North Williamstown Station – too high

A new low-level railway station at North Williamstown formed part of the Ferguson Street level crossing removal project, but on opening in December 2021 seating at the new station was anything but stupidly high.

Passengers left dangling their feet up in the air.

Who designs this crap – the seats at the new North Williamstown station are sky high

Every seat at the new station being stupidly high above the ground.

At least their was a lot of them!

Perhaps this bloke was the architect, wanting to extract revenge on a world that forced him to pull his legs up everywhere?

Luckily Australian Standards 1428.2-1992 “Design for access and mobility, Part 2: Enhanced and additional requirements – Buildings and facilities” details how high a seat should be off the ground.

The seats at North Williamstown look quite non-compliant, and luckily the Level Crossing Removal Authority agreed.

Hi Marcus – thanks for getting in touch. We passed this feedback on to the project team who've confirmed as part of our landscaping and finishing works on the new North Williamstown Station and surrounding precinct, the height of the station seats will be lowered.

— Level Crossing Removal Project (@levelcrossings) January 11, 2022

But two months after opening, fixing the seats was still on their todo list.

Hi, thanks for getting in touch. The lowering of the station seating will commence this week.

— Level Crossing Removal Project (@levelcrossings) February 1, 2022

The seats finally being replaced with normal height ones by March 2022.

Deer Park Station – the Bunnings special

In April 2023 a new elevated station at Deer Park opened as part of the Mt Derrimut Road level crossing removal project, but it wasn’t quite quite done – Myki ticketing equipment and accessible access skipped in the rush to get the station open.

Ordering seating for waiting passengers also got missed in the process, so the Level Crossing Removal Authority had to race down to Bunnings and pick up a pile of “Black Steel Park Benches” by Marquee to place along the platforms.

As a rest area along the DDA-compliant ramp.

Marquee brand ‘Steel Park Benches’ from Bunnings installed on the ramp to platform 1

And along the rabbit warren of paths through the construction site for platform access.

They also had a half-dozen left over seats by the time they were finished.

Which would explain why I can no longer find this specific ‘Steel Park Bench’ on the Bunnings Website.

Union Station- the leafy eastern doesn’t miss out!

In May 2023 the new low-level Union Station opened in Melbourne’s east, replacing Surrey Hills and Mont Albert station as part of the removal of the Union Road and Mont Albert Road level crossings, after an intensive three month shutdown of the railway.

But that still wasn’t enough time to order some proper bench seats for the new station environs.

Bench. Stairs. Sign pic.twitter.com/qgtFZxyAaO

— Hotel 7 // Lavender (@literar63) May 21, 2023

They made a quick trip down to Bunnings, and picked up some “Marquee 1.2m Black Steel And Cast Iron Mimosa Ornate Benches” for $135 each.

I suppose they look a bit fancier than the ones Deer Park was given.

Footnote – Australian Standards

You can’t actually read Australian Standards without paying through the nose for them, despite a whole swag of legislation requiring compliance with them – so have fun trying to get access to Australian Standards 1428.2-1992 “Design for access and mobility, Part 2: Enhanced and additional requirements – Buildings and facilities”. Instead, here’s a quick summary on what it says on street furniture.

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Railway station seats – are they really that difficult? appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

Charles Daniel Photograph, SLV H2016.33/102

Early years

The first white settlement near Sunshine was the village of Braybrook, established on the banks of the Maribyrnong River in the 1840s.

SLV BIB ID 685472

But it was the discovery of gold in 1851 that changed everything – miners began travelling through the area on the overland route to Ballarat, followed in 1860 by the Melbourne to Bendigo railway.

County of Bourke 1866

However the trigger for the development of Sunshine was the opening of the direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway in 1889, which met the existing Bendigo railway south of Braybrook.

Parish of Maribyrnong 1896 and Parish of Cut Paw Paw 1884

A township called ‘Braybrook Junction‘ was soon established at the railway junction, and in 1906 industrialist H.V. McKay moved his Sunshine Harvester Works to the new township, expanding it to become the largest manufacturing plant in Australia.

SLV photo H2016.33/103

The main street of the growing town, renamed ‘Sunshine’ in 1907, was Hampshire Road – running north-south from Ballarat Road to Wright Street.

1924 Morgan’s Official Street Directory

With a dogleg in the middle, where it crossed the railway line via a level crossing.

Charles Daniel Photograph, SLV H2016.33/102

Confusing names

In Sunshine many locals started to question why the local streets had the same name on both sides of the railway line. From the Sunshine Advocate, 26 May 1939.

Some Streets Should Be Renamed
Present Situation is Confusing

Recently several requests have been made to the Braybrook Council to have name plates erected at corners of streets, but the municipal authorities deferred a decision until an estimate of cost could be procured, especially of the type that would resist weather conditions.

Should the Council’s finances enable the plates to be erected; consideration should be “given to the renaming of a number of streets, for under present conditions much confusion and inconvenience to the public exists. Three outstanding instances are Hampshire, Durham and Derby Roads.

The first-named is like a Chinese puzzle. The thoroughfare starts at Ballarat Road, and takes four right-angle turns before it reaches Wright Street – a distance of nearly a mile and a half. Mr Gross’ chemist shop is classified as being in Hampshire Road, yet directly opposite the Derrimut Hotel is in Sun Crescent.

It would be better if Hampshire Road Was terminated at Mr T. E. Robinson’s corner, and from there it could be named Dickson Street. The section in front of the hotel to the town hall corner should be Sun Crescent as it is a continuation of that street. New names for the sections – Post office to Seymour’s Corner, and the Town Hall to Wright Street, would obviate much of the confusion that exists.

With regard to Derby and Durham Roads, the position is most annoying. There is a gap of nearly half a mile in these roads, and it would be better for the peace of mind of visitors for the sections on one side of the railway line to be renamed. If a person makes a mistake and goes to one end of either of these streets to find a number he has to make a detour of nearly a mile before he can pick up. the street again.

A portion of Withers Street is another thoroughfare that requires renaming. In the early days probably the sub-divisional plan of the district met with approval, but with the encroachment of the railway department’s interests, a new thought on the subject’ is necessary.

