Let's Finish The

Let’s ﬁnish the job! A Melbourne icon ...

Telling an Australian story ...

Internationally signiﬁcant ...

Abbotsford Convent HERITAGE REINVENTED

Australia’s largest creative cluster. A compelling cultural site. Welcoming to all. A beautiful place to be. Let’s ﬁnish the job!

Let’s ﬁnish the job! CONTENTS MORE ABOUT ...

AT A GLANCE 3 (1): THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT’S SUPPORTERS 62 The Request for Support to Finish the Job 4 (2): COMPARATIVE DATA OF VICTORIAN CULTURAL INTRODUCTION 5 TOURISM SITES 64 FROM THE CHAIR 6 (3): ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 65 THE INVESTMENT CASE 8 (4): WORK REQUIRED TO ENCOURAGE NON-CAR TRAVEL 67 Overview of Outcomes 8 (5): WORKS REQUIRED TO FINISH THE JOB 67 The Critical Need 9 (6): THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT’S MARKETS 70 The Convent is a Valuable Community Space Providing (7): THE CONVENT SITE’S HISTORICAL TIMELINE 71 Wellbeing for the City 9 (8): ABBOTSFORD CONVENT TENANTS 75 Activating Currently Empty Spaces 11 (9): ABBOTSFORD CONVENT REGULAR VENUE HIRERS 76 The Cultural Tourism Context 11 (10): ANNUAL VISITATION TO THE CONVENT BY ELECTORATE 77 The Convent’s Rising Cultural Tourism Proﬁle 12 (11): THE ACF BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMMITTEE The Cultural Tourism Plan 13 PERSONNEL AND CURRENT VOLUNTEERS 78 The Creative Cluster Context 14 (12): THE CONVENT’S ONGOING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, BUILDING AND AMENITY WORK 80 The Convent’s Creative Cluster Opportunity 15 (13): A SUSTAINABILITY SHOWCASE 81 The Creative Cluster Plan 15 Why These Options were Selected 17 How the ACF will Enable Beneﬁts 18 The ACF’s Plans Align with Public Policy 18 The Convent is Project Ready 19 A Strong Return on Investment 19 The Risks of not Finishing the Job 20 THE PUBLIC GOOD 21 THE CONVENT’S CREDENTIALS 22 THE CONVENT’S ECONOMIC CREDENTIALS 22 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS 24 Heritage – Telling an Australian Story 25 International Relationships 28 A Case Study – c3 Contemporary Art Space 29 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS 30 Tenancy 30 A Location for Strategic Planning, Learning and Team-Building 32 A Creative Cluster for the Wider Creative Community 53 Providing Spaces for the Film and Television Industry 54 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS 55 A Social Enterprise Showcase 57 Community and Corporate Volunteering 58 RESTORATION, MAINTENANCE, DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY 60 THE RESURRECTION OF THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT 61 EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY 83

2 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s ﬁnish the job! At a Glance

The Convent is a big place with many friends and thousands of outcomes. It is also a massive community project with huge plans. That is why this is a large document. Please pop it into your backpack, handbag, next to your favourite reading chair, or even into your hand luggage. Then, when you ﬁnd yourself with some quiet time, let it reveal itself to you!

This document aims to do four things:

It gives the Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF) – the body that owns the Convent on behalf of the public – its ﬁrst opportunity to bring together the whole story to CELEBRATE THE BENEFITS of the Convent. For more details about the advantages of activity at the Abbotsford Convent, please go to the sections outlining the Convent’s economic, cultural and social credentials (from page 22). This document also contains many quotes from community members and leaders from a range of sectors highlighting the Convent’s beneﬁts from an external perspective.

As the Convent is a work in progress, this document seeks to SHOW PROGRESS, outlining what has already been done. Please see the last decade’s work in the Convent’s timeline in the ‘More About’ (7) – page 71. Importantly, in the ‘Investment Case’ (page 8), you will ﬁnd what work still needs to be done and what – based on community consultation – the ACF plans to do with the currently empty spaces. We continue to seek input about these plans and hope you will get in touch to tell us what you think (see the ACF’s contact details on the back page).

