The Geelong Customs House is a bluestone and freestone classical style public building in Geelong, Victoria, built in 1855. It replaced a small timber prefabricated building of 1838, which was later relocated to the Geelong Botanic Gardens.[1]
The Customs House was erected near the Geelong foreshore to serve the needs of the colonial administration during the peak of the gold rushes.[2] The building was designed by John James Clark[3] and constructed by William Crocker Cornish in April 1855. The Geelong Customs House is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register,[4] and City of Greater Geelong Heritage Overlay.[5] The building is no longer used for its original purpose, but was restored in 2012, winning a National Trust Award.[6] It previously housed offices and the 'Custom House Restaurant and Wine Bar'.[7] As of September 2024, the City of Greater Geelong announced it would refurbish the interior of the building to house a new Design and Creative Hub.[8]
References
edit- ^ "First Customs House Including Interior Botanical Gardens, Onmydoorstep". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ Stekelenburg, I.J., 'H.M. Customs House, Geelong'. History Research Essay, Department of Architecture, University of Melbourne
- ^ Dodd, Andrew, John James Clark: Public Architect in Australia, unpublished PhD thesis, University of Melbourne 2009.
- ^ Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1892
- ^ Geelong Heritage Overlay Numbers HO130 , HO1638
- ^ "2013 National Trust Heritage Awards". Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ Welcome to Customs House Restaurant & Wine Bar
- ^ "Grant breathes life into Customs House". Retrieved 21 October 2024.[dead link]