by Federation Square is one of Melbourne’s most significant landmarks, but the site has a much longer history. Here is what happened: before Federation Square.
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European settlers began arriving in what would become Melbourne in 1835. The city was originally small: a few streets clustered around the town’s first dock, at the end of Elizabeth Street, where a small waterfall prevented passage upstream (read more about this, here).
In 1837, Government surveyor Robert Hoddle laid out a plan for the inner city, in a grid pattern. One of the new streets this created was Swanston Street, which would eventually become the city’s central point. Where Swanston Street met the Yarra River, a punt ran to ferry people across, which was eventually replaced with a bridge.
The rectangle of land to the north of the bridge, as initially left vacant. In the early days of Melbourne, the Yarra was prone to flooding, and several sections of the bank were left clear.
It wasn’t until 1871 that the government found a use for the land, when they constructed the city’s first morgue. Prior to this, dead bodies had been laid out in public rooms, often times in Government buildings, while they awaited burial.
Growing concern over public hygiene, and Melbourne’s booming population, lead to the construction of the morgue.
But having such a macabre building so prominently situated proved unpopular, and the morgue was only in operation for 12 years before it was relocated. After the building was demolished, the corner location was incorporated into Melbourne’s burgeoning public transport network.
Princes Bridge Railway Station was built on the corner in 1859.
It was meant as a companion to Flinder Street Station across the road, with the train network split in two: west and northbound trans would depart from Flinder Street, while south and east bound trains from Princess Bridge. Both stations would be updated and expanded in the 1880s.
An underground tunnel linked the two stations, from 1910.
In the 1960’s, with the growing demand for prime real estate in the CBD accelerating, the State Government would undertake a dramatic revamp of the corner location.
Wanting to modernise the look of Flinders Street, the State Government demolished Princes Bridge Station and moved it underground. The new station would share some platforms with Flinders Street, and be topped with a shopping arcade and public square.
The remainder of the land where the station had previously stood was sold for corporate development. In 1967, twin office towers were constructed on the site.
Known as the Princes Gate Towers, from their opening they were tenanted by Victoria’s Gas and Fuel Corporation.
From the moment the redevelopment was finished, it drew criticism. The office buildings were derided as ugly and accused of blocking views of the river and overshadowing St Paul’s Cathedral, while the concrete square adjacent was thought to be windswept, bare and uninviting.
Neither would garner much affection from the local population.
More popular was the arcade below the public square, which provided a last minute shopping option for commuters.
On street level, the arcade was also home to Central Station Records, which became a hub for Melbourne’s music community. The store stocked a wide range of records, including imports and obscuritites, and large crowds often turned out, to see touring bands perform on site.
By 1980, Princes Bridge Station was fully absorbed by the larger Flinders Street Station across the road.
Three platforms of the old station would be fully incorporated into Flinders Street (platforms 14, 15 and 16), the rest would be abandoned. The closure of the train station meant that the next redevelopment of the site could be undertaken in an uninhibited fashion.
Some years would pass before any plans were put forth.
In 1996, outspoken Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett would announce a major redevelopment, essentially clearing the site and starting again. Calling the Gas and Fuel towers a ‘dreadful eyesore’ and a ‘blot on the city,’ Kennett promoted a mixed use option for the land.
The new development would have cultural institutions, modern office suites, shops and a public space that could be used for a variety of events. He also wanted to cover the train tracks, from the corner of Swanston Street to Russell Street, to allow easier access between the city and the Yarra, and free up more land for future use.
The ambitious proposal was budgeted at a hefty $450 million and would require cooperation between local, state and federal branches of government.
The new site would be called ‘Federation Square,’ in honour of a hundred years of Australian federation: it was initially planned to be completed in time for the centennial on January 1, 2001.
But a change of Government during construction lead to changes in plans. New Labor Premier Steve Bracks was initially not in favour of Federation Square, and even after accepting it reluctantly, sought to make changes and cut costs.
Altering the designs caused delays, and while saving money had been one of the objectives, the budget blew out, with the project eventually costing nearly double its original estimate. Half of the train track covering was abandoned, and the deadline was missed as well: construction was not finished until October 2002.
But much of the proposal was still delievered, as planned.
The heart of the new square would be the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), a combined cinema and display space, and the Ian Potter Gallery, an offshoot of the National Gallery of Victoria on St Kilda Road. Some of ACMI’s underground gallery space would utilise parts of the old Princes Bridge Station.
The square would also feature the studios of SBS, and the Koorie Heritage Trust, a local indigenous cultural organisation. Bars and restaurants would ring the central public space.
Labor Premier Steve Bracks oversaw completion of the project, and tried to put a positive spin on his former oppostion.
I’m a convert. And I say this to people who have their doubts: come down and have a look, and make up you own minds. This space will change the face of Melbourne forever, making us truly a riverside city.
Steve Bracks, Federation Square opening remarks
Response to the Square was mostly positive, although some rejected the modern stylings of the architecture. As time has passed, it has gradually come to be more accepted, a part of the life of the city.
Markets are regularly held there, and concerts, and other public events. Large crowds gather to watch the Australian Open, and the soccer world Cup, on the square’s big screen; it is also a focal point for protests, and other discourse.
Federation Square was granted Heritage Protection, in 2019.
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