Parliament House, Melbourne facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Parliament House
Melbourne
Parliament House in 2010
General information
Type	Parliament
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Location	Victoria
Address	Spring Street, East Melbourne
Country	Australia
Current tenants	Government of Victoria
Construction started	1855
Completed	1929
Opened	1856
Design and construction
Architect	Knight & Kerr & Peter Kerr
Engineer	John George Knight
Designations	Victorian Heritage Register

An early design from 1854 by Knight & Kerr with Captain Pasley.

A model showing the 1855 design by Knight & Kerr.

Plans from 1877 for the west front and dome, by Peter Kerr.

Parliament House is a very important building in Melbourne, Australia. It is where the Parliament of Victoria meets to make laws for the state of Victoria. It's one of the grandest buildings in the city.

Located on Spring Street, its large front with many columns looks impressive. Building started in 1855. The first part opened in 1856. Different sections were finished over many years. However, the building was never fully completed, and a planned dome was never built. From 1901 to 1927, this building was also the home of the first Parliament of Australia. This was when Melbourne was the temporary capital city. Parliament House is now a protected heritage site.

Building Parliament House
- Choosing the Site
- Designing the Building
How Parliament House Was Built
Temporary Home for Australia's Parliament
Modern Use and Changes
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

Building Parliament House

Choosing the Site

In the 1850s, Victoria experienced a huge population growth because of the Victorian gold rush. More people meant a greater need for democracy. People wanted a proper place for political discussions.

Before Victoria became self-governing in 1851, the Governor, Charles La Trobe, asked Robert Hoddle to find a spot for the new parliament. Hoddle chose a hill at the top of Bourke Street. This spot had a great view over the whole city. After some debate, the current Spring Street site was finally chosen in 1854.

Designing the Building

The design process for Parliament House was a bit complicated. Several architects and designs were considered and then changed. The final design likely used ideas from earlier plans.

In 1851, Henry Ginn, the Colonial Architect, made the first design. Later, a competition was held in 1853. A design by Smith & Pritchard won, but it was not used. Captain Pasley, the Chief Engineer, was then asked to create a design in 1854. This design was for a building that could hold two separate parts of Parliament.

A design from around 1854 showed a more simple building. This design was credited to Knight & Kerr under Captain Pasley's guidance. John Knight and Peter Kerr then created a much grander design in 1855. This new design was very impressive for a young colony, especially one rich from the gold rush. It included many columns, grand stairs, and a tall domed tower. Knight & Kerr are known for designing the first parts of Parliament House when construction began in 1855.

How Parliament House Was Built

First Rooms: 1855–1856

Because the building was so large and expensive, it was decided to build it in stages. Construction began in December 1855. The first parts built were the two main rooms. One was for the Victorian Legislative Assembly. The other, smaller and more decorated, was for the Victorian Legislative Council. Building went quickly. On 25 November 1856, the Victorian Government held its first meeting in these new rooms. Everyone was very impressed.

Library and East Wing: 1858–1860

Work on the Library and the eastern wing started in 1858. These parts were finished by 1860. There was a lot of discussion about what type of stone to use for the outside. People wanted to use stone from Victoria. However, no local stone was found that was completely suitable.

They chose a stone from Bacchus Marsh. But this stone quickly started to crumble. Large parts had to be replaced with stronger stone from Tasmania within a few years. Once the library was done, the two main parliamentary rooms were connected at the back. This made the building look like a 'U' shape. No more construction happened for 18 years.

Queen's Hall and Vestibule: 1879–1882

In 1876, a special committee was formed to decide the next steps for the building. They suggested several changes, including adding a large dome. They also appointed Peter Kerr as the main architect. Kerr created new plans in 1877. These plans replaced the tower with a dome. They also made the outside design simpler, with a long row of columns. This is the design that many people think of as the 'original' plan.

The Great Hall, later called Queen's Hall, and the entrance area (Vestibule) were finished in 1879. Queen's Hall was used for big parties and official events. The Vestibule provided a grand entrance to Parliament House. However, the large front steps were not finished for another ten years.

West Front and Stairs: 1881–1891

Parliament House, Melbourne, in 1890, after the west front was finished.

Plans for the grand front of the building, facing Bourke Street, were supposed to start right after the previous section. But construction was delayed. This was because they were still trying to find a good Victorian stone for the outside. Work inside the building continued. The beautiful tiled floor in the Vestibule was laid in 1888. It has a quote from the Bible: "Where no Counsel is the People Fall; but in the Multitude of Counsellors there is Safety."

Finally, sandstone from Mt Difficult in the Grampians National Park was chosen. A quarry was opened to get the stone. The front with its columns and grand stairs was finished in 1889. The final inside decorations were done in 1890. Other details, like the fancy iron fence and the bronze lions at the entrance, were added over the next year. A contract for the north wing was signed in 1890, with the dome to follow. But the good economic times of the 1880s ended. A financial crisis in the 1890s meant no more work was started.

Refreshment Rooms: 1927–1929

After the Federal Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927, the Australian Government paid for the last major addition. These were the refreshment rooms in the northeast corner. The outside of this section matched the 1877 design. It was completed in 1929.

Temporary Home for Australia's Parliament

From 1901 to 1927, Parliament House was the first home of the Commonwealth of Australia's Federal Government. This was because the new capital city, planned in the Australian Constitution, did not yet exist. There were long delays in finding a site and starting construction. During these years, the Victorian Parliament met in the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton.

Many important events in Australia's early history happened in this building. These included the start of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labour Party. Also, the joining of two parties to form the first Liberal Party in 1909. The declaration of the Great War in 1914 also happened here.

Modern Use and Changes

In 1928, the building went back to being the meeting place for the Victorian Parliament. Parliament House was added to the Victorian Heritage Register in 1982. It celebrated its 150th birthday in 2005–2006.

Some governments have wanted to finish the original design by building the dome. But the cost has always been too high. For example, the Kennett government in 1992 looked into building the dome. In 1996, the Premier and the Opposition Leader even agreed to finish the building by the year 2000. However, the idea was dropped. This was because the original sandstone quarry was now in a national park and could not be used again.

From 2016 to 2018, a new two-story office building was built in the Parliament House gardens. This building is for Members of Parliament to use. It was designed to blend into the landscape. This helps it not to stand out too much next to Parliament House and other nearby buildings.

Gallery

Victoria Parliament from Spring Street
Colonnade and Portico
Australian flag at half-mast on 10th anniversary of the Bali bombings, 12 October 2012
Building Entrance
Steps and Facade from Spring Street
Parliament House Melbourne Vestibule tiled floor
Parliament House Melbourne Vestibule
Queen's Hall in Parliament House, with a statue of Queen Victoria
Parliament House Melbourne Library
Legislative Council in 1878