Historical information

Published: The Age 4 April 1934 p11
Published title: "DEMOLITION AND BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY."
Published caption: "Interesting studies in the building activities in the city are afforded by the above three photographs taken yesterday when work ceased owing to the rain. That on the left is a striking picture of the remains of the Palace Hotel buildings, running back from Bourke street to Little Collins street, better known as the Bijou Theatre. This is the largest demolition contract ever undertaken in Melbourne. The view is towards Bourke street, from a vantage point in Little Collins street. In the right centre of the ruins may be seen a large portion of the light frame and lattice work which extended over the once well known arcade. In the background three stories of Melbourne Coffee Palace, on the opposite side of Bourke street rise above the front of the theatre in the photograph, and the Melbourne General Hospital is just discernible through the mist at the top. The steel frame work in the centre picture is readily identifiable as that erected for the extension of the State Savings Bank at the south-west corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets. The steel skeleton to the right, suggestive of immense strength, is that nearing completion in Collins street for the Bank of New South Wales."
Trove article identifier: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203828669

Description: Partial demolition of three-storied and five-storied buildings. One building has a large atrium. View of buildings taken from rear. Building at 225 Bourke Street (between Swanston and Russell, south side) contains Bijou Theatre. Also Victoria Arcade, built 1876, architect Joseph Reed. On other side of Arcade is Gaiety Theatre (formerly known as Oxford Theatre). Cityscape in background. Opposite is Melbourne Coffee Palace, built 1882, demolished c.1970.

Featured in "Newsworthy: Melbourne in photographs 1933-1936" exhibition at East Melbourne Library, October to December 2023.

Exhibition caption by project volunteer Louise McKenzie: "The largest demolition contract ever undertaken in Melbourne… The building on the left is a striking picture of the remains of the Palace Hotel buildings, running back from Bourke Street to Little Collins Street, better known as the Bijou Theatre. This is the largest demolition contract ever undertaken in Melbourne.” – The Age

The Bijou Theatre was erected in 1877 and originally built as part of Victoria Arcade, which was entered through the Bourke Street frontage. The Theatre was “de rigueur with the gallants and belles of the period. Dainty ladies and white gloved, stiff collared dandies thronged the ‘promenade’ which runs under the theatre.” (Herald 5 Feb 1934)

However by 1885, after a fire, the building had been rebuilt to include the three level Bijou Theatre. In November 1890, Arthur Streeton worked there briefly as a scenery painter. By 1909 it was the first “legitimate” theatre in Melbourne to screen films on a semi-permanent basis, while also covering vaudeville, pantomime and its wildly popular final program, “Mickey the Mouse” Revue.

In this photo, it is being demolished by Whelan the Wrecker. The tiny iron spiral staircases that led to the dressing rooms (and down which more than one unwary actor sometimes fell) were salvaged and built into the fabric of Monsalvat at Eltham.

References: https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/stage-by-stage/item/52-bijou-theatre

Physical description

Glass plate negative

Inscriptions & markings

Photographer notations on slide: "B20".