East Melbourne in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Royal Australian College of Surgeons Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, June 3, 2026

1. Royal Australian College of Surgeons Marker

Inscription. Architects Leighton, Irwin & Stevenson successfully designed the building for the isolated site which has four visible facades. Built in 1934/35, the design, incorporating coloured brickwork and central massing, won the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects Street Architecture medal in 1937.

Erected by City of Melbourne and State Bank Victoria.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 37° 48.532′ S, 144° 58.352′ E. Marker is in East Melbourne, Victoria, in Melbourne. It can be reached from Spring Street 0.1 kilometers north of Lonsdale Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 290 Spring Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

Australasia,

the Pacific Ocean,

South Pacific,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Melbourne High School (within shouting distance of this marker); Scotch College 1851 (within shouting distance of this marker); Former Church of England Mission (within shouting distance of this marker); Ti Cum Ah Chung, 1903 (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); Sister Esther (about 120 meters away); Bill Proudfoot

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(about 120 meters away); Madame Brussels (about 120 meters away); 17 Casselden Place (about 120 meters away).

Also see . . . Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Victorian Heritage Database

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons building is located on a triangular area of land that was reserved for the National School Board in 1852. The Model and Training Schools, built between 1854 and 1856, was the first building to occupy the site. It was demolished after eighty years to allow for the construction of the new college in 1934.

Melbourne surgeon, Hugh Devine, was one of the original advocates for the formation of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and he was instrumental in obtaining the school site in Spring Street for the erection of their first headquarters in 1934. As founder, a foundation fellow, a member of council, and president in 1939-41, Devine had strong links with the college.

The College of Surgeons building was designed by architects Irwin and Stevenson, built by J.C. Taylor and opened in 1935 as the Australasian headquarters. The building, which provided the first permanent educational and administrative facilities for the college, was awarded the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects Street Architecture Medal in 1937.

This monumental Greek Revival building is on a prominent site
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, June 3, 2026

2. Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Marker
Marker is on the block to the bottom right of the picture
and is visible from all sides. The building sits on a sandstone plinth and is constructed of brown bricks set in a Flemish bond with bands of black header courses.

(Submitted on June 13, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 13, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.