St Vincent Place facts for kids

St Vincent Place is a special historical area in Albert Park, Victoria, Australia. It's known for its beautiful old houses and a large, lovely garden called St Vincent Gardens.

This area is surrounded by Park Street, Cecil Street, Bridport Street, Cardigan Place, and Nelson Road. A street called Montague Street cuts through it, which is where the Route 1 tram runs. St Vincent Place is a great example of how neighborhoods were built in the 1800s, with homes surrounding a big, green space. Many of the original terrace houses from the 1860s and 1870s are still there.

How St Vincent Place Began

The idea for St Vincent Place started around 1854 or 1855. It was probably designed by Andrew Clarke, who was the Surveyor-General of Victoria. Before that, the area was even used as a horse racetrack for about nine months!

The current layout we see today was created in 1857 by Clement Hodgkinson. He was a famous surveyor and engineer. He changed the original plan so that the St Kilda railway could cross through the area. The design was meant to copy the famous garden squares in London, but on an even bigger scale. Many of the main streets were named after important British naval heroes.

Since the first land was sold in the 1860s, St Vincent Place has always had a mix of different types of homes. These include high-quality row houses and separate houses, with the impressive Rochester Terrace being a standout. The gardens have also been continuously cared for and improved, always staying true to their first design.

Why This Place Is So Special

St Vincent Place is recognized by the National Trust of Australia and the Victorian Heritage Register. It's considered very important to Victoria because of its beauty, history, architecture, and community spirit.

Beautiful Design and Gardens

The area is truly beautiful because of its urban landscape. The gardens are designed in a special "gardenesque" style, which means they look natural but are carefully planned. They have many old, grand trees. The way the gardens and the houses around them fit together is very pleasing to the eye.

A Unique Historical Landmark

St Vincent Place is historically important as the first and biggest "garden square" development in Victoria. Unlike other places that just had small parks, this area was designed with large, beautiful gardens at its heart. It's also linked to important figures like Surveyor General Andrew Clarke and Clement Hodgkinson, who shaped early Melbourne.

Amazing Architecture

The buildings in St Vincent Place are known for their consistent quality and how well they have been preserved since they were first built. You can see a mix of one- and two-story terrace houses and detached homes, all showing the style of that early period.

Strong Community Spirit

St Vincent Place is socially important because it shows the dreams of the middle-class families who lived in South Melbourne. Because everyone shares the gardens and looks out onto them, the area has developed a strong sense of community. The gardens have always been a central part of local life, and the local government has worked hard to keep them nice. The fact that there have been tennis and bowls clubs in the gardens for over a hundred years also shows how important they are to the community.

Bernard Salt, an Australian expert on populations, even called St Vincent Place one of his "favourite places that have been designed by planners." He described it as a "town planning treasure" with its crescents (curved streets) around gardens, overlooked by two-story Victorian terrace houses. He noted that it was almost like a private community for the wealthy, while smaller homes for servants were in the surrounding streets.

Stories of People and Events

Many interesting stories are connected to St Vincent Place and its residents.

Marshall Browne's book 'The Gilded Cage' tells a love story set in 1888–89, with the "graceful St Vincent Place" as its backdrop.

A resident named Mary Josephine O'Brien inherited the Victoria Hotel and O'Brien's Terrace in Port Melbourne in 1901.

World War I and St Vincent Place

World War I brought sadness to several families living in St Vincent Place.

• Private Harold Frederick Robinson, who was 25, died in action in August 1915. He lived at 5 St Vincent Place.
• Major Frederick Miller Johnson, a surgeon from 32 St Vincent Place, was killed at Lone Pine in November 1915 when he was 52.
• Staff Sergeant John Alfred Eric Crawford, from 82 St Vincent Place, died in September 1916.

In 1928, the first Australian training center for the Catholic Carmelite Order was set up in St Vincent Place.

In the early 1950s, Albert William Andrews was found living in a boarding house in St Vincent's Place. When the house was sold or his health got worse, his family was contacted.

Protecting the Area

In 1972, residents fought a big battle to save the area from a major road construction project called the F14 Freeway. This fight was launched with a pamphlet showing alternative routes for the proposed freeway.

In 2006, two residents of St Vincent Place received special Australian Honours for their contributions to the community.

• Ms Imogen Laurie was honored for her work helping people with disabilities.
• Mr Terrence O'Shannassy was honored for his service to the community, especially young people, and for helping people get technical education for jobs.

Important Buildings and Places

Here are some notable buildings and facilities in St Vincent Place:

• 5 St Vincent Place South: Australian Collaboration
• 51 St Vincent Place South: St Vincent Place Medical Centre
• 57 St Vincent Place South: The Richard Wagner Society Inc
• 73 St Vincent Place South: The Loreto Province Centre
• 30 St Vincent Place North: Rosebank
• 44 St Vincent Place North: Hambleton House
• 78 St Vincent Place North: Peter Wille's House

Images for kids

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  Rochester Terrace in St Vincent Gardens

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  Detail of the main pavilion, Rochester Terrace