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Former Tramway & Omnibus Company Building

Location 669-675 Bourke Street and 20-38 Godfrey street,, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 - Property No B0455 File Number B0455 Level State

[1/1] B0455 Omnibus & Tramways

Statement of Significance

This building was constructed in 1891 as the new office for the privately-owned Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company. The company formed in 1868 and was re-constructed as the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Co in 1877 from the Melbourne Omnibus Co which was formed in 1869. It held a monopoly over the running of trams on the inner city's cable tram system from 1885-1916 and the office was constructed at one of the city termini. Designed by architects Twentyman and Askew, it is in a Gothic Revival style similar to the more elaborate Olderfleet-Rialto row in Collins Street. The building is of great significance for its association with the development of Melbourne's cable tramway system, at the time the largest in the world. A small portion of the cable tram track remained buried in the asphalt outside in Bourke Street for some years before it was removed. .
Classified: 06/06/1994