The article must have triggered further discussion, as on 27 October the Sunshine Advocate reported that the Shire of Braybrook was now looking at the issue.

Sunshine’s Streets Confusion
May be Remedied

Some time ago this paper urged the necessity of the renaming of a number of streets in Sunshine to overcome the present confusion that exists, particularly in regard to Derby, Durham and, Hampshire Roads and Withers Street. At the last meeting of the Council the Sunshine Progress Association requested that the renaming or altering of numbers in the streets mentioned and also Hill Crescent and Thorpe Street, be proceeded with.

The Shire President (Cr A. Lowe) said that there was no doubt that confusion existed. Durham and Derby Roads ran to the railway line and then disappeared into paddocks only to be picked up half a mile away. In Hill Crescent odd and even numbers of houses were on the same side of the street. The same occurred in Hampshire Road. The Council should tackle the problem.

Cr Dedrick believed that the alteration of the names of the streets would be more beneficial than the renumbering. Many people had to go a long way out of their way when they inadvertently went on the wrong side of the railway line to reach the house they required. The numbers on houses in Hutchinson Street were conspicuous by their absence.

Cr Garde: What was the reason for the shelving of the question before.

The shire secretary, (Mr E. Hargraves): Principally for sentimental reasons. They were old English names and the Council hesitated to alter them.

Cr Glendenniing.: There is a big break between portions of Derby and Durham Roads, and people must come right back through the railway gates to get to their destination.

Cr Baker: Hampshire Road is the worst on account of its many turns.

It was decided to refer the matter to the officers for report.

On 10 November it was reported that list of proposed name changes had been prepared.

Street Names Suggested

At a recent meeting of the Braybrook Shire Council consideration was given to the altering of a number of street names in Sunshine and Braybrook which were at present treating confusion. The secretary was instructed to bring forward a report, and at the last meeting he put forward the following suggestions:

That Derby Road, Durham Road and Morris Street retain the original names on the shire hall side of the railway line, but that on the west side, Derby Road be altered to Glengala Road, Durham Road to Chamerlain Road, and Morris Street to Matthew Street (going round Matthew’s Hill). Part of Hill Crescent to be Baldwin or Churchill Avenue. Raleigh Street, Braybrook to Wills Street, to coincide with Burke Street Braybrook, after the explorers.

Mr Hargreaves added that if it was desired, the names of old school masters could be perpetuated, in the renaming of the streets mentioned.

Cr Dedrick said he did not favor the names submitted, as he considered there were plenty of Australian names that could be used. He would like some consideration given to the renaming of a portion of Hampshire Road. He moved that the matter be held in abeyance for a fortnight to give councillors an opportunity of giving more thought to the subject.

Cr Dempster seconded the motion which was carried.

On 24 November the council reported that the naming question was harder than first thought.

Street Name Alteration

At the last meeting of the Braybrook Shire Council, Cr Dedrick said he had consulted Collins’ Street Directory, and found a lot of duplication of street names in the shire, and the renaming was going to be a bigger job than at first anticipated. It was decided that a committee of four (Cr Dedrick, Parsons, Dobson and Treloar) go into the matter and submit a report.

The shopkeepers of Sunshine raised objections in December 1939.

Shopkeepers Object to Change of Street Name

On Monday evening last the Braybrook Council received a petition from the shopkeepers of Hampshire Road, urging that no change be made in the name of the street as all their businesses had been registered in the name of Hampshire Road, and that many had purchased stationery to last two or three years.

Cr Dedrick said the problem of altering the street names was becoming very involved. It was decided to defer the matter for a fortnight. The recommendations submitted by a special committee were as follows:—

• Hampshire Road, from railway gates to Ballarat Road, to be High Street.
• Hampshire Road, from Wright Street to railway gates, Hampshire Road to be retained.
• Durham Road East from railway to Duke Street, to be Monash Street.
• Derby Road East, from railway to Duke Street — Parsons Street.
• Raleigh Street, from Duke Street to Ashley Street — Cranwell Street.
• Hill Crescent, easterly section from Derby Road to Morris Street – Hill Street.
• Hill Crescent, westerly section — Drayton Street.
• Morris Street, east of railway line — Matthews Street.
• Centre Avenue, from Hampshire Road (on north, side of McKay’s new duplicate store) easterly to Cornwall Road — Cecil Street.
• Hereford Road, from McIntyre Road to Duke Street — Phoenix Street.
• Williamson Road (also known as Hampstead Road, from Rosamond Road to West Road — Williamson Road.
• Withers Street, from Station Place to Dickson Street – Armour Street.
• Unnamed Street, from Hampstead Road to Rosamond Road abutting Allotments 22, 26, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, on the north side — Poplar St.
• Unnamed Street, North and South Road, connecting Wattle Road and Williamson Road abutting allotments 17, 18, 29, 30 on east side — Ash Street.
• Thorpe Street: Held over for further consideration.

On 9 Feb 1940 it was reported that the motion was passed, except for the renaming of Hampshire Road, which was dropped.

Name of Hampshire Rd to be Retained
Council Reverses Decision

A few months ago the Braybrook Shire Council in an attempt to overcome the confusion that exists with the location of a number of streets in the Shire and to minimise the duplication of street names, decided to effect a change.

The most drastic alteration was the proposition to substitute the name of Main Street for the principal business section of Hampshire Road from the railway gates to Ballarat Road.

The move was received very coldly by the traders in the area concerned and a petition was presented to the Council, signed by the shopkeepers, asking that the name of Hampshire Road be retained. The Council however, adhered to its previous resolution to effect the change, but agreed to hear a deputation from the shopkeepers on the question.

On Monday evening last Messrs R. K. McDonald, J. H. Mann and L. Aston spoke on behalf of the business people, and put forth several reasons why the change would cause expense and inconvenience.

After listening carefully the Council agreed to the wishes of the deputation, and the notice of motion submitted by Cr W. R. Dempster was carried with only one dissentient (Cr Treloar). The decision will be received with a great deal of pleasure by numerous ratepayers, and the Council is to be commended for its courage on its admission that the contemplated change was not desirable.