This document is also a REQUEST FOR SUPPORT to FINISH THE JOB, representing a funding application and an appeal to everyone. You can make a diﬀerence, no matter how big or small. Please turn the page for more detail about the request and go to the ‘Investment Case’ to see how your support will help the wider community. For more detail about costs, see over the page and also go to the ‘More About’ (5) – page 67.

Lastly, it is a THANK YOU to everyone who has been involved in supporting the Convent. You may see your own name, or your organisations name in the ‘More About’ sections thanking supporters, volunteers and those who have informed these plans. Your name may also appear as a tenant or a venue hirer, who, as Convent users, are key to the Convent’s sustainability. Thank you all!

We are excited to share the contents of this publication with you and we hope you enjoy learning more about this special place.

Maggie Maguire Chief Executive Oﬃcer Abbotsford Convent Foundation

3 AT A GLANCE Let’s ﬁnish the job! At a Glance (continued) The Request for Support to Finish the Job

Over the coming six years, the Abbotsford Convent annual restoration program. Based on this income alone, Foundation (ACF) requires $18 million to secure the it is estimated that it will take close to half a century to raise Convent’s heritage architecture, to improve universal the $18 million required to finish the job. For the severely access and to make the outdoor landscape safe and amenable. degraded buildings, this is untenable. To achieve this, the ACF is seeking public and private Finishing the site will enable the leasing of new spaces, sector partners for the site’s final phase of restoration. One generating enough revenue to create a Sinking Fund. This philanthropist has already pledged $2 million, contingent will ensure the ACF can maintain the site into perpetuity on significant government co-investment being secured. and not require further public funds. A six-year building program means that funds can be Exemplifying its track record in attracting a broad civic pledged now and paid over a six-year period (2015 – 2021). coalition of support (as at June 2014), the ACF has attracted The ACF requests the following amounts: $14.3 million, including: – $11 million from the Victorian Government ($7.3 million over the forward estimates – the next four years) – $7,016,557 from individuals and the philanthropic sector – $2 million from the Commonwealth Government – $4,040,030 from the Victorian Government – A further $2 million from the philanthropic sector – $2,175,000 from the Commonwealth Government and the general public and; – $1,101,100 from the City of Yarra. – $1 million from the City of Yarra. Much heavy lifting has been done. Previous support has The ACF has launched a public giving campaign and seen 60 per cent of the site’s buildings safeguarded and also welcomes business approaches for pro bono building enhanced (10,000+ square metres across seven buildings). assistance or partnership arrangements. The above numbers do not include the significant pro bono and ‘low bono’ business support the ACF receives. For a list FUNDS WILL BE USED TO COST of supporters, go to ‘More About’ (1) – page 62. Restore the Sacred Heart buildings $5,363,250 To date, the ACF has relied heavily on the support of the Restore the Magdalen Laundries $3,220,500 philanthropic sector, which has acknowledged the Convent’s Restore the Stables $637,500 myriad community and cultural benefits. They have given Restore the Industrial School $1,247,625 generously, despite a sector-wide reluctance to fund restoration projects. Conversations with the philanthropic sector reveal Restore St Anne’s $662,500 that many believe it is now time for government to acknowledge Make public amenity interventions $2,135,000 the site’s huge public benefit and support the completion of Do essential infrastructure works $600,000 its restoration. Complete the restoration of the Providence Building $340,000 The Convent needs your help now. With a strong record and growth guaranteed, there is much value in securing the Restore the final section of the Mercator Building $150,000 rest of the Convent site (see the ‘Investment Case’ on page 8 Finalise the restoration of the main Convent Building $2,550,000 for more information). Replace the Annexe roof and restore its basement $550,000 Support for this landmark site will be a powerful gesture to Further garden restoration and other outdoor works $445,000 the broader community who hold the Convent in great esteem Replace Rosina’s floors and restore the stairs $200,000 and will deliver a high-profile civic and economic legacy for generations to come. TOTAL $18,101,375 If you would like to discuss the Convent’s projects in the context For a site map showing building locations, please go to this booklet’s centre page. of your interests, or you would like to take a tour to better The work is ready to begin. Restoration costs have been understand the Convent project, please contact the office on determined with independent expertise. The first two years 03 9415 3600 or email the ACF’s Chief Executive Officer Maggie of project costs have been independently costed by quantity Maguire directly on [email protected] . surveyors. Later stage works are soon to be independently If you would like to make a donation, please go to quantity surveyed. abbotsfordconvent.com.au. All donations over $2 to The ACF is viable. It generates $2.5 million per annum to the Abbotsford Convent Foundation Arts Trust are tax support operations and maintenance and, to a lesser extent, deductible. We encourage you to contact the team to find public programming. Surplus funds are allocated to a modest out about the many ways you can support the Convent.

