives from the Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit have charged a 30 year old man in connection with the fire that destroyed the factory buildings on site on Thursday 6 May. Detectives executed a warrant and seized a number of electronic and explosive items. (source: Southbank News, July 2021)

June 2021 

The site has been cleared.

corner Ferrars x Buckhurst St, South Melbourne 1 June 2021

Before the fire

Tuck's industrial packaging

Buckhurst St, with olive trees

Barak Beacon Rd estate

20 November 2023

Homes Victoria have advised neighbouring residents that Building Communities has been announced as the successful project partner for four housing sites: Barak Beacon, Bluff Rd in Hampton East, Essex St in Prahran and Simmons St in South Yarra.

The redevelopment of Barak Beacon will deliver 408 new homes including a mix of social, affordable, market rental and speicalist disability homes. (source: Homes Victoria)

Delta continues work to prepare the site. 

7 June 2023 

Demolition of the estate began this week at the northern end. 

Demolition underway at Barak Beacon estate, June 2023

Barak Rd, June 2023

January 2022

December 2021

The government released its intention to demolish the Barak Beacon estate and replace it with modern, energy efficient housing as part of the Big Housing Build.

Details of the project remain unclear at this time.

The Barak Beacon estate viewed from Barak x Boulevard, December 2021

The area bounded by Barak Road, Howe Parade, Beacon Road and The Boulevard was a Crown grant purchased by the Housing Commission in July, 1974. 

This aerial photograph shows the former US army sheds that occupied the site before the estate was built.  

Charles Daniel Pratt, State Library of Victoria

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.

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, 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

Refer City of Port Phillip report. 22 July 2020

Architect: Nidal Ammache 

Project website 2 - 14 Thistlethwaite St, Ammache Architects

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.

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.  

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. 

181 Liardet St, Port Melbourne

 

92 Beach St and 2 to 4 Princes St, Port Melbourne

September 2023

Now named New London House, the development is for sale by expressions of interest closing on 12 October at 2.00 pm. Stonebridge is handling the sale. 

92 Beach St, December 2021

October 2020

An impressive shoring arrangement was used in the basement retention system of the London apartments (formerly the London Hotel) comprising sand, Moray Street Gravels & Coode Island Silt located less than 100 m from the shore of Port Phillip Bay.

Read more about how the builders, engineers and geotechnical experts approached the basement of the site in this article from This is construction. (October 2020)

May 2019

The site lies vacant.

The cleared site of the former London Hotel

The London

Demolition of the London began on 7 March 2017.

only the outer walls remain standing - the London

City of Port Phillip Planning Application No 1220/2016 for the construction of an eight storey building comprising ground floor restaurant (270 patrons) and 32 dwellings. The dwelling mix is 4 x one bedroom units, 17 x two bedroom units and 11 x three bedroom units. Three basement levels are proposed with 42 car spaces, six bicycle spaces, storage and other associated facilities.  

The Council decision of 6 September 2017 to approve the development was appealed by the applicant to VCAT. 

VCAT said about the proposal:  

Ultimately we conclude that a high density, mixed use development on the subject land can make a significant and positive contribution to multiple outcomes sought by the scheme. Those outcomes include housing growth and diversity, activation of the public realm between Station Pier and Bay Street, and passive surveillance of the public realm. 

However, the building’s impacts on the public and private realms are not acceptable. Although changes could be made to reduce amenity impacts on neighbours to an acceptable level, the extent of overshadowing of the foreshore reserve is such that we do not consider a net community benefit is achieved. 

The positive outcomes associated with this permit application are not, however, outweighed by the negative impacts upon the public and private realms that would result if this development is approved in its current form. We are not satisfied that the outcomes and design objectives of DDO1 are met nor State and local policies that emphasise the important civic role of the foreshore and its pathways.

Most specifically, we find the extent of overshadowing of the foreshore (including the bicycle and pedestrian paths) and the loss of amenity to abutting dwellings, particularly No. 90 Beach Street, to be unacceptable impacts from the proposal.

Conditions were imposed to address these concerns and VCAT issued a permit on 7 March 2018. 

November 2010

The London Hotel, November 2010

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. 

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)

15 - 85 Gladstone St, Montague

August 2023

The project is underway.

Greystar's BTR project from Kirrip Park, August 2023

June 2022

Greystar has appointed ICON to build this $500m project.

