Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

The Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne was the first building in Australia to be awarded UNESCO heritage site status.  Opened in 1880 to host the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880-1881, it was also the venue for the first Australian parliament in 1901.

Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens

Many of the smaller buildings in the original complex no longer survive, but the Great Hall, the dome of which is modelled on Florence Cathedral, is an impressive example of colonial architecture.

Inside the Great Hall

Situated in pretty Carlton Gardens, a haven of calm in the busy city, the Exhibition building reflects the wealth of the Victorian capital and the aspirations of its founding fathers.

Carlton Gardens

The building recently hosted Melbourne’s International Flower and Garden Show, an eagerly anticipated annual event which showcases the best of Victoria’s garden designers, florists, plantsmen and associated businesses.