The City of Port Phillip regularly exhibits material from its collections including the art and heritage items from the Port Phillip City Collection and documents which are kept by Records Management. These exhibitions are periodically on display most typically in the council venues such as the town halls and libraries. Exhibitions and individual artworks occasionally tour to other galleries or museums.

Recent Acquisitions: City of Port Phillip

Event type: Art Exhibition
Venue: The Gallery, St Kilda Town Hall
Address: 99a Carlisle Street, ST KILDA VIC 3182Cost: Free
Dates: 27 March 2008 to 29 May 2008                                                                                                                Description: This exhibition of recent acquisitions to the City of Port Phillip Visual Arts Collection marks the opening of a much anticipated new gallery for the City. Acquisitions to the Collection are made every two years. A committee of artists, critics and curators come together to review artworks and make purchase recommendations to Council. Many of the works in the Collection are linked in terms of recurrent geographical and urban themes, or by their reference to identifiable cultural icons from the local landscape. Other works express perceptions and experieinces that document human interaction, while some are collected for their importance in illustrating changing influences on contemporary arts practice over time. The artworks featured in this round of acquisitions reflect on a range of issues including the effect of consumerism and urbanisation, and on national themes of comonisation and Australian identity. Artists include David Ralph, Stephen Haley, John R Neeson, Constanze Zikos and Destiny Deacon.

Supply and Demand: 140 years of the South Melbourne Market

Event type: Heritage Exhibition
Venue: Ground floor corridor, South Melbourne Town Hall
Address: 208-220 Bank St, South Melbourne, Vic 3182
Cost: Free
Dates: 3 September 2007 - 15 May 2008                                                                                                      Description: This exhibition explores the history of the South Melbourne Market. In 1856 a petition from local householders was sent to Emerald Hill Council, highlighting the need for the establishment of a market. Yet, it wasn't until May 1867 that the South Melbourne Market was officially opened to the public on land made available under a Crown Grant to the Council. The original market site of ten acres covered the area bounded by Coventry, Cecil and York Streets and the St Kilda Railway line in South Melbourne. It was initially leased under contract, however, by 1904 the South Melbourne Council had taken over control of the collection of market dues. From its establishment the market site underwent regular improvement and expansion in order to accommodate the growing needs of vendors and the community, as well as the changing regulations for cleanliness and sanitation.  The first sheds were erected in 1866 and a weighbridge of  five and a half tons was purchased in 1872. By 1924 electric lighting was installed. The twentieth century saw the gradual modernisation of the market with the changing demand and taste for specific produce as well as further improvement and rebuilding of various sections. Today, the South Melbourne Market is undergoing its 2006/2007 upgrade and continues to thrive in the local community.

Please download Supply and Demand online exhibition to view text and images from the exhibition.

Talk and Walk

South Melbourne Market: 140 Years of the South Melbourne Market.

Kay Rowan will present a talk about the exhibition and the group will continue discussion on a walk to the market site.

Event type: Heritage Exhibition Talk and Walk
Venue: Ground floor corridor, South Melbourne Town Hall
Address: 208-220 Bank St, South Melbourne, Vic 3182
Cost: Free
Date: Sunday 16 March 2008
Time: 10am to 11am 
Bookings are essential: phone 9209 6522 or email walking@portphillip.vic.gov.au .

St Kilda by the Sea: Foundation years 1857-1863

Event type: Heritage Exhibition
Venue: Ground floor corridor, St Kilda Town Hall
Address: Cnr Carlisle Street and Brighton Road, St Kilda 3182
Cost: Free
Dates: 15 March 2007 to 27 June 2007
Days: Mon 8.30am-6.00pm Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 8.30am-5.00pm
Description: This exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Municipal District of St Kilda in 1857.   St Kilda's motto 'aura favente feror' translated as 'borne on a favouring breeze', reflects its relationship to the sea.  The exhibition focuses on the first six years of St Kilda as a municipality. It includes extensive historical information regarding the formation of council, agitation in the early years, land surveys, life in early St Kilda and the centenary celebrations held in 1957. The exhibition includes extensive visual material such as photographs, watercolour paintings, early record books and documents, a commemorative silver trowel and the St Kilda Mayoral Chair, dated 1859.

