Decorating Government House: Exploring the Interiors of Victoria’s Vice-Regal Residence with Dr Nicole Davis

Completed in 1876, Government House on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, was designed for the Governor of Victoria to reside, work, and entertain. Its public and private rooms, as well as staff areas, were furnished and fitted out largely by local Melbourne firms and, by 1890, richly decorated in high Victorian style.

Although the building has seen little modification to its exterior fabric during its almost 150-year history, its interior decoration and furnishing has undergone evolution and reimagining with changing fashions and residents.

Join Dr Nicole Davis to discover the decoration and furnishing of Government House, Victoria, over this period and explore some of the pieces in the collection: from its magnificent crystal chandeliers to the Melbourne-made Alcock billiard table to the utilitarian but fascinating original kitchen fixtures.