I loved the post on the restoration of Old Customs House – do you have any earlier images of the Old Customs House?
Stepping further back in time this post will look at images of Old Customs House from 1957-1969. Customs officers moved out of Old Customs House in 1965. The building was then used as the Melbourne offices for the Commonwealth Parliament and its local members.
The following images sourced from the National Archives of Australia show the Old Customs House during this period.
Eastern View, Long Room 1957
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National Archives of Australia
The chandeliers, clock and parquetry flooring are no longer a feature of the Long Room today. The restoration of the Long Room included researching the original flooring, and sourcing and laying a near exact copy of the original tiling.
Old Customs House, Eastern View, Long Room 1965
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National Archives of Australia
Desks and partitions were installed to create a workspace for office staff.
Old Customs House, Western View, Ground Floor 1969
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National ARchives Australia
In this image the lifts are directly opposite the grand staircase on the western side of the building. The lift today is still on the western side but moved about three meters to the left.
South East View, Ground Floor Foyer 1969
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National Archives Australia
One of the main differences here is the glass wall creating a vestibule from the street entrance. Other differences include the central desk and carpeted floor.
Old Customs House, First or Second Floor Corridor, 1965
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National Archives of Australia
Cupboards, shelving and seating line the walls of the corridor and linoleum covers the original marbled flooring.
South View, Rear Courtyard Old Customs House 1969
Image: National Archives of Australia
Source: National Archives Australia
The rear courtyard area now features the Immigration Museum’s Tribute Garden. There is now also a glass atrium attached to the rear entrance of the building.
The Immigration Museum opened in the Old Customs House in 1998 and houses a number of exciting exhibitions exploring the history of immigration to Victoria, contemporary issues exploring identity, international and local community exhibitions and the history of The Old Customs House.
Immigration Museum is open daily from 10am - 5pm
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