The Architectural Splendour of Victoria’s Parliament House, Melbourne

A Parliament House, any parliament house really, is not usually high on a list of must-do or must-see tourist attractions. Victoria’s Parliament House turns that notion on its head.

Not that I am some sort of political junkie. I am like many people – jaded by our political representatives and the hot air and broken promises that endlessly stream from their mouths. I do, however, love a bit of history and gobsmacking architecture, and Victoria’s Parliament House delivers that in spades.

Join me for a fascinating stroll through the halls of colonial history….

Facebook, for all its issues and weaknesses, is good at uniting people with a common interest. I am a member of a Facebook travel group and when I posted a question about what I could/should be doing on a flying trip to Melbourne, I was inundated with fabulous suggestions, including the one about a free guided tour focusing on the architecture of Victoria’s Parliament House.

Sign me up on the spot!

The Parliament of Victoria is located on the highest hill in Melbourne (looking down on its citizens?), on the traditional land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin. Apparently, the original residents used this place to discuss important business between themselves and other clans. A lot has changed since then and also very little.

Originally, Victoria was part of the colony of New South Wales and eventually, after much lobbying and agitation, they achieved their independence and consequently needed their own parliament house. With the State’s coffers full of cash from the booming Gold Rush and robust wool industry, plans were drawn up for a seat of government like no other in Australia at the time. They were keen to make a BIG statement that they had ‘arrived’.

Walking up the grand front steps of the Parliament of Victoria (PofV), you get the first indication that restraint and subtlety of design were not a high priority in this building. Striking and ostentatious plans were originally drawn up for the building in 1855, with the finishing touches and construction not completed until 1930. In that time designs were amended to adapt to dwindling funds in response to the end of the Gold Rush and other economic, and political pressures.

Back at the entrance to the building, we were quickly processed through security, welcomed by our Guide and encouraged to lock away our bags, and backpacks. After a brief introduction our Guide, Karl, led us through the first of many corridors and up more grand stairs to a meeting room for an AV presentation. While death-by-PowerPoint is definitely a ‘thing’, this introduction was really valuable to set the scene for the development of the building, society at the time, and highlight the key characters involved in its design and construction. For us non-Victorians, it clarified the building in context to the city and its history.

From there, the real tour began and it was a constant overwhelm of opulence, ornamentation, scrolls and gilt. We very quickly understood what a Gold Rush could do for a State’s bank balance and how it could ignite a public works frenzy.

At every turn, every structure, feature and decoration was designed to exude wealth and status. Real gold leaf adorns ceiling cornices, columns are fluted, sconced and scrolled, and floors are tessellated in the greatest of detail and complex designs. Hardly a Place of the People or Common Man at all.

Like many a building constructed in stages, another key adjective could be ‘rabbit warren’. Karl led us up stairs, down stairs, down corridors, around corners, up more steps, through heavy wooden doors, down into the dusty bowels of the building and past endless repairs, and renovations. With such an old building, I couldn’t help but wonder how it was all kept in running order. Are the traditional stone mason and similar crafts or skills still readily available in these modern times?

The Parliament’s Library was a real joy and as usual, I suffered from severe library-envy. How I would love to have the scale and sophistication of this library on tap at home? Maybe I would need to toss out all those political treatises and Hansard reports for something a bit lighter, but it could be doable! 😊

One thing that really surprised me was how quiet the whole building was. I was expecting a hive of activity with lobbyists hustling down hallways and politicians rushing around trying to change the World. Nope. I think our tour group was the busiest thing in the place.

Something else that caught my eye were all the old-fashioned signs and trappings of days gone by. Large hat racks lined the hallways, more suited to days when leaving home without a hat was simply unthinkable. PofV had its own Post Office until a few years ago and ye olde shoe shine stands kept politicians’ tootsies in tip top condition.

Working our way almost from the top of the building to the bottom, we eventually made our way into the ‘backyard’. It’s almost as historic as the building itself, designed by William Guilfoyle in the 1880s, the Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The gardens are much more pared back these days and now have a focus on native Australian species. If you are a keen gardener, you may be interested in the Parliament House Gardens Tour also on offer.

Who would have thought that a traditional and ‘boring’ public building could hold so much history and interesting facts? From here on in, I will look at parliament houses in a whole new light.

An odd question, but do you have a favourite parliament house?

The Basics

What: PofV has a number of different free guided tours. Bookings are essential and I recommend you book early as these tours are very popular. Book here.

Where: PofV can be found on Spring St, East Melbourne. You definitely can’t miss it!

When: Arrive at least 15minutes before the start of your tour to go through security etc.

Why: Get a fascinating insight into early Victoria and a range of architectural styles.

How: Parliament House is an easy walk from the Melbourne CBD or catch a free tram up Bourke Street.

Who: People with mobility issues would struggle with all the steps and stairs in this building. There are some ramps and wider doorways to access the main rooms.

Related Posts: For some more gorgeous architecture in Melbourne, take an easy stroll through some of their historic shopping arcades. You won’t be disappointed.

Related Blogs: Historical Ragbag is also a fan of this building’s architecture. See their photos here.

Read About it: Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy is considered an Australian classic novel. It highlights the personal cost of power, especially in the upper echelons of politics. It’s a high impact read and its key messages, and questions, are still relevant today even nearly 75 years after publication.

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