Old Treasury Museum

Sitting at the top end of Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD, the Old Treasury Building is widely regarded as one of the finest 19th century buildings in Australia. The building displays numerous permanent items in the Victorian state collection as well as temporary exhibitions.

It houses Melbourne's original gold vaults, as well as rare and historic documents from Public Record Office Victoria highlighting key moments from Victoria s history. The historic gold vaults were built for the gold from Victoria's goldrush; today they house the innovative exhibition 'Built on Gold'.

The museum's permanent exhibition, Victorian Archival Treasures, presents a rich narrative of Victoria's history from the 1830s, highlighted by key documents and artifacts from Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). These documents and artifacts once held in the Old Treasury Building gold vaults explore themes of Indigenous Victorians and first white settlement in 1835, Ned Kelly and Criminals, Victorian Democracy, Victorians at Work and the Gold Rush.

Built on Gold is particularly inspired by the epic story of the Victorian gold discoveries from 1852 to 1862. In those ten years Melbourne was transformed from a struggling settlement town into a bustling city of international reputation. Built on Gold traces this story through historical themes and explores the economic, cultural and recreational aspects of the city's life, then and now.

Presented through a dynamic combination of significant artefacts, images and multimedia exhibits Victorian Archival Treasures brings history to life. Included in the displays are highlights from Public Record Office Victoria, such as the restored 1906 film The Story of the Kelly Gang, the field book of Richard Daintree and many more original documents which illustrate Melbourne's cultural heritage.

The building is said to be haunted. At night it is claimed a shadowy figure can be seen by office doors. As he moves his way around the building doors mysteriously open and close in progression down the long corridor. Occasionally strange tunes are heard being whistled on the staircase drifting up to the void through the building.

Location: Spring Street (top end of Collins Street), Melbourne. Ph (03) 9651 2233.

Website >>

The Old Treasury Building was constructed between 1858 62, and is considered one of Australia's finest Renaissance Revival buildings. It was designed in palazzo form and built to house the state gold vaults from wealth accumulated during the Victorian Gold Rush. The building was designed by young architect J. J. Clark at just 19 years of age. The oldest surviving designs for the building date back to 1857, and many of JJ Clark's drafts are on display throughout the building. Clark later went on to design the Brisbane Treasury in Queensland, considered to be another fine example in a classical style. Miles Lewis once described it as the "finest public building exterior in Australia".

It is the cornerstone of the Treasury Reserve government precinct adjacent to the Treasury Gardens and creates an important vista terminating Collins Street, the financial spine of the city.

The building is notable as it was the unofficial first capital building of Australia. In February 1899, a 'secret" Premiers' conference was convened, after which it was decided Melbourne's Parliament House would be the temporary capital until the location of the Australian National Capital was officially announced.