The build-to-rent project will include 700 apartments across three towers plus 850sq m of retail space.

The architects are Scott Carver.  

View Scott Carver's project page for 15 - 85 Gladstone St.

Site preparation is underway by Delta.

site preparation, viewed from Kerr St, June 2022

March 2021

Greystar acquired the property from Chip Eng Seng subsidiary CEL Australia for $65 million. 

May 2020

CEL Australia has suspended marketing for Fifteen85 until 2021 in response to weakened property market conditions attendant on the corona virus pandemic. (source: Financial Review 28 May 2020)

 

23 June 2018

15 - 85 Gladstone St, Montague

Launch party for Tower 1, Fifteen85. A heavy emphasis on dogs - canine wellbeing, dog minding, dog grooming.

For people, there were crepes, hot dogs and fair trade coffee.

The burger people had reportedly crashed into the Montague Bridge.

Launch party for Fifteeen85, (Gladstone St), June 2018

June 2018

Fifteen85 

A sales office has opened on site with Tower 1 (of 3) to launch on 23 June. Elenberg Fraser are now the architects and the development is branded as Fifteen85. It has a new address 85 Gladstone Street.

The final approval was for three towers, rather than the four originally approved.

Tower 1 is the western most of the 3 towers and will contain 222 apartments. The podium level will be ' laden with greenery'.

The developer is CEL Australia.

December 2017

The site was sold by Colliers International on 4 December 2017. Among the attributes of the site, Colliers listed

• Enormous site area of 9,356sqm
• Three extensive street frontages
• Flexible Capital City Zone 1
• Recently approved permit allowing for a landmark, mixed use project designed by world renowned Fender Katsalidis
• Directly adjacent to the new South Melbourne Park Primary School, and newly designated park

August 2017

An amended permit was subsequently issued on 29 August 2017

21 June 2016

Kerr St frontage of the development site 15 - 85 Gladstone St, June 2016

Amended plans for the site were considered by the City of Port Phillip. While the Council had no issue with changing the architect to Fender Katsalidis, the Council advised DEWLP that it did not support changes which included

• reduced tower separation distances
• reduced setbacks to Kerr and Buckhurst Sts
• increasing the heights of towers 2 and 3 to 30 levels so that all four towers will be the same height

November 2014

On 29 November, a Labor government was elected with Daniel Andrews as Premier. Richard Wynne became the planning minister.

September 2014

Ministerial permit 2013/005499 was issued on 1 September 2014. The permit provides for a north-south link through the site, consistent podium heights and a reduction in height for the towers to 30 storeys.

4 June 2013

Marc Pallisco, the Age, reported on Saturday 1 June that Carlins has lodged an application for a staged development of 4 towers, the tallest of which will be 38 storeys, for their massive site on Buckhurst St.

The proposed development includes 1,023 apartments.

The application, lodged on 27 May 2013, is listed on the Minister's Planning Permit register with scant further information at this time.

The site is large, 9,356 sqm and Buckhurst St is very wide. In the City of Port Phillip's plan for the suburb, Buckhurst was envisaged as the main street and community heart of Montague.

A different future to that imagined by Port Phillip is now unfolding, but at this time there is no clarity as to how such large developments will deliver any community benefit.

The Buckhurst St frontage, June 2013

 corner Kerr x Buckhurst Sts, Montague 2013

1 June 2013

Kerr St frontage of development site 15 - 85 Gladstone St, June 2013

November 1989

The site was sold by private treaty for $453.499k. (source: Domain property report)

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

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. 

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)

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. 

Hibernian Hotel, 358 Graham St, Port Melbourne

1 August 2023

Expressions of interest for the property closed at 3.00 pm.

June 2023

A 'for sale' notice has appeared in the windows facing Ross St. The agent is Frank Gordon.

The Hibernian, June 2023

December 2022

The permit will expire if the development has not commenced by 6 November 2024.

The permit (CoPP reference 310/2009B) has already been extended several times. 

November 2010

There was a fire at the Hibernian Hotel on the afternoon of Sunday 28th November 2010. This followed a serious fire earlier in the year, on Sunday 25th July, that left eleven people at risk of homelessness. Police are treating the fire as suspicious. 

The Hibernian, cnr Ross & Graham Sts

Background

The Hibernian was built in 1868. Originally a rough structure - it suffered a serious fire in 1871!

photo Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society

272 - 280 Normanby Rd, South Melbourne

31 July 2023

Crema Constructions has been appointed as the builder of the project. 

