Ross House

The decision by the Supreme Court of Victoria to hand ownership of a heritage-listed building in Melbourne's inner-city to a collective of non-profit social justice and environmental groups, facilitated by the Ross House Association (RHA), was a momentous one. It effectively made Ross House the only community owned and managed building in Australia.

For more than two decades, Ross House has provided over 300 community organisations with cost-effective access to office space, meeting rooms and facilities - vital resources otherwise difficult to secure for non-profit groups like the Wilderness Society, the International Women's Development Agency, and RISE (refugees, survivors and ex-detainees). In addition to its current 50-plus tenants, the Ross House community extends to members, volunteers, supporters and facility users, who share a commitment to social inclusion, social justice, and working towards an environmentally sustainable society.

Named after its main benefactor, R.E. Ross, Ross House was purchased in 1985 as a resource for the Victorian Community Foundation, an initiative of the Victorian Council of Social Services. Sydney architects Sulman and Power designed the Romanesque style warehouse, completed in 1900. Its external features - giant brick arcades, metal oriel windows and parapet colonnade - remain intact today.

Location: 247-251 Flinders Lane, Melbourne