4 AT A GLANCE Let’s ﬁnish the job! Introduction

Melbourne is the only city in the world to boast a historic monastic site within its original farm setting. In this regard, it is the envy of similar initiatives across Europe, where less intact heritage religious sites have been reborn as celebrated hubs of the arts, culture, community and tourism.

In 2004, following one of Australia’s most high proﬁle, long running and hard fought community campaigns, the Victorian Government – in partnership with the community, which had campaigned to save the site as a public asset – unlocked the gates of the Abbotsford Convent. By then, after many years lying fallow, the gardens had all but returned to nature, its 11 heritage buildings sliding quietly into varying states of neglect and disrepair.

Today, just 10 years later, the site is transformed. Evidence of life is everywhere. Welcoming close to one million visitors annually, the Convent has now joined the ranks of Australia’s ﬂagship cultural sites.

The Convent has grown to become the nation’s largest multi-arts precinct. Home to hundreds of tenants, festivals, markets, galleries, cafes, an outdoor cinema, a radio station and a school, the Convent perfectly encapsulates how the adaptive reuse of heritage can become an economic driver, a platform for new ideas and a beloved community hub, presenting a unique experience for visitors.

Sixty per cent of the Convent’s built form has been restored and much of the gardens have been returned to their former glory, both becoming hugely popular attractions in their own right. However, 40 per cent of the Convent is still in a state of disrepair, out-of-bounds and at critical risk of ruin if not restored soon. Walls threaten to topple onto footpaths, buildings have split foundations, stonemasonry is coming away from facades and some ﬂoors are near collapse. The Convent is home to several of Victoria’s oldest, most historically signiﬁcant buildings, yet some have seen no substantive work since their construction over 150 years ago.

Revitalisation cannot stagnate. To secure this iconic public asset, a substantial investment is now critical – the unrestored remainder of the site is in serious peril.

With visitor numbers growing by more than 80,000 people each year, the community has voted with its feet. The Convent has its mandate. Its successes so far cannot be ignored, but neither can its fragile heritage.

Operated by an independent foundation with no recurrent government funding, the Abbotsford Convent exists as it is today because of the dedicated eﬀorts of visionary partners determined to see the Convent succeed. Their commitment has been nothing short of heroic. Now, the Convent needs new heroes to lead its journey to completion. Reviving the remaining 40 per cent – some of the Convent’s most beautiful, evocative and historically important areas – will create a unique destination of outstanding creative, cultural, economic and social value; a gift to this generation and all generations to come.

There’s still time to save all of the Convent and fulﬁl its greatest potential. But only just.

Let’s ﬁnish the job. Let’s start today.

5 INTRODUCTION Let’s ﬁnish the job! From the Chair

Free and welcoming to everyone, the Convent is a place for people. The Convent is yours. It is a restful space to bring your family to peruse a market or to share a picnic. It is a perfect place to be inspired by others’ creativity or where you can gain new skills and ﬁnd your hidden talents. Come and relax in the gardens and ﬁnd yourself surrounded by a collection of buildings that evoke a medieval French provincial village. Ride a bike along the Yarra to the Convent’s door, then catch up with friends or family as you discover its delights.

The Abbotsford Convent Foundation is working hard to create a new space for Melbourne. But the Foundation does not do things alone. This project has attracted an army of altruistic people who have worked hard – not for their own interests – but so that their children, their neighbours, their city and its visitors can enjoy its atmosphere; an enjoyment that often makes people feel better after leaving than when they arrived. When you bring your friends from out of town to the Convent, be sure to tell them that the community saved this site. Because it did – and for this great feat we should all be very proud.

