Eastern Market
Bourke Street, C.1960
This photograph captures well the changing face of Melbourne in the early 1960s, as the city took upon a more modern character, regrettably at the cost of its earlier layer of Victorian built form. Visible, at centre, is a remaining portion of the Eastern Market that is being demolished to make way for the Southern Cross Hotel. The hotel at the time of its opening in 1962 was Melbourne's first International-style hotel, built by the Pan Am owned Intercontinental hotel chain.
Signage of T.M Davie & Co, a former business at the Eastern Market, is used to form part of the hoarding around the demolition site. T.M. Davie & Co sold a range of tools for tradesmen, as well as equipment for some professionals including engineers and tailors. It described itself as 'The Artisans Institute', and was situated on a portion of the Exhibition Street frontage of the Eastern Market. It is an example of the diverse range of businesses that traded from the market buildings.
Visible in the background, juxtaposed against the ruins of the Eastern Market, is the steel frame of the CRA Building in Collins Street nearing completion. The CRA Building was to be Melbourne's tallest building at the time of its opening in 1962. Sadly, both the CRA Building and the Southern Cross Hotel have in turn been demolished. Their demise, soon after their completion, illustrates the constant flux of change in the contemporary city.