Thursday 29 March 2012

UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, OLD & NEW

The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria. The main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb just north of the Melbourne CBD. The university also has several other campuses located across Victoria. It is a member of Australia's "Group of Eight" lobby group, the Universitas 21 and Association of Pacific Rim Universities networks. It is colloquially known as a sandstone university and has one of the largest financial endowments of any Australian university, standing at $1.173 billion as of 2010.

The campus is beautiful with much open space, trees, gardens and lawns. The buildings are a wonderful mixture of the old and new and it is always a pleasure to walk there.

This post is part of Lesley's Signs, Signs meme.
University signage on Grattan St
The Dax Centre at the University of Melbourne promotes mental health and wellbeing through fostering a greater understanding of the mind, mental illness and trauma through art and creativity. It incorporates the Cunningham Dax Collection, a collection of over 15,000 works created by people with an experience of mental illness and trauma. The Dax Centre's activities include: An annual program of exhibitions, as well as touring exhibitions that travel interstate and internationally; an education program for secondary and tertiary students; public programs, professional development and research

The DAX building
The Botany Building constructed in 1923 
"University House"  is the staff club of  The University of Melbourne.  It was opened in 1953 with 270 members. It was created for the purpose of providing a centre for the community life of the University and University staff. Since its inception each year the Club has made a gradual growth of membership and in 2008 reached 2500 members. University House has come to fill its essential place in the life of the University. University House, located on Professors Road and housed in a beautiful Victorian home with gardens to its east and west.  Dating  back to 1885, University House is the sole survivor of a number of Victorian Professorial houses that once lined Professors Walk
The Atlantes, sculptured by James Gilbert, formerly part of the doorway of The Colonial Bank of Australasia, located at the north-east corner of Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, 1880. The building was demolished in 1932 and the porch with statues was donated to The University of Melbourne. It was then re-erected at The University of Melbourne car park entrance in 1972.
Close-up of the Northern Atlas.
The entrance foyer of the Brownless Biomedical Library. The Brownless Biomedical library is the main library for Medicine Dentistry and Health Services. It is located to the Southwest side of the Campus, near Grattan Street.  There are 4 floors housing the Biomedical Library collection including the Basement
View of Grattan St, looking towards the East. To the left is the Faculty of Medicine and to the right is the Alan Gilbert Building
Another view of the Alan Gilbert Building from University Square, looking towards the West

17 comments:

  1. Such a great looking university and such wonderful grounds/buildings! Always enjoy the history you include with your superb captures, Nick! Hope your week is going well!

    Sylvia

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  2. I love campuses! This one has a really nice mix of old and modern.

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  3. What a wonderful post today! Nice to view the buildings and hear about their history. Very nice photo representations also! Almost like being there!

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  4. Nice tour! A great mix of styles of architecture!

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  5. Nick please note: In case the portal is still down over this coming weekend, here is a page to help with the April CDPB Theme Day. Read and join in! Carry this message on your next post and in all your comments, to alert other members to this temporary method of keeping in touch!

    http://cdpbthemeday.blogspot.com.au/

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  6. There is so much to see here, I don't know where to begin! That DAX building has me feeling upside down!

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  7. I love the contrast in the old and new architecture.

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  8. What lovely pictures! Wonderful contrast between the old and the new. And the Dax exhibition sounds very worthwhile.

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  9. A fascinating series of photos of the University. «Louis» enjoyed the tour you have given!

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  10. Beautiful campus and what a wonderful variety of architecture!

    SIGNS

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  11. your photos are beautiful! what a fabulous campus, conducive to learning. i love the Botany building and the Atlantes. a visit to the DAX Center would be most interesting.

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  12. What contrasting architecture! Love both the old and the new.

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  13. the old and new are both lovely
    the greenery is beautiful
    those benches are interesting

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  14. Beautiful University area. Students are lucky to study in such atmosphere.
    Thanks Nick.

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  15. I love your tours of Melb.
    There is quite the mixture of modern and traditional on this campus.
    Those chairs inside the Brownless Library are pretty neat, too.

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  16. I like having a stroll of this campus. Lots of variety of buildings and lush plantings. It does seem that the Gilbert doorway is too big for its new building. Makes me wonder about the scale of the bank it came from. Fun post.

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