The Long Room

The Long Room of the New Custom House, Illustrated Australian News, 15 May 1876. / Source: State Library of Victoria

In 1876, the Long Room was the heart of this building as it stands today, and the centre of Melbourne’s customs and trade activities. It was a noisy, bustling place, where merchants and customs agents came to pay duty on imported goods. On busy days, up to 30 customs officers and 100 customers would be processing forms.

The Long Room was a tradition in British and colonial customs houses, based on the original ‘long room’ in the London Customs House.

The Weekly Times newspaper applauded the design:

‘This Long Room is a hall of noble proportions and is finished in a style which will secure unbounded admiration from all whose business leaves them free to appreciate the beautiful in art.’

This room is all that remains of the unfinished 1858 Customs House. It was incorporated into the 1876 building that stands today. Architect Peter Kerr modelled the ionic columns and door architraves on details of the Erechtheion temple in Athens, which had been built about 400BC.