With the new names published on 28 February 1940 in the Victoria Government Gazette No. 58, page 1002.

Shire of Braybrook

Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Shire of Braybrook, in pursuance of the powers conferred by the Local Government Act 1928, has renamed the streets described herenunder:

• Durham Road East; from railway to Duke Street; Monash Street.
• Derby Road East; from railway to Duke Street; Parsons Street.
• Raleigh Street; from Duke Street to Ashley Street; Cranwell Street.
• Hill Crescent; easterly section of Derby Road to Morris Street; Hill Street.
• Hill Crescent; westerly section; Drayton Street.
• Morris Street; east of railway line; Matthews Street.
• Centre Avenue; from Hampshire Road easterly to Cornwall Road; Service Street.
• Hereford Road; from McIntyre Road to Duke Street; Phoenix Street.
• Williamson Road (or Hampstead Road); from Rosamond Road to West Road; Williamson Road.
• Unnamed Street; from Hampstead Road to Rosamond Road abutting Allotments 22, 26, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, on the north side; Poplar St.
• Unnamed Street; North and South Road connecting Wattle Road and Williamson Road abutting allotments 17, 18, 29, 30 on east side — Ash Street.
• Thorpe Street; westerly from Northumberland Road; Wiltshire Road.
• McDonald Road; from Wright Street to Somerville Road; Market Road.
• Somerville Road (or McDonald Road); from the railway line westerly to Market Road; Somerville Road.
• Bloomfield Avenue, Broomfield Avenue, Bloomfield Street; from Rosamond Road to Warrs Road; Bloomfield Avenue.

By order of the Council,
E. Hargreaves, Shire Secretary

But it took some times for street signs to be erected – December 1940 in fact.

New Street Signs

On the motion of Cr Willanm Braybrook council decided on Monday night to have new street signs erected at streets within the shire which have been recently renamed.

Compare new and old

The 1939 Morgan’s Official Street Directory features the old names.

1939 Morgan’s Official Street Directory, map 59 and 60

While the 1942 edition has the new.

1942 Morgan’s Official Street Directory, map 59 and 60

But the saga continued

A year later in 1941 Labour Candidate for Southern Riding, Mr. Bert Guy, had a dig at the councillors’ obsession with renaming Sunshine’s streets.

He considers that public conveniences are much more important than renaming streets, and is prepared to work for improved social conditions in every way.

And ten years after the renaming of Hampshire Road was knocked on the head, in February 1949 Cr Parsons brought it up again.

Council against changing name of Hampshire Road

When Cr. Parsons moved at the Council Legislative Committee that the name of Hampshire Road, west of the railway line be changed he was unable to gain sufficient support for the move from among his colleagues.

Cr Parsons contended that Hampshire Road was permanently divided by the railway line and there was a good deal of confusion among visitors about the exact location of the street.

Council failed to agree also to a suggestion that the public be notified of any intention to change the name. This was to avoid repetition of what occurred when a change of name was mooted some years ago, and shopkeepers in the street formed a petition to the Council.

And fixed for good?

The dogleg in Hampshire Road was eventually removed in 1960, after the level crossing was replaced by a tangle of flyovers.

VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 681/53

With the stump of Hampshire Road on southern side of the tracks renamed ‘Sun Crescent’ and ‘City Place’.

Melway Edition 1 1966, map 40

Sunshine station was rebuilt in 2012-14 as part of the Regional Rail Link project, but the Hampshire Road bridge was left alone, still dividing the suburb.

Will the Melbourne Airport rail link and the ‘Sunshine Super Hub‘ change this – I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Another Sunshine street name saga appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

The backstory

On February 28, 2000 then-Premier Steve Bracks announced the Linking Victoria program, which included a joint private/public sector redevelopment of Spencer Street Station.

“Spencer Street, the central facility for metropolitan, State, and interstate rail services, has been allowed to die a slow death,” Mr Bracks said.

“Our plans include a multi-modal interchange for passengers on country and metropolitan rail services, the airport rail link, trams and regional buses, and commercial development so the station can better serve Victoria as an international business and tourism centre.

“The Government has commenced work on a master plan for the redevelopment of Spencer Street to give it new life and ensure it plays a pivotal role in linking Victoria.”

A development plan for the project will be undertaken by the Department of Infrastructure over the next six months. Tenders are expected to be let later this year, with construction expected to commence in 2001.

In August 2000 Flagstaff Consulting Group was appointed to develop a concept plan for the Spencer Street Station redevelopment along with options for the financing, delivery and operation of the project. This culminated in October 10, 2001 with the shortlisting of three consortia to build, operate and maintain the new station:

• Civic Nexus: ABN AMRO Australia Ltd, Leighton Contractors P/L, with architects Daryl Jackson P/L, Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners
• Spencer Connect: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd, John Holland P/L, Australand Holdings Ltd, with architects Ashton Raggatt MacDougall, Alsop & Stormer
• Multiplex Rothschild Consortium: Multiplex Constructions P/L, NM Rothschild & Sons (Australia) Ltd, with architects Denton Corker Marshall, DEGW Asia Pacific P/L

So what did the three proposals look like?

Spencer Connect: Ashton Raggatt MacDougall

Hold onto your hat – you’re in for a wild ride with Ashton Raggatt McDougall! From their archived page on the project and gallery on Flickr:

Imagine seeing this at the Spencer Street end of Bourke Street!

A bizarro world concourse.

And these claustrophobic platforms.

I wonder how it would have translated to reality?

Multiplex Rothschild: Denton Corker Marshall

Somewhat more conventional was the design by Denton Corker Marshall – artists impressions from their page on the project:

Plenty of open space on the concourse.

And even more above the platforms.

And topped off with a ‘blade’, just like their other 1990s Melbourne projects – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Museum and the ‘Cheesestick’ over CityLink.

So what happened?

In February 2002 a five person design panel was appointed to review the proposals:

Peter McIntyre
A practising architect with 50 years experience, he has designed key icons for Melbourne such as the Olympic Swimming Stadium, Parliament Station, the Melbourne Arts Centre Spire. A former Professor of Architecture at Melbourne University, Mr McIntyre has also been involved in the Museum of Victoria and Crown Casino Melbourne, and will chair the panel.

