Melbourne's City Square all fenced off, image from http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com/
Local architect Luca Lana has compiled a brief history of Melbourne’s City Square which makes you wonder how “public” the space really is given the forceful eviction and arrests of Occupy protestors last week:
1837: Robert Hoddle, under order from Governor Gipps, designed Melbourne devoid of a public square, because they only encourage democracy. With hope of finding gold, explorers, merchants and ex-convicts, swarmed to Melbourne. 1860: To the fanfare of thousands, and spurred by prize money, Robert O’Hara Burke set out with William John Wills on an ill-fated expedition to cross the entire continent. 1864: a huge bronze statue is erected in their honour. 1966: Lord Mayor Bernard Evans successfully argues for the creation of a public square in the City of Melbourne. The site chosen leads to the destruction of the Cathedral Hotel, Wentworth House, and the Queen Victoria Building. Further plans to destroy the Regent Theatre to make way for a hotel adjacent to the site are blocked by the Green Bans union movement. 1966: a temporary public square opens and democratic demonstrations occur in opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. 1976: a competition to design a permanent public square is launched, the same year AC/DC shoot “It’s a long way to the top” on the site. 1980: Queen Elizabeth II, and the monument to Burke open the DCM-designed City Square and Wills returns. Three months later the Vault by Robert Swan is dismantled and moved. 1993: Half of City Square is sold for $12.5m to create the Westin Hotel almost as tall as Joseph Reeds tower on St Paul cathedral. The Larry La Trobe bronze dog was stolen, but Burke and Wills remain. 2002: a new public space opens: Federation Square, albeit with alterations in design in fear of obscuring Reed’s tower. Protestors against the Iraq war fill the square as the city’s de facto public space. 2010: a report is commissioned and funding models secured for an East West train tunnel, a journey of kilometres underground linking Melbourne’s East and West. Major stations include Melbourne University, RMIT and City Square. 2011: The local Occupy movement adopt City Square as their base, but are forcefully removed within a week, the site is officially “closed” and fenced off, possibly due to an official visit by the Queen.
This is part of a series of posts on the Occupy movement.
