| Address: | 46-48 Hesse Street |
|---|---|
| Suburb: | Queenscliff |
1881-82
Built by Walter Adamson in 1859, the Australasian was the first of many hotels incarnations on this particular site. The initial was of substantial timber construction and contained thirty rooms.
Having exchanged hands in 1867, George Adman set about redevelopment of the site to permit an additional 20 rooms and a central brick tower, renaming the venue ‘Adman’s Hotel’.
From 1880, a more ambitious redevelopment by Adman’s commenced and was staged in two distinct phases: the first being a northern wing housing 90 rooms and a ballroom for 1000 persons completed 1882, and the second stage southern wing.
In October 1927, a fire originating from the uppermost level spread throughout the main portion of the building causing extensive damage. Plans for reinstating the former design were quickly shelved due to prohibitive costs, with architect Garfield Bolton and builder Sam House advocating for a reduced scheme of inter-war styling. Significant changes can be had in the choice not reconstruct the third level dormers or upper level bays, new terracotta roof tiles and a stuccoed masonry colonnade to name a few.
More recent developments have seen the ballroom converted into titled apartments and in 2008, a development application was produced seeking the demolition of the former manager’s quarters on the northern boundary for 13 new guest rooms built of off-form concrete construction and colourbond. After a lengthy planning dispute backed by local council and the community, VCAT awarded a planning permit to the applicants upon realised design amendments it thought more reflective of the urban character. No physical works eventuated. (U. de Jong, R. Fuller and F. Gray. ‘A tale of two Victorian historical coastal towns’, UHPH conference, 2014).
(Lovell Chen Architects. ‘Individual Property Citation’, Queenscliffe Heritage Study, 2009).
Adamson’s ‘Australasian Hotel’ on the current site of the Vue Grand, ca. 1865. (Image courtesy of the Queenscliffe Historical Museum).
‘Adman’s Hotel’, 1880. Photograph, 6.5 x 10.5 cm. (Image copyright of the State Library of Victoria).
George Adman's ‘Grand Hotel’ ca. 1880-82 (National Library of Australia .http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-146706394.)
‘Grand Hotel’ from Citizen’s Park, Fred Kruger 1884. (Image courtesy of the Queenscliffe Historical Museum).
‘Hotel Mansions’ exterior view showing gaslights, n.d. (Image courtesy of the Queenscliffe Historical Museum).
‘Grand Hotel’ fire, 1927. (Photo from the estate of Miss Sims and courtesy of the Queenscliffe Historical Museum).
‘Fire at Queenscliff’ (The Age, 31 October 1927. Image courtesy of Trove National Library of Australia).