Leon Van Schaik
Mr Van Schaik is a Melbourne architect, Pro Vice Chancellor and a professor of architecture at RMIT. He has a long history of promoting local architectural culture in Melbourne through the university’s capital works program.

Scott Danielson
An international architect, Mr Danielson will bring an international perspective to Melbourne. He has strong experience in transport interchanges, having been associated with Mass Rapid Transport system in Singapore and Taipei.

Peter Crone
A well-known Melbourne architect, Mr Crone leads his own award-winning practice based on inventive architectural design.

Gerry Neylan
Mr Neylan will contribute almost 30 years experience in major projects. He has an extensive background of planning, architecture and business development.

The Multiplex Rothschild consortium was knocked out of the running in early 2002, leaving a two horse race when the winner was announced on July 2, 2002:

Mr Bracks named the winning consortium as Civic Nexus. Members of the consortium are: ABN Amro, who led and financed the proposal; Leighton Contractors, who will build the new station; and world renowned Australian architect Daryl Jackson and UK-based architect Nicholas Grimshaw.

Civic Nexus will:

• Construct a new transport interchange, worth $350 million, including associated track and signalling works.
• Maintain and operate the new railway station for the next 30 years, with total costs of approximately $100 million.

In return, the State will pay Civic Nexus $300 million through regular payments over the next 30 years.

Mr Bracks said the Civic Nexus redevelopment included the construction of a new retail plaza, and three office and apartment towers, within the Spencer Street Station precinct.

Features of the new station included:

• An open design with vast, light-filled spaces, and all-glass street frontage on to the Collins St extension and Spencer St;
• Secure, sheltered parking facilities for 800 cars plus drop-off areas;
• A 30-bay bus station accommodating terminating and transiting coaches and buses, and providing ticketing facilities and waiting areas for their passengers;
• Convenient access to the main terminal complex for trams travelling along Spencer Street and the new Collins Street extension
• An innovative ‘wave roof’ design spanning across all platforms;
• Links to Docklands via the Collins and Bourke Street alignments, with direct access to these bridges from all platforms;
• In addition to the Bourke Street Pedestrian Bridge, a new footbridge will link Lonsdale Street with Colonial Stadium and connect with a retail plaza;
• The Transport Mural is heritage listed and will be retained and located within the new facility;
• Fully sheltered, high-quality waiting areas, equipped with comfortable seating, lighting, heating and air-conditioning and providing access to toilets, telephones, passenger information displays, catering facilities and other retail outlets;
• Passenger security facilities throughout the Interchange Facility – including CCTV monitoring – and readily accessible passenger help-points and alarms connected to an on-site control room;
• Efficient baggage handling facilities for interstate and long-distance intrastate rail and coach operations.

But it appears that the opinion of the design panel was trumped by beancounters, if this 2006 article from The Age is anything to go by:

The Age also reveals that the Southern Cross Station project, designed by British-based architects Nicholas Grimshaw and Melbourne’s Daryl Jackson, was not the scheme preferred by a Government-appointed design panel.

High-level sources confirmed this week that the three-man panel, led by Professor Peter McIntyre, favoured an alternative design by local firm Ashton Raggatt McDougall, but the Government opted for the cheaper bid.

Industry sources said they believed the difference between the bids was about $80 million.

Mr Batchelor defended the Government’s choice. “Victorians have a new, world-class railway station that has set the standards in design, engineering and technology,” he said.

“What we sought was value for money. In determining value for money, all aspects of the bids were considered including bid price and design.”

Enter scope cuts

It turns out that Southern Cross Station as it exists today is quite different to the original design that Civic Nexus proposed.

A major omission is the lack of roof over the Bourke Street Bridge.

But other changes include the substitution of the highrise tower at the south-west corner facing Collins Street with a low-rise office block, and the replacement of office towers along Spencer Street with the tin shed that is the DFO Outlet Mall.

But there were even more elements dropped – which The Age revealed in July 2005:

Key features of Melbourne’s troubled Spencer Street Station project, including the signature wave roof, have been scaled back or scrapped amid bitter infighting and cost blow-outs.

The wave roof will now cover only about three-quarters of the station, not all platforms as planned.

Other aspects of the $700 million redevelopment have been dropped or shelved as construction delays inflate costs, which the warring parties have sought to recoup through litigation.

The Age can reveal:

• A footbridge linking Lonsdale Street and Telstra Dome will not be built.
• A plan to extend the wave roof over the Bourke Street footbridge has been abandoned after heated rows. The bridge will now be only partially protected from the elements.
• Plans for tiled platforms have been modified to a mix of tiled and asphalt surfaces, although construction company Leighton says this is not a cost-cutting measure.

The original plan, proposed in 2002, included a high-rise tower on the corner of Collins Street and Wurundjeri Way, and a wave roof spanning all platforms. The plan was varied in 2003.

A lower-rise, linear building along Wurundjeri Way will now replace the high rise. The building will be built on a raised concrete deck that will also form the roof above platforms 13 to 16.

This means the wave roof will now cover only platforms one to 12. Platforms 13 to 16, under the concrete deck, will effectively be covered by a high, flat roof.

Grimshaw project director Keith Brewis told The Age the change, (which effectively deletes some of the wave roof to allow for the deck/roof and linear building), had been cost related.

Because the competitive process was so short, the project had not been “absolutely set” when building started, he said. Civic Nexus later decided a high-rise tower was “less commercially attractive” to tenants.

The change to a linear building had been made “to give Civic Nexus some development profit back into the project to help to offset some of the costs of the project”, he said.

Mr Brewis confirmed that a plan for a footbridge to link Lonsdale Street and Telstra Dome would not go ahead because “someone’s got to pay for it”.

Civic Nexus and Leighton Contractors’ joint statement said the footbridge “was considered not necessary, given access is provided over Collins Street, the Bourke Street bridge and La Trobe Street”.

Mr Brewis confirmed there had been plans to extend the wave roof over the Bourke Street bridge, but that this would have involved realigning tracks to allow for supports.

