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Former "A" Goods Shed

Other Name No 2 Goods Shed Location 2 - 42 Village Street Drive,, DOCKLANDS VIC 3008 - Property No B6435 File Number B6435 Level National

[1/1] BB435 Goods Shed A

Statement of Significance

The former "A" Goods Shed is architecturally significant at the National level. It is a highly prominent part of a significant group of buildings in the docklands area and is one of the most significant railway structures in the State. It is certainly the largest and most architecturally pretentious railway goods building in Victoria. It particlarly reflects the importance of goods handling in the Melbourne yard. Located adjacent to the docks, it was the major Outwards Shed from the time of its construction - each of the fifty-four external arched openings were dedicated to a different part of the Victorian railway system. The form of the building clearly demonstrates these methods of goods handling before trucks and containerisation. The building, remarkably, still fulfills its original function, though at a greatly reduced scale.
The rustic-Italianate architectural style of the building is comparable to, but more ornate than, the Newport Workshops and other industrial buildings of the era, and it is more intact.

File note: May 2010
The shed ceased railway operation in the mid 1990s, and in 2001 nine bays in the centre were demolished to facilitate the extension of Collins Street. In 2010 the northern section, now known as 'Goods Shed North' was restored and converted to offices