Thank you to everyone who has joined this journey, ensuring that this great place keeps going from bold idea to realisation. Thanks in advance to all of those who will help in the coming months and years to ﬁnish the job of restoring this site – which we will start now – not in 20 years time. Another generation cannot miss out on what the Convent will oﬀer us when it is fully restored. The Abbotsford Convent will stand testimony to our civic spirit, whereby the community took the reins to create a beautiful creative place for everyone.

Victoria Marles Chair, Abbotsford Convent Foundation, 2014

6 FROM THE CHAIR Let’s finish the job! I believe this to be a remarkable project, which Over 10 years ago, I chaired a group set up by the deserves“ the support of government and all in the state“ government to assess the possibility that the philanthropic sector. This is a unique opportunity for Abbotsford Convent could operate as a viable creative this generation to leave a lasting mark for the benefit of cluster providing a community and cultural platform Melbourne. It is a community-generated project, which for Melbourne. At the time there were many sceptics, offers great benefit to the local and wider communities as there usually are when it comes to funding arts and and can become a vital and vigorous community asset, cultural endeavours. a place for all Victorians. ” The reality is that money invested in these areas has a Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE, 2000 far greater return on investment than more traditional (whose generosity helped fund the campaign to save the Convent) investments. Roads, for instance, battle to return a Iconic built landmarks do not come about easily cost benefit of 1:1 where many of the arts can achieve or“ cheaply. Across the world, governments and the up to 1:10. private sector pay hundreds of millions, even billions, The courage and foresight shown by the state for architectural statements that they hope will grace government a decade ago has been well rewarded. postcards and attract visitors for centuries to come. Today the Abbotsford Convent’s once derelict buildings The Convent is different. Saved by community passion and grounds are well on the way to full restoration and which finally earned wide support from government, the project is a vibrant and much-loved Melbourne icon philanthropy and business, its redevelopment as a moving into its next stage of development. It is something distinctive public asset and dynamic community centre you could be proud to be a part of. has been swift and potent. And it has been achieved at Professor Rob Adams AM ” a very modest cost by any standard. Director, City Design, City of Melbourne, 2014 Where there were empty buildings, there is now In staying ahead of the curve, it is important for a vibrant working village. Where there was no a“ community resource such as this to stay fresh and activity, there is now a valuable confluence of social innovative, instead of catching up to its competitors connectivity, creativity and ideas. The Convent’s interstate and overseas. vitality and popularity mean that its survival is PricewaterhouseCoopers,” 2013 assured. Now it is time to finish the job of restoring the whole Convent site so this wonderful facility is Over the past decade, the Australian philanthropic enhanced and the return on the investment of love community“ has strongly supported the Abbotsford and money can be extended even further. Convent Foundation’s work to activate the Convent Carrillo Gantner AO ” as a unique community space. Chair, Sidney Myer Fund, 2014 With such broad and tangible public outcomes I’m delighted to endorse the Abbotsford Convent already realised, we would encourage government Foundation’s“ campaign to complete the refurbishment to come to the table to enable the Convent’s full and heritage conservation of this unique and important potential to be unlocked. Once this occurs, its social, part of inner Melbourne life. cultural and economic benefits will undoubtedly increase exponentially. The excitement created when innovative, energised Louise Walsh ” people gather in a precinct committed to new ideas Chief Executive Officer, Philanthropy Australia, 2014 is infectious. It is a model found in cities around the world seeking to nurture creativity and sustainability. Drawn together on the Abbotsford Convent site, people can learn from each other, share new possibilities and explore the improbable. This is a place where communities are invented and sustained, an important part of a creative Melbourne. Professor Glyn” Davis AC Vice-Chancellor, The University of Melbourne, 2014