December 2022

The Canopy by Gamuda Land December 2022 

The section of Johnson St that will be closed to create a park

The plan for the site includes closing a section of Johnson St to become a park.

Gamuda is planning a "Miyawaki' micro forest approach to the landscaping of this project, an approach the company had successfully applied to other projects.

Gamuda is working with the Murri:Yul urban design advisory firm to develop plans for the landscaping. (source: The Age 4 December 2022)

The development comprises 213 dwellings, including 12 affordable housing units. 

October 2022

HIP V. HYPE's Better Buildings team will be advising Gamuda Land on this $180-million mixed use apartment project.

This advice will build upon six sustainability principles for the Fishermans Bend precinct: low carbon, water sensitive, climate adept, connected and liveable, low waste and biodiverse. (source: HIP V HYPE)

29 September 2022

The Port Phillip Council supported plans for a 20 level development with 4 and 6 levels podiums at their meeting on 29 September. 

The plans superseded the 17 March 2021 Ministerial approval of Planning Scheme Amendment C177port for a 24 level building.

The development proposal includes the construction of a linear park on Johnson St between Normanby Rd and Munro St in accordance with the Fishermans Bend Framework. 

The applicant is Gamuda Land. The development is to be known as The Canopy

“We believe it’s no longer acceptable to merely adopt green building design, but essential to ensure every building or public space is making a positive green contribution to the place and its people. For us to do this, we have to work with nature and not against it,” said Ngan Chee Meng, Chief Executive Officer, Gamuda Land. (source: Business Today, 30 September 2022)

Canopy is designed by Hayball Architects, Oculus and Hip V. Hype.

July 2022

Malaysian property developer, Gamuda Land, bought the 2,600 sqm property late last year for $24 million, where it intends to deliver 200 apartments over 20 levels. The project will see over 6,000 native plants and trees planted and public green space included in the project.

Three years ago, Spec Property – the development arm of Samma Property Group – submitted plans for the site that included 307 apartments, 8% of which would be affordable housing. (source: Australian Property Journal 14 July 2022)

April 2021

Following a thorough examination of the issues by the Fishermans Bend Standing Advisory Committee, the Minister for Planning approved planning amendment C177 to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme which was gazetted on 31 March 2021.

The most significant element of the amendment is reducing the height of the building from a proposed 40 storeys to 24 storeys. 

The incorporated document runs to 21 pages of detailed conditions. A few of them are highlighted below:

• The tower setbacks increased to a minimum of 10 metres from Johnson Street and Munro Street
• At least 20% of dwellings to contain three or more bedrooms, with a plan to transition to 25% of all dwellings containing three of more bedrooms. 
• At least 25% of all car parking spaces on all levels to have access to an EV charging point.
• Provide for the delivery of at least 6% of the total number of dwellings, for affordable housing before the development is occupied.

The SAC's report and the incorporated document can be accessed from the Fishermans Bend Standing Advisory Committee webpage.

January 2021

The building is being used as a worksite for R. Iconic opposite at 253 - 257 Normanby Rd. A homeless person finds shelter in a doorway. The landscape is unkempt. 

Planning for this site has still to be resolved. 

the site from the corner of Normanby & Johnson St, 2021

In October 2018, the site was sold for $12.7m (source: Domain)

4 October 2017

The City of Port Phillip considered the application on 4 October 2017.

• The proposal is for a 40 level mixed use tower including a five level podium.
• A 4.5m wide pedestrian through block lane/link is proposed along the north-east side of the site,  The link would be covered at first floor level for weather protection and wind mitigation.
• The development proposed five affordable dwellings.

The Council resolved to advise the Minister that it did not support the application, but should the Minister approve it, a suite of suggested conditions have been prepared.

source: City of Port Phillip report of 4 October 2017  Planning application reference nos: DELWP ref: 16/00106, Council ref: MINRA 0004/2016/A


27 June 2016

the site from the corner of Normanby & Johnson St, 2016

8 May 2015

from the corner of Normanby & Johnson St, 2015

In February 2015, the site was sold for $14m by private treaty. (source: Domain)

The site

The site was formerly part of Dunlops extensive operation as shown in the Mahlstedt plan below.

The irregular shaped lot is 2,609 square metres in area.