Murray Street Offices - Hobart
Murray Street is a prominent street in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is home to several historic offices and buildings that are significant to the city’s architectural heritage. One of the most notable buildings on Murray Street is the State Office Building, which was erected in the late 1960s in the International style 1. The building is 12 storeys tall and was fully occupied by the State Government of Tasmania. It is built of locally quarried stone and features some details characteristic of the Victorian era, such as the iron-lace decorated front verandah 1.
Another historic building on Murray Street is the Customs House and Bond Store, which was built in 1903 and designed by Shield & Baker 2. The Federation Classical style three-storey Customs House today houses the Museum and Art Gallery Administration. It features rusticated stone pedestals and pilasters with a balustraded parapet, pyramidal slate dome arched pedimented porches with Doric pilasters and columns and sculptured figures 2. The Bond Store (1815) is one of the oldest surviving warehouses in Australia. It forms with the Customs House a group that attests to the successful development of the colony of Van Diemen’s Land from simple beginnings to a prosperous State 2.
The Hydro-Electric Commission Building at 21 Murray Street is another notable building on Murray Street. It was erected as the headquarters of the Hydro-Electric Commission and is an imposing six-storey office block that is one of Australia’s finest examples of commercial Art Deco architecture 2. Its Art Deco features include unique laddered discs at the top of the fourth storey that suggest electrical insulators 2.
The Treasury Building on Murray Street is another significant building that makes up what is now referred to as the Treasury and Finance Complex. The eight buildings that make up this complex are regarded as the most significant in Tasmania’s administrative history, including the oldest Supreme Court in Australia (built 1824) 3.
In conclusion, Murray Street in Hobart, Tasmania, has several historic offices and buildings that are significant to the city’s architectural heritage. These buildings include the State Office Building, Customs House and Bond Store, Hydro-Electric Commission Building, and Treasury Building. Each building has its own unique architectural style and features that make it an important part of Hobart’s history. These buildings are a testament to Hobart’s rich cultural heritage and are a must-visit for anyone interested in architecture.