The John Curtin Hotel has been recommended by Heritage Victoria for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register as a place of State-level cultural heritage significance. This follows a joint nomination submitted by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Victorian Trade Hall Council in March, 2022. Executive Director of Heritage Victoria, Steven Avery, assessed the John Curtin Hotel’s cultural
heritage significance - and his recommendation met whole-hearted support from Victorian Trades Hall Council, The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and City of Melbourne Deputy
Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece.
This recommendation would confer legal obligations on the owner to protect and maintain the 160-year-old property in line with its heritage values.
The sale of the iconic building to an offshore developer earlier in the year prompted the National Trust and Victorian Trades Hall Council to swiftly join forces to submit a heritage nomination to the Victorian Heritage Register. It cited the hotel’s significance to the course of Victorian history, its strong association with the labour movement, its continuing role as a live
music venue, and its special association with numerous significant people in Victorian history, including Labor’s longest serving Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.
In a further move to prevent the destruction of the hotel, on 29 April this year, the Building Industry Group (BIG) declared a Green Ban. Similar bans led by the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) have saved Melbourne icons such as the Hotel Windsor, Flinders Street Station and the Queen Victoria Market and many others from development.
This recommendation will be advertised by the Heritage Council for 60 days (from Friday, July 22) and anyone can make a submission in support of the recommendation.
Key leaders will attend a press event at The John Curtin Hotel on Monday, July 25.
Press Event: Monday, July 25, 12.30pm at The John Curtin Hotel, 29 Lygon St, Carlton
In attendance: National Trust of Australia, Victorian Trades Hall Council, City of Melbourne
Media Contact: Suzi Taylor (VTHC) 0447 333 834