Long Room
The Long Room's dramatic scale and decorations emphasised the importance of the Customs department, in the same way a ballroom in a private home advertised the owner's wealth and status.
The Weekly Times applauded the design:
'This Long Room is a hall of noble proportions and is finished in a style which will secure unbounded admiration from all whose business leaves them free to appreciate the beautiful in art.'
The Long Room was the heart of Melbourne's trade for over 100 years.
It was a noisy, bustling place, where merchants and customs agents came to pay duty on imported goods. On busy days, up to 30 customs officers and 100 customers would be processing forms.
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Merchants and customs agents gather in the recently completed Long Room