Mr Brewis said there had been disagreement among the companies and organisations involved.

Bourke Street bridge will now be partially covered and have a windscreen on one side.

Civic Nexus and Leighton Contractors’ said the original covering over the bridge had been modified “at the request of the planning authorities who wanted to preserve pedestrian views from the bridge”.

Transport Minister Peter Batchelor would not be interviewed by The Age.

He emailed a statement through a media adviser stating that changes to the Bourke Street footbridge, the Lonsdale Street footbridge and the commercial building on Collins Street had been made in consultation with relevant authorities.

The government’s official line at the time was far more terse:

October 2003 – Design changes to commercial developments approved

Civic Nexus made several architectural and functional improvements to the office, retail and residential buildings being constructed alongside the main station. The $350 million airport-style transport interchange remained essentially unchanged.

But the end result was the same.

Asphalt everywhere.

Tin roofs over the northern end of each V/Line platform.

A poorly lit concrete ceiling above platforms 13 through 16.

And no rain protection on the Bourke Street Bridge.

And don’t get me started on the shops crammed onto every piece of empty space.

Footnote

Some more plans showing a different Southern Cross Station – they include the Lonsdale Street footbridge and a roof over the Bourke Street Bridge, but include the low-rise office block and DFO Outlet Mall as eventually built.

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Southern Cross Station – what could have been appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

The detail of the windows is best viewed from inside the station, looking back out.

I first took a close look at the windows in August 2009, and noticed that four five of the original leadlight panels had been replaced with plain glass.

But by April 2010 they had been repaired.

Which is easier to see in this photo from April 2012.

Photo by Maksym Kozlenko, via Wikimedia Commons

But by June 2017 another pane of plain glass had reappeared.

Scaffolding then covered the station.

With the plain glass disappearing along with the scaffolding a few months later.

Leaving the leadlight windows looking the best they ever have.

So how many times have the windows been broken in the past, and is any of the glass original?

Footnote

In July 2009 Neos Kosmos talked to Arthur Andronas, director of Andronas Conservation Architecture, who has been involved in earlier restoration works at Flinders Street Station.

Over the past 25 years, we have had the opportunity to conserve a great number of historic buildings, including The Block Arcade, ANZAC House, Newman College at Melbourne University designed by Walter Burley Griffin (the man who designed Canberra) and the stained glass at Flinders Street Station (above the clocks).

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Above the clocks at Flinders Street Station appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

The garage hidden under San Francisco house did the rounds back in 2011:

This video shows the garage door in operation.

With Curbed San Francisco giving the backstory.

Can You Spot the Hidden Parking Garage on This San Francisco House?
Sally Kuchar
April 20, 2011

The problem, you see, is that the city planning department had recently started enforcing its mandate to limit changes to the character of historic building’s front facades– especially when it came to converting bay windows into garage doors.

Corey McMills, who’s got a background in mechanical engineering, thought of an idea to covert the walls of the bay window into door panels that would fold into the garage space to allow cars to enter. The planning department accepted it. McMills Construction teamed up with Beausoleil Architects to help with the details.

This house reminded me of a similar looking garage conversion in the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale.

As well as this example from Auckland.

Innovative Garage for Historical Home in Auckland
Louise O’Bryan
24 January 2018

The front aspect of this stunning heritage home looks completely untouched, aside from a fresh lick of paint. But on closer inspection, there’s something ultra-modern lying beneath the period bull-nose verandah. At the touch of a button the hinged weatherboard door opens to reveal a drive-in garage, complete with a car stacker.

“We wanted to retain the strong aesthetic and heritage of Ponsonby homes, while also combating the issue of parking,” says Jonathan Smith, founder of Matter architects and owner of the property. “Garaging provision in the traditional sense was impossible on this cramped site.”

To achieve the faux facade, Smith explains how portions of the villa were carved out, while masonry retaining-wall structures were constructed inside to facilitate the car stacker installation. “We cut through the joinery and lined up the boards so that from the front, the facade is seamless,” says Smith.

But this house really takes the cake – the entire front facades hinges upwards.

Exposing a shed large enough to park a light aircraft! The owner writes:

Our home sits on a grass runway on the shore of Lake Harney in Florida. The lawn in front of the home is actually the taxiway. Our home was included on HGTV Extreme Homes episode 201. Our goal was to take what could have been an ugly facade and make it more “neighbor friendly” and appealing.

The other side of the home enters directly into the living areas. On the left side you can just see three small aircraft, two gyroplanes and a powered parachute. Although the door size is larger than needed for these aircraft, when we sell the home it is likely that a person with a full size aircraft would need the door size to accommodate his aircraft.

The full video is here.

And the reverse?

How about using a garage to hide an illegal addition to your house?

It worked for a while, until the local council paid a visit.

Couple fined for using fake garage door to hide house in Leicester
Press Association
13 February 2018

A couple have been fined after using a fake garage door and high fence to hide a residential property from a council.

Planning permission was granted for a development in 2007, with conditions stating that car-parking facilities, including the garage, should remain available permanently.

The garage will be restored to its former use after follow-up visits by the council resulted in the discovery of a series of planning breaches.

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Hiding the garage behind a false front appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

It appears my son has been paying a lot of attention – Parliament is blue.

Footscray is red.

West Footscray is green.

Sunshine is yellow.

The last three stations were all rebuilt in 2013-15 as part of the Regional Rail Link project, hence the similar design, but the architects were smart enough to give each station it’s own identity through the use of a feature colour.

Compare this to the growing number of stations rebuilt across Melbourne by the Level Crossing Removal Authority.

Gardiner.

Ginifer.

And St Albans.

Notice a common grey theme?

Apparently the Level Crossing Removal Authority does use colour at some stations.

Hi Marcus, we try to make sure it's not just shades of grey at our stations! Colours are considered in the design stage and each one is different – take the colourful Gardiner Station entrance or the new Rosanna Station as a few examples https://t.co/pVsVfYqX8s

— Level Crossings (@levelcrossings) March 19, 2018

Ormond, Mckinnon or Bentleigh stations being three of them.

The only problem? They used the same identical colour palette of yellow, orange and red at each station!

