The Lost City of Melbourne (2022)

In the 1850s, Melbourne was the fastest-growing city in the world. “They dreamt big, they built big….it was a city jumping out of its skin”. It became an epicentre of film culture and its hotels, restaurants and cafes became world-renowned.

However, the attempted ‘modernisation’ of Melbourne in the 1950s destroyed much of the city, including its elegant cinemas and picture palaces. Our buildings were deemed too Victorian, the opposite of a modern metropolis, and Whelan The Wrecker’s demolition blitz began.

Featuring rare archival film & photography, this film is a revelatory work that allows its audience to reimagine the former glory of the lost city of Melbourne.