Austral Building
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| Austral Building | |
|---|---|
 Austral Building | |
 Interactive map of the Austral Building area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne style architecture |
| Location | 115-119 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia |
| Completed | 1891 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Nahum Barnet |
The Austral Building is a broadly English Queen Anne revival building located at 115-119 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia. It was designed by noted Melbourne architect, Nahum Barnet, built in 1890, and housed noted literary and artistic tenants until well into the 20th century.
Barnet was commissioned to design this building by magazine publisher, Alexander McKinley & Co., best known for the Melbourne Punch, as a speculative venture including shops and professional chambers, but also with purpose-built artist's studios on the fourth floor at the rear[1] The studios were occupied by such noted practitioners as photographer JW Lindt and the painters John Mather (artist), Charles E. Gordon-Frazer, Leslie Wilkie and, in the 1920s, Alexander Colquhoun. During the 1890s and later the building was the headquarters of the Austral Salon, a pioneer Victorian club for women dedicated to their academic and artistic development. The building continued to be associated with artistic groups through the Melbourne Arts League from the 1940s to the 1980s, which encouraged young actors and artists and held exhibitions in the 1950s by such artists as Fred Williams and Donald Friend.[1] The elegant ground floor metal framed shop fronts were added in 1909 and 1929.