Okay, where am I now? Well um orange and red = Ormond, Mckinnon or Bentleigh, I guess. pic.twitter.com/k3EopqxzKk

— Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) October 23, 2017

It shouldn’t cost anything more to use coloured panels instead of plain grey – so why does every station have to look the same?

A lesson from Hong Kong

In Hong Kong every station on the MTR network has a signature colour.

This interview with the MTR Corporation’s chief architect describes their reasoning

The main reason bright colours were adopted when the first line opened in the 1970s was to lighten up the subway system, according to Andrew Mead, the MTR Corporation’s chief architect. With no windows or natural light, underground platforms can be gloomy. Bright colours are associated with beauty, and they bring a dash of that to the mostly subterranean stations, he says.

The corporation could have chosen a neutral white design. But Mead says an important factor in picking different colours was function. Underground, where there are no landmarks to look out for like when you’re travelling by bus or car, colour helped differentiate the MTR stations, and gave each their own identity. That was important, Mead says, because “back in the 1970s, there was still a high level of illiteracy” in the city.

Another place that lacks landmarks is a Melbourne railway trench, or onboard a train with advertising covered windows – so why is the use of colour at Melbourne railway stations so rare?

An update from the Level Crossing Removal Authority

Five identical looking stations have been built as part of the Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal project.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority dropped me an email, explaining their choice of station colours:

Carnegie Station – deep yellow

Murrumbeena Station – deep red

Hughesdale Station – deep green

The colours selected for the inner urban villages of Area 1 celebrate
their strong connection to the Boyd family, and have been conceived as
a set of complementary but distinctive colours. The deep yellow, deep
red and deep green pay homage to a series of the Boyd family pottery.

Clayton Station – blue

Clayton is undergoing a significant transformation towards a larger
activity centre as part of the broader employment cluster. The colour
selected at Clayton Station signifies the precinct redevelopment as an
urban catalyst, and represents its connection to research,
manufacturing and learning (ie, Monash University, CSIRO, etc.)

Noble Park Station – bright green

Noble Park is a strong community-oriented activity centre within a
well-landscaped setting. The colour adopted at Noble Park Station
draws reference from the bright green used throughout the
municipality, including the skate park in the vicinity.

Say what you want about the reasoning behind each, but I’m glad they picked different colours!

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Identifying Melbourne railway stations by colour appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

Town Hall Station

Town Hall Station will be located below Swanston Street, next door to Flinders Street Station, and will have two street level entrances: one beneath City Square at Collins Street, the other on Swanston Street beside Young and Jacksons Hotel.

Construction of the southern entrance requires the compulsory acquisition of a number of properties: the McDonalds, KFC and Commonwealth Bank buildings on Swanston Street, and the Port Phillip Arcade on Flinders Street.

Once construction of the Melbourne Metro tunnel is completed, the site will be turned over to the private sector to build an over site development.

The development was approved in October 2017, and is subject to the following conditions:

This document allows for demolition, including bulk excavation, and the development and use of the OSD Land for Shop, Food and drink premises (excluding Hotel and Tavern unless with the consent of the Minister for Planning), Office, Place of assembly, Education centre, Residential hotel, and advertising signage generally in accordance with the following plans and subject to the requirements of this document.

The maximum building height is 40 metres, in order to protect solar access south of the site.

Any future development must not increase the shadowing of Federation Square between 11am – 3pm from 22 April to 22 September.

Any future development may consider the shadowing of the Flinders Street station steps between 11am – 3pm from 22 April to 22 September.

State Library Station

State Library Station will be located below Swanston Street, next door to Melbourne Central Station, and will have two street level entrances: one on Franklin Street, the other at the corner of Swanston and La Trobe Street.

Construction of the latter entrance requires the compulsory acquisition of a number of properties: the Hungry Jacks restaurant on the corner, an apartment building to the west, and a future apartment block site to the north.

Once construction of the Melbourne Metro tunnel is completed, the site will be turned over to the private sector to build an over site development.

The development was approved in October 2017, and is subject to the following conditions:

This document allows for demolition, including bulk excavation and the development and use of the OSD Land for Accommodation (including but not limited to Serviced Apartments, Residential Building, Student Accommodation and Residential Hotel but excluding any beds within the podium levels of the building/s), Education Centre, Office, Place of Assembly (other than Amusement parlour and Nightclub), Restricted Recreation Facility, Retail Premises (other than Adult sex bookshop, Department store, Hotel, Supermarket, and Tavern unless with the consent of the Minister for Planning) and advertising signage and staging generally in accordance with the following plans and subject to the requirements of this Incorporated Document.

The maximum building height is 180 metres at the north-western corner of the site – around 55 storeys tall – stepping down to 150 metres at the south-west corner, and 113 metres at the south-east corner, in order to protect solar access to the State Library forecourt.

Any increase to the building heights indicated on the Building Envelope Plan required for a matter listed above in notes(i) (a)-(c) must demonstrate that there is no net increase in shadow impact (from the combined impact of existing, under construction (393 Swanston Street and 224-252 La Trobe Street (Aurora)) and planning permit approved (2011013727A and TP-2013-817) shadows as at October 2017), on the State Library Forecourt between the hours of 11am and 3pm from 22 April to 22 September.

Parkville Station

Parkville Station will be located below Grattan Street, next door to Melbourne university, and will have three street level entrances.

The station entrances will be built on land acquired from the University of Melbourne, with no over site development planned at the site as part of the rail project due to the site being located under a road reserve. From the Melbourne Metro business case:

The Department has assessed the potential for over site or air rights developments at Parkville station. However, this station is proposed to be located within existing road reserves and as such is not considered to provide a footprint suitable for a significant over site development.

However the design of the new station entrances is required to preserve the ability for the air space to be developed in future.

