Tag Archives: heritage

Arborist Assessments

The City of Yarra website announcing the removal of an historic elm avenue, claims that the 140 year old elms to be removed are ‘diseased’.

This is not supported by either their own arborist reports or independent arborist reports.

Dr Greg Moore

DrGreg Moore Letter to Minister – Jan 31 2026Download

Rob Galbraith

Rob Galbraith Edinburgh Gardens Report Redacted AddressDownload

Council’s Arborist Reports

Council commission a report from in 2021 and updated it in 2025. They can be found in council agenda papers. The 2025 report covers tree impacts from the latest changes to the design.

Urban Forestry Victoria P/L, Arboricultural Consultation
Arboricultural Impact Assessment
100 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068
Date of Report 16/06/2025
Prepared by Urban Forestry Victoria Pty. Ltd.

The earlier report is

Urban Forestry Victoria P/L, Arboricultural Consultation
Arboricultural Construction Impact Assessment
Brunswick Street Oval Precinct
Date of Report 15/12/2021
Prepared for Site Image Landscape Architects

Neither report mentions disease. The tree numbering in each report is completely different. We will follow the numbering in the latter.

There are no changes in the reports status of the significant trees between these two reports.

Trees 8, 9 and 10 are proposed to be removed.

The 3068 Group has written to council about concerned for Tree 11.

Tree 11
Tree 11 Trunk with Hollows
Tree 11 behind the Chandler Fountain

The council report gives this tree moderate retention value, and acknowledges it will have significant encroachment if the project goes ahead as planned. The Big Green Circle on the plan represents this tree’s enormous canopy and natural root zone (NRZ). We can see works inside this zone including concrete pavement, timber decking and stairs, a perimeter fence and a 6m tall tennis court fence, a sand bocce court with park benches. The tree will need to be trimmed so it doesn’t overhang the new tennis court. These will need excavation likely to damage the old roots, and will be followed by compaction. The tennis court is marked as clay, but other reports indicate a concrete base and synthetic courts as these are preferred by more competitive players.

Above. From Town Planning Amendment 12.05.2025 Surface Finishes Plan, Drawing Number 2410_CD100B Rev A, Below is the Legend.

Tree 11 is a late mature, non-native English Elm (Ulmus procera) of medium retention value and high
significance located in the lawn area to the north of the existing pavilion. The tree is showing symptoms of
physiological decline. There are failed limbs throughout the canopy. There are cavities throughout the stem
and canopy. There is a cavity within the stem.
There is 25.3m2 existing semi-prohibitive encroachment within the NRZ.

Within the context of the proposed design the NRZ will incur a 102.6m2 (15%) encroachment from the proposed

a) Building, 11.72m2 (1.7%) prohibitive impact

b) Asphalt pavement, 8.30m2 (1.2%) semi-prohibitive impact

c) Concrete pavement, 44.13m2 (6.2%) semi-prohibitive impact

d) Granitic sand, 38.42m2 (5.4%) non-prohibitive impact


The type of NRZ area encroachment is moderate, in accordance with AS4970-2025.
The tree is proposed to be retained and will remain viable with general Tree Protection Specifications


Based on the outcome of the Impact Assessment, the TPZ is 17.5m. There is 120.2m2 of compensatory area
within the TPZ.

Final Curtain for the Star Lyric Theatre

The 3068 Group laments the demolition of the 1911 Star Lyric Theatre. We made submissions to Yarra City Council, objecting to the demolition of the theatre at 239-247 Johnston St, Fitzroy. While other cities protect their heritage and adapt it for new uses, Yarra council in this as in so many cases, was not prepared to fight the developers with their consultants, the State government and VCAT, and its own planning department. No one would stand up for the theatre, so down it comes.

It was one of the most up-to-date theatres for picture shows in the State when opened in 1911. [The Argus, November 6, 1911, p.15]

It was the last of four theatres registered in Fitzroy in 1920:

  • Lyric Theatre, Johnston Street
  • Solway Theatre, Johnston Street
  • Liberty Theatre, 234 Brunswick Street
  • Palace Theatre, Nicholson Street,

Although 13 cinemas may have operated in Fitzroy and North Fitzroy over the years, it was also the last of the “Lyric Group”. In 1921, other “Lyric Theatres” were at:

  • High Street, Northcote
  • 162 Chapel Street, Prahran
  • 207 Sydney Road Brunswick
  • 114 Stephen Street, Yarraville
  • Victoria Street, Prahran
  • Esplanade St. Kilda.

Seating capacity was reported to have been 2,300. The theatre was of historic importance for its intact pressed metal ceiling and Warren trusses, with a span of 14.6m, and a height of nearly 14m.

“The arched trusses are innovative in Australian terms, though the use of bolted rather than riveted joints is if anything old-fashioned.  They are essentially Pratt trusses in shape intermediate between parallel chorded (or concentric) and crescent shaped.  The concentric form was well known in the second half of the nineteenth century, at New York Central Station and elsewhere, and the crescent shape was used by Eiffel for two-hinged arches at Oporto and Garabit, but neither type has been reported in Australia, much less the somewhat ungainly compromise of the Lyric Theatre.  In Australia this example is followed by the true crescent shaped Warren truss arches, in timber, of the Manufacturers’ Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds, c 1937, by Trenchard Smith & Maisy [demolished], then by the steel Warren truss arches of the ‘Igloo’ aircraft hangars of the 1940s”.

 – Professor Miles Lewis AM,  Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne. Correspondence with The 3068 Group, Nov 2013.

“The new Lyric Theatre in Johnston street  Fitzroy, was opened in the presence of a crowded house on Saturday night. The building, which has been erected at a cost of £10.000, has a seating capacity of 2.300. The mayor of Fitzroy (Councillor T.  M’Mahen), in declaring the the theatre open, said that it was one of the most up-to-date theatres for picture shows in the State. The proprietary were to be congratulated on their enterprise. He congratulated the architects (Messrs. H. B. Gibb and Finlay) and the builders (Messrs. Lockington and Sinclair) on the fine result they had achieved. The pictures shown on Saturday night de-lighted the large house. A particularly good film was a representation of “Faust.”

– The Argus November 6, 1911, p15   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11629737 

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There is a website by Janine Evans, devoted to the former theatre.

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Rone Empty cd3bcf_cb6052d6030d4fd9980af0132cb74d8a_mv2_d_4334_3251_s_4_2

In October 2016, Rone staged an exhibition in the space prior to its complete demolition.

https://www.r-o-n-e.com/empty-project

The photographic record of the exhibition includes a 3D interactive capture of the interior of the former theatre.