Please download St Kilda by the Sea online exhibition to view text and images from the exhibition.

The Butcher, the Baker, the Bicycle Maker: Clarendon Street 1855-2006

Event type: Heritage Exhibition
Venue: Ground floor corridor, South Melbourne Town Hall
Address: 208-220 Bank St, South Melbourne, Vic 3182
Cost: Free
Dates: 2 November 2006 to 30 July 2007
Days: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri: 8.30am-5.00pm Tues: 8.30am-6.00pm
Description: Clarendon Street has seen numerous changes over the years. From the beginning of settlement at Emerald Hill, the street emerged as the main shopping thoroughfare. Residents could satisfy all their requirements locally through goods available in the emporiums, clothing stores, newsagents, dairies, numerous banks and building societies. For many manufacturers South Melbourne held numerous advantages. It was centrally located and convenient to wharves and the railroad. There were several large warehouse establishments located along Clarendon Street by 1890, including Maples, Tye & Co and Tyson's. By 1890 a cable tram connected Clarendon Street to the city and the framework of the suburb was largely in place. Unemployment during the 1890s Depression caused many factory employees to leave the suburb in search of work. After the great 1930s Depression, South Melbourne never quite returned to its time as an inner city industrial suburb. In the late twentieth century, however, Clarendon Street slowly emerged as an enclave of increasingly diverse business as well as a residential and entertainment district.

Please download The Butcher, The Baker, The Bicycle Maker: Clarendon Street 1855-2006 online exhibition to view text and images from the exhibition.

Please download the Clarendon Street History Walk if you would like to participate in a self guided tour. Developed by Helen Stitt, a Curatorial Services volunteer at the City of Port Phillip, this tour highlights the architectural diversity in the street as well as providing historical information on various sites.

Badges, Buttons, Bits and Bobs

Event type: Heritage Exhibition
Cost: Free
Dates/Venue: 24 April to 30 June 2006 - Port Melbourne Town Hall: 333 Bay St, Port Melbourne. 
1 August to 30 September - South Melbourne Town Hall: 208-220 Bank St, South Melbourne.
Days: Mon - Fri: 8.30am-5.00pm
Description:  The badges, medals, buttons and pamphlets in this exhibition reflect the concerns, aspirations and aesthetics of the times and people they were made for, in a very immediate way. Most of the badges, medals and pins were produced locally. They were intended to communicate a message about various prizes, charities, official celebrations, disasters and coronations. Yet these little objects also tell us a larger story about the area now known as the City of Port Phillip. They provide insight into people's aspirations, identity and the events they lived through; how the community as a whole responded to disasters and wars and how they sought to improve their lives and the lives of their children.

Please download Badges, Buttons, Bits and Bobs online exhibition to view text and images from the exhibition.

Port Phillip on Postcards

Event type: Heritage Exhibition
Venue: Ground floor corridor, South Melbourne Town Hall
Address: 208-220 Bank St, South Melbourne, Vic 3182
Cost: Free
Dates: 24 April to 30 June 2006
Days: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri: 8.30am-5.00pm Tues: 8.30am-6.00pm
Description: This exhibition presents a nostalgic snapshot of the history, development and diversity of the City of Port Phillip through the images of historical postcards. There are around 270 postcards in the Port Phillip City Collection, dating from 1905 to 1991. Their images and text give us a fascinating insight into the pastimes, working life and environment of many individuals over this period. The cards encapsulate the history of the local area. They enable us to gauge change and are reminders of the stages of growth of the municipality.

Please download Port Phillip on Postcards online exhibition to view text and images from the exhibition.

Please download Previous exhibitions at the City of Port Phillip to view a description of exhibitions scheduled at the City of Port Phillip from 1995 to 2005.

If you would like more information on any of these exhibitions, use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer call ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 and ask for the Assistant Curator or email the Assistant Curator directly: curator@portphillip.vic.gov.au.