7.3 Parkville Station

7.3.3 include an entrance on the northeast corner of the Royal Parade and Grattan Street intersection (Royal Parade entrance);

7.3.10 provide a design and construction solution at the Royal Parade entrance that does not preclude the construction of 60 metre high OSD and does not preclude OSD with a clearance of eight metres above the existing natural surface;

7.3.4 include an entrance on the north Grattan Street frontage of the University of Melbourne between the Gate Keeper’s Cottage and the Medical Faculty Building 181 (University entrance);

7.3.11 provide a design and construction solution at the University entrance that does not preclude OSD with a clearance of eight metres above the existing natural surface; and

7.3.12 if any part of the main Station box is located on land acquired from the University of Melbourne, provide a design and construction solution which does not preclude the construction of 60 metre high OSD over the portion of the Station box which is on acquired land.

These requirements replaced earlier plans to build underground retail tenancies inside the station box.

Amend the edge of the Parkville Station box footprint immediately to the south of the existing Triradiate Building (Building 181) by removing the retail along the northern edge of the Station box, such that that Station box does not encroach into or otherwise impact the development potential of University of Melbourne and at this location (-495m2).

North Melbourne (Arden) Station

North Melbourne Station (originally called Arden) is located west of Laurens Street in North Melbourne.

Located on a brownfields site owned by the State Government and previously leased by a variety of industrial tenants, these buildings are being cleared to make room for a construction compound, open cut station box, and the station entrance.

Once construction work is complete, the site will be turned over to the State Government as part of the Arden-Macaulay Precinct urban renewal project.

Development of the site is being managed separately from the Melbourne Metro project.

Commercial development on surplus land at Arden – the urban renewal opportunities at the Arden-Macaulay Precinct will have limited direct interface with the Arden station works. Accordingly, a separate government agency will be responsible for overseeing the urban renewal of this precinct and commercial developments at Arden will not be procured as part of Melbourne Metro.

But the design of the new station must allow for future over site development.

Arden Station must:
7.2.1 be located west of Laurens Street;
7.2.3 include an entrance at Laurens Street (eastern entrance);
7.2.8 be developed to not preclude an OSD (designed and constructed by others) of mixed used development up to 150 metres in height, sited over the Station and Station entrance.

Anzac (Domain) Station

Anzac Station will be located below St Kilda Road at Domain Interchange. The Melbourne Metro business case examined possible development opportunities, but did not find any.

The Department has assessed the potential for over site or air rights developments at the Domain station. However, this station is proposed to be located within existing road reserves and as such is not considered to provide a footprint suitable for a significant over site development.

So who profits from these developments?

The government likes to crow that they have fully funded the Melbourne Metro project, but that is a half truth – they have signed taxpayers up to yet another Public Private Partnership, where we agree to pay a private company a bucket-load of money over a 30 year period, instead of the government borrowing the money at a cheaper rate.

The government’s official description of the financial arrangement is:

A multi-billion dollar availability based Public Private Partnership (PPP) includes the design and construction of the twin nine-kilometre tunnels and five underground stations, private finance and the provision of maintenance and other services during the operating term.

PPP works will be undertaken by the Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) consortium. CYP comprises Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital.

A PPP model drives innovation, best practice and value for money on the project. In an ‘availability PPP’ the State Government provides regular payments to the private party for making the asset ‘available’ for use. For this package, that will mean making the tunnel and stations available for public transport operations and Victorians to use.

The Registration of Interest (ROI) document issued by the government in November 2015 details the full scope of the PPP:

Tunnels and Stations (Availability PPP)
• 9km twin tunnels and five underground stations including fit-out
• Mechanical and electrical systems
• Tunnel and stations maintenance
• Commercial development opportunities

But this Public Private Partnership is a little different from those those seen in Victoria before – the concept of “value capture” is being used to reduce the cost of the taxpayer, as described by the Melbourne Metro business case dated February 2016.

Opportunities exist to partially defray the cost of the project through value associated with air rights development at CBD North and CBD South, and through the sale of surplus land. Additional opportunities also exist at Arden.

It then went into some specifics of the type of the value capture opportunities.

Value capture opportunities considered as part of this assessment have included the potential to:

– Incorporate retail or other commercial opportunities within the new stations
– Expand station infrastructure to accommodate additional development
– Capture value from existing properties and/or planned developments in the vicinity of the new stations (such as by offering direct pedestrian access via underground pedestrian walkways)
– Develop ‘air rights’ above the new infrastructure (over site development)
– Develop surplus land (land required for construction purposes but not for ongoing use by the project)
– Stimulate urban renewal and capture value from the associated new development activities.

As well as detailing who would be best placed to delivering these opportunities.

Commercial opportunities associated with the project include general amenity retail offerings in stations, station airspace rights (over site development) and broader precinct development opportunities. The preliminary packaging considerations in relation to these opportunities are:

– Commercial opportunities in stations – it is desirable to package these with the Tunnel and Stations package so that stations can be designed to best accommodate retail and other potential opportunities

– Station airspace rights – over site development opportunities exist at CBD North and CBD South stations. Given the significant interface between design and construction of the station boxes and any over site developments, it is desirable to package these development opportunities with the Tunnel and Stations package

– Commercial development on surplus land at Arden – the urban renewal opportunities at the Arden-Macaulay Precinct will have limited direct interface with the Arden station works. Accordingly, a separate government agency will be responsible for overseeing the urban renewal of this precinct and commercial developments at Arden will not be procured as part of Melbourne Metro.

In July 2017 it was announced that the Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) – a consortium led by Lendlease, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital – was selected as the preferred bidder for the AU$6 billion tunnel and stations public private partnership, with contracts signed in December 2017.

The rights to the over-site development at Town Hall Station were assigned to Lendlease through their subsidiary Lendlease (OSD South) Pty Limited, while the rights to the over-site development at State Library Station were assigned to John Holland via their subsidiary John Holland Nth OSD Developer Pty Ltd.

I wonder which site is worth more money, and how the allocation of developers was decided – the maximum height limit at the CBD North site is far higher, but CBD South is in a busier part of the city.

Some curious ways of cashing in

Next door to the Town Hall Station site, the owner of the KFC building at 27-29 Swanston Street made a curious planning application in October 2016, in a bid to inflate the amount they would receive following the compulsory acquisition of their property.

The owners of the KFC building at 27-29 Swanston St in October lodged a planning application with the City of Melbourne for 14 apartments above the three-storey building.