7 Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE INVESTMENT CASE

GOALS CULTURALLY The ACF is: • The Convent has become a landmark attracting more 1. Restoring a significant national heritage site so that annual visitors than Australian cultural destinations its infrastructure is secure for the long-term. such as Uluru, the Sydney Theatre Company, Kakadu and the National Gallery of Australia. The Convent is 2. Building a safe and accessible community hub for the now welcoming more than four times as many visitors Victorian public that enables connectivity and wellbeing as MONA and Port Arthur. for users. • The Abbotsford Convent is nominated for National 3. Creating a vital cultural platform providing content Heritage Listing. that is appealing and inspiring to the Victorian community and cultural tourists. • The Convent provides unique amenity to Australia’s film and television industry. 4. Enabling a productive creative cluster where skills are developed, ideas and resources are shared and capacity • As a busy creative precinct, thousands of rehearsals, and value is built within the creative sector and the wider workshops, exhibitions, markets, events, festivals and community. meetings occur annually. SOCIALLY • The Convent is a unique community hub where OVERVIEW OF OUTCOMES people from all walks of life come together. • Set on a lush green peninsula on the Yarra River, the Convent provides a restful backyard for residents from the dense urban areas surrounding the site. ECONOMICALLY • As a pedestrian precinct, it is popular with families The Convent has generated a huge return on its sole and provides ample space for children to safely roam. state government grant of $4 million (10 years ago). • Its interesting history attracts numerous tourists, • Visitors now spend more than $7 million annually. students and seniors groups. • The ACF generates $2.5 million in annual income and • More than 60 per cent of the Convent’s audience returns small surpluses that are reinvested into the is aged under 35, highlighting its dynamic appeal. site. It does not receive recurrent government funding. • With free entry, affordable spaces for hire and a variety • More than 900 jobs have been created as a direct result of catering options at differing price points, the Convent of activity at the Convent. also appeals to those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. Seventeen per cent of visitors spend no • Businesses based at the Convent grow: 2012 gross money when at the Convent. tenant annual income was estimated to be up to $34 million (PricewaterhouseCoopers); an increase • In June 2014, more than 330 people were volunteering on $12.7 million in 2007 (Essential Economics). at the site’s not-for-profit organisations. • The site attracts hundreds of strategic planning, learning • The Convent is a showcase for the sustainable and team-building workshops for the not-for-profit, development of community precincts worldwide. cultural, government, academic and corporate sectors. • Based on a survey of 2,000 people, international visitation has more than doubled in the past 12 months (67,575 in 2014, up from 28,900 in 2013).

