Southbank Cultural Precinct Redevelopment
Southbank is home to many of Melbourne's significant arts venues and organisations - including the Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria, The Australian Ballet and Australian Ballet School, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Victorian College of the Arts , as well as the new Melbourne Recital Centre and Melbourne Theatre Company theatre.
In 2006 the Victorian Government committed $5 million for the development of a masterplan for the precinct.
The Southbank Cultural Precinct Redevelopment Masterplan will re-invigorate Melbourne's cultural spine as the vibrant cultural and community heart of Southbank. It will give Melbourne the cultural precinct it deserves - an open, accessible, integrated, imaginative precinct that connects the arts to people and people to the arts.
On 8 September 2008, Premier John Brumby unveiled initial concept designs for the long term vision for the precinct and announced $128.5 million to deliver the first stage of the project - the modernisation of Hamer Hall and its surrounds.
The $128.5 million first stage involves a major renovation of Hamer Hall including:
- New connections with the city, St Kilda Road and river, and a spectacular new outlook to the city. Better amenities with new stairs, improved disability access, escalators and lifts
- New and expanded foyer spaces
- Improved acoustics, new auditorium seating, cutting edge staging systems and technology
- Innovative approaches to sustainability including power generation and waste and water management.
The Southbank Cultural Precinct Redevelopment is one of six projects of the Victorian Government's Southbank Plan.
Related News Items
15 July 2009 - Strong Interest From Builders in Hamer Hall Project
24 April 2009 - Architects Appopinted for Hamer Hall Redevelopment
8 September 2008 - Plans Unveiled for Southbank Cultural Precinct, Hamer Hall Redevelopment Announced