The Melbourne Metro Rail Authority (MMRA) in October 2015 made it known that the building was among those it was looking to acquire to build the CBD South Station.

The planning application comprises little more than architectural drawings, with the council still seeking essential details before it can properly assess the bid.

The owners are seeking council permission to build the extra seven floors, construct two apartments per floor and connect each of them direct into the heritage-protected Nicholas Building, which they also own.

Under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986, compensation is based on the value of properties at the time of acquisition. In an information sheet prepared by the MMRA in 2015, the authority said: “Compensation recognises the value of improvements and renovations that add value to your property.”

The Australian Financial Review explains further:

For the sum of $8189 the Cohens and their co-investors submitted a plan for 14 single-bedroom apartments, adding more than 1500 square metres of residential space overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral.

On rough estimates, that extension if granted could add between $10 million and $15 million to the worth of the building.

Its owners could expect that additional value to be reflected in any acquisition by the MMRA.

Therein lies a question for the authorities: why approve an extension to a building that is going to be knocked down anyway?

While over at the State Library Station site, a different agreement was reached between the State Government and an existing landowner – Scape Student Living.

Student accommodation developer Scape Student Living has struck a unique “collaboration agreement” with the Victorian government, which is acquiring two of its sites for the Melbourne Metro Rail project.

Title documents show the state government’s economic development department has filed caveats on two Scape-owned properties on La Trobe Street and Little La Trobe Street on the basis of purchaser contracts.

Scape, backed by global investors Bouwinvest, APG and China’s ICBCI International, had planning approvals to build around 800 student units in two towers, worth $200 million or more, on the adjacent sites that sit above the new metro’s CBD North Station.

The government did not use its powers of compulsory acquisition for the transactions. Those powers are only available after full planning for the rail project and its multiple underground stations has been approved.

Compulsory acquisition would have been a far more costly process for the government, which may have had to pay not only for the real estate, but an estimated development return and a proportion of the earnings that the facilities generated for Scape in the future.

Given Scape’s expenditure on development planning, the government may have outlaid upwards of $40 million to buy the two properties.

The acquisitions considered early purchases for the Metro project, made through agreement with Scape.

While the government cut its acquisition costs, Scape also benefits from the so-called collaboration agreement, which gives it opportunity to return eventually to develop its proposed facilities above the site.

The agreement between the developer and the government allows the consortia building the Metro Rail station to engage with Scape on the potential for student accommodation above the new station.

A government spokesman declined to comment. Scape’s Craig Carracher confirmed the existence of an agreement to “help with planning and development of the new CBD North Station”.

This arrangement is reflected in the signatories to the Metro Tunnel Tunnel and Stations PPP, Commercial Development Agreement, CBD North:

Developer:

The unincorporated joint venture comprising

John Holland Nth OSD Developer Pty Ltd ACN 623 274 564 of Level 5, 380 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004

and

Scape Little Latrobe Operator Pty Ltd ACN 607 697 183 of Tenancy 3A Swanston Square, 551 Swanston Street, Carlton VIC 3053

Guarantor:

John Holland Property Developments Pty Ltd ACN 617 899 297 of Level 5, 380 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004

More plans

These plans are from the ‘Metro Tunnel: Over Site Development Incorporated Document’ linked below – CBD North / Town Hall.

And CBD South / State Library.

Sources

• Metro Tunnel Tunnel and Stations PPP, Project Scope & Technical Requirements Part A: Project Scope
• Metro Tunnel Tunnel and Stations PPP, Commercial Development Agreement, CBD North
• Metro Tunnel Tunnel and Stations PPP, Commercial Development Agreement, CBD South
• Melbourne Metro Rail Project, Expressions of Interest – November 2015
• Melbourne Metro business case – February 2016
• Melbourne Metro Rail Project, EES Map Book – April 2016
• Metro Tunnel: Over Site Development – CBD North Incorporated Document – October 2017
• Metro Tunnel: Over Site Development – CBD North Incorporated Plans – October 2017
• Metro Tunnel: Over Site Development – CBD South Incorporated Document – October 2017
• Metro Tunnel: Over Site Development – CBD South Incorporated Plans – October 2017

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Building atop the Melbourne Metro stations appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park

Cox

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Mernda Marymede and Hawkstowe

Grimshaw

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South, Domain

Grimshaw

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority artist’s impression

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority artist’s impression

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority artist’s impression

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority artist’s impression

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority artist’s impression

Southland, 2017

Kyriacou

Public Transport Victoria artist’s impression

Heatherdale, 2017

Kyriacou

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Caroline Springs, 2017

HBO+EMTB (phase 1+2), Jackson Architecture (stage 3, including duplication)

Bayswater, 2016

AECOM

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

St Albans, 2016

Kyriacou

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Ginifer, 2016

Kyriacou

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Ormond, 2016

Grimshaw

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

McKinnon, 2016

Grimshaw

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Bentleigh, 2016

Grimshaw

Level Crossing Removal Authority artist’s impression

Gardiner, 2016

Grimshaw

Ringwood, 2016

Kyriacou

Wyndham Vale, 2015

DesignInc

Tarneit, 2015

DesignInc

Balaclava, 2014

CCG Architects

Waurn Ponds, 2014

GHD

Mitcham, 2014

Arup / Grimshaw

Springvale, 2014

Jackson Architecture

Williams Landing, 2013

Arup / Cox / HBO+EMTB

Footscray, West Footscray and Sunshine, 2013

Hassell

Sunbury, 2012

Grimshaw

Diggers Rest, 2012

Grimshaw

Cardinia Road, 2012

Arup / Cox

Lynbrook, 2012

Arup / Cox

South Morang, 2012

Cox

Epping, 2011

Cox

Thomastown, 2011

Cox

Laverton, 2010

Unknown

Coolaroo, 2010

Architectus

Westall, 2010

Hassell

Nunawading, 2010

Grimshaw

North Melbourne, 2009

Cox

Heatherdale, 2007

Hassell

Kananook, 2007

Hassell

Southern Cross Station, 2007

Grimshaw

Roxburgh Park, 2007

Cox

Craigieburn, 2007

Cox

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post The architects behind Melbourne’s railway stations appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.