8 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! –Making the site safe; tripping hazards and damaged landscape features will be addressed according to THE CRITICAL NEED national building regulations –Making indoor and outdoor spaces accessible for people of all abilities. Elevators will be installed The critical need at the Abbotsford Convent is for into multi-levelled buildings so everyone can access the remaining heritage infrastructure to be protected. all storeys of the buildings. The site’s heritage Unless restoration work begins soon, aspects of the architecture and landscape will be made compliant heritage infrastructure are at imminent risk. according to the Disability Discrimination Act • Many spaces at the Convent are out-of-bounds and –Building amenity across the site by completing garden are not compliant with the Australian Building Code restoration, adding public seating and much-needed due to the unstable nature of walls, roofs and floors. additional toilets. Signage will be installed and a Visitor An example is the largest and most central building at Information Centre will be created the Convent – Sacred Heart has 5,128 square metres of floor space spread over three storeys. Most of Sacred –Replacing the 120-year-old slate roofs of the main Heart, built in stages from the 1860s, has not been Convent Building and Convent Annexe occupied for more than 40 years. After years of neglect, –Retrofitting buildings to make them more it is now highly vulnerable. Housing one of the world’s environmentally sustainable and economical in the last standing former Magdalen Asylums, it is one of long-term. Works will include the installation of window the most significant heritage buildings in Australia. shades and improved sustainable ventilation systems • The Abbotsford Convent is not compliant with the as well as greening works in large concreted areas Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The –Mending the site’s underground infrastructure Convent’s landscape and buildings are not consistent services, such as sewerage and drainage and with state legislation, including the Equal Opportunity installing new communications links across the site. Act 1995. The Convent is also not compliant with sections of the Disability Act 2006. • Staff, tenants, students, the Convent’s regular users, THE CONVENT IS A VALUABLE visitors and tourists are not always safe around the unrestored buildings and landscape. Grounds are COMMUNITY SPACE PROVIDING uneven, pot-holed and have inclines and steps that make WELLBEING FOR THE CITY them inaccessible for wheelchairs and prams. Many areas present major safety hazards for users (broken concrete, difficult steps, level changes and steep drops without barriers) and must be made safe and level. The Convent’s ever-increasing popularity means that access, safety and amenity issues are critical. • People with disabilities visit the Convent daily to enjoy Infrastructure investments in the first decade have its public spaces. There are also many elderly people revived the Convent and supported renewal and who come regularly; particularly to the Wurundjeri cultural regeneration in the city’s densely packed Council’s head office and to 3MBS – a volunteer run fine urban suburbs. music radio station. Not all spaces at the Convent are • The Convent’s community role is becoming accessible to all of these users. The Convent needs to be increasingly important. The Convent promotes made safe for all users and be accessible for people with community wellbeing by providing a majestic public a disability, the elderly, children and adults with prams. park with open spaces, picturesque gardens and • Works will ensure the Convent complies with all associated amenities. Many visitors claim they use Commonwealth Government and state legislation, the Convent’s gardens as ‘their backyard’. as well as the United Nations Convention on the • The population of Abbotsford climbed 20 per cent Rights of Persons with a Disability. Works will address in the past year, making it one of the fastest-growing accessibility and safety, entry and arrival, permeability suburbs in Australia and the second highest in Victoria and circulation, orientation and legibility, heritage and (after Melbourne’s CBD).1 The overwhelming majority intervention, integration and connectivity and will allow of new inner-city residents are moving into apartments for unfettered access to the popular spaces around the without backyards. Abbotsford Convent for everyone. • The increasing popularity of the Convent has positively • The investment will be directed to: influenced the desirability and perception of the –Restoring the remaining 40 per cent of the Convent’s surrounding suburbs as a good place to live. heritage buildings, securing in its entirety one of the nation’s foremost heritage landmarks and the world’s only intact urban monastic site in its original farm setting 1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 3218.0 Regional Population Growth 2012 – 13, 3 April 2014

9 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! • Much development is planned around Melbourne’s One of the reasons I originally chose to locate central sub-region and it is estimated there will be Stephanie“ Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation’s 2 up to an extra 280,000 new residents by 2031. office at the Convent was the connection the site offers • In the local municipality alone (City of Yarra), there to the natural environment surrounding it. Located a were 1,260 dwellings built during the 2012/13 financial mere four kilometres from the heart of Melbourne, it is year. In the next six years, an estimated 5,300 new an astonishing asset for everyone to enjoy. dwellings will be completed.3 ” • It is estimated that 11,346 apartments will be built Stephanie Alexander AO in the City of Melbourne in 2014 and 2015. A further Restaurateur; Writer; Social Entrepreneur, 2007 18,737 apartments have been approved and will begin construction in the next two years. Another 23,241 The Convent offers an open green space that new apartments are awaiting approval (July 2014).4 Melbourne“ can use as a sanctuary away from the dense • The Convent has more than 30 wellbeing residential areas within inner-city Melbourne. With practitioners working onsite in the Convent’s the increasing density of Melbourne’s city regions, WellBeing Wing, offering services such as yoga, the Convent may become an important resource for counselling, shiatsu and acupuncture. local residents. Establishing the Convent as a complete • During 2013, there were 608 wellbeing workshops site that is fully functional will support its capacity to and fitness classes at the Convent, well up from act as a sanctuary that offers a wide array of services, 370 in 2010. activities and spaces to relax. PricewaterhouseCoopers , 2013” While generous green spaces are a fundamental component“ of Melbourne’s identity, open spaces are The Abbotsford Convent is known for its arty not evenly distributed across the metropolitan area culture“ and monthly farmers’ market, but it’s the with established suburbs generally having less open beautiful old buildings and the surrounding gardens space than growth areas. that really give the place its charm. Plan Melbourne, Victorian” Government, 2013 Herald Sun, 2013 ”

