Geelong Customs House

The Geelong Customs House is a bluestone and freestone classical style public building in Geelong, Victoria, built in 1855. It replaced a small timber prefabricated building of 1838, which was later relocated to the Geelong Botanic Gardens.^[1]

Geelong Customs House

The Customs House was erected near the Geelong foreshore to serve the needs of the colonial administration during the peak of the gold rushes.^[2] The building was designed by John James Clark^[3] and constructed by William Crocker Cornish in April 1855. The Geelong Customs House is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register,^[4] and City of Greater Geelong Heritage Overlay.^[5] The building is no longer used for its original purpose, but was restored in 2012, winning a National Trust Award.^[6] It previously housed offices and the 'Custom House Restaurant and Wine Bar'.^[7] As of September 2024, the City of Greater Geelong announced it would refurbish the interior of the building to house a new Design and Creative Hub.^[8]

References

1. "First Customs House Including Interior Botanical Gardens, Onmydoorstep". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
2. Stekelenburg, I.J., 'H.M. Customs House, Geelong'. History Research Essay, Department of Architecture, University of Melbourne
3. Dodd, Andrew, John James Clark: Public Architect in Australia, unpublished PhD thesis, University of Melbourne 2009.
4. Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1892
5. Geelong Heritage Overlay Numbers HO130 , HO1638
6. "2013 National Trust Heritage Awards". Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
7. Welcome to Customs House Restaurant & Wine Bar
8. "Grant breathes life into Customs House". Retrieved 21 October 2024.^{[dead link‍]}

38.1452°S 144.3623°E / -38.1452; 144.3623