Whenever I feel stiﬂed by the rat race and feel like It is so peaceful and beautiful, so full of city folk I“ need to get out of the city, I head to the Abbotsford trying“ hard to pretend they’re on a weekend away, Convent for a little peace and quiet. [I] Walk around that one cannot help but quiet one’s mind and do the grounds exploring the medieval French architecture, away with the stresses of the day. take in the grandeur of the main building and gardens Jessica K ” and enjoy the aesthetic farm and rural settings. It’s the Online yelp.com review, 2011 perfect place to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city, without actually having to drive far. Perfect for a “Pilates in a convent or a picnic on a pier? Abbotsford’s lazy Sunday outing that is absolutely free. most charming and interesting places are just a short ” row, ride or walk away from your front door. Deborah Jane G ” Online yelp.com review, 2011 Advertisement on realestate.com.au, 2010

The Convent, as a unique and supportive precinct, As the Collingwood Children’s Farm and the provides“ many opportunities to people and businesses Abbotsford“ Convent are two of Abbotsford’s most in the area. From a shabby and unkempt part of popular and easily identified institutions, it makes Melbourne in the past, the Convent’s success has had a sense that the streets leading to them have become distinct affect on local property prices and renters now some of the suburb’s most desirable ... pay more to live in its vicinity. Not all measurements Live here and you won’t have to struggle to find of success are financial, however, and as a community a parking spot at the monthly Farmers’ Market. asset, the Convent is valued as a place that enables a Domain, The Age, 2011 ” more holistically balanced local community. Chris O’Shannessy ” One of Fred’s favourite sites was Yarra Bend Director, Auctioneer, Biggin and Scott, Richmond, 2013 where“ he painted the cityscape from Dights Falls.

2 Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure, Plan Melbourne, Metropolitan Planning Strategy, He particularly enjoyed the serenity of the old Victorian Government, Melbourne, 2013, p.29 Convent on the riverbank: painting it several times. 3 The City of Yarra, based on planning approval, new buildings, permissions and dwelling per square metre multipliers. ” 4 Craig Butt & Christina Zhou, ‘Investors driving apartment trend’, The Age, 7 July 2014, p.7 Lyn Williams AM, 2004

10 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! ACTIVATING CURRENTLY THE CULTURAL TOURISM CONTEXT EMPTY SPACES Cultural tourism is a strong Australian export. There is enormous value in building Victoria’s The 5,000+ square metres of empty space will be used to: cultural tourism offer. • Bolster the cultural credentials of the Convent • The Victorian Government, in its 2012 document –The ACF will create new large and versatile cultural Securing Victoria’s Economy – Planning, Building, spaces to appeal to the public and cultural tourists Delivering, cited the strength of Victoria’s vibrant and –The large ground floor areas in the former Magdalen creative communities as strengthening Victoria’s world- Laundries will provide expansive and interesting class liveability and its position as a tourist destination spaces for dynamic workshops, performances, – both important elements of its economy. Cited here festivals, exhibitions, expositions and lectures. Rather is Victoria’s strength as an ‘experience economy’ and its 5 than house permanent tenancies, they will be broad status as both the nation’s sporting and cultural capitals. and mobile spaces that are curated ‘landing platforms’ • Cultural and heritage visitors to Australia comprise where the public can engage with what is going on now: half (51 per cent) of all visitors to Australia. Tourism discovering new ideas and emerging trends Research Australia estimates that international cultural –To enhance the Convent’s recreational and and heritage visitors in 2009 each spent $6,280 in educational offer, a new village of artisanal spaces Australia, compared to other international (non-cultural 6 will be created, where the public can meet makers tourism) visitors, who spent on average $3,832. and take part in workshops • The high-value cultural tourist looks for interesting –Develop new and unique tourist experiences in experiences that are not available at home. The Convent Australasia so hundreds of jobs are created as experience is unique to Australia and the Asia-Pacific this destination for cultural tourism is given a region. Melbourne’s popular cultural tourism offer is substantial boost. built on its distinctiveness, especially in terms of major cultural events and institutions, the performing arts, • Greatly advance the creative cluster credentials interesting cafes, bars, theatres, nightlife, laneway of the Convent culture, quality food experiences and shopping. – The ACF will restore upper floors to become a Melbourne’s tourism success is leading to competitive dynamic new cluster of up to 100 start-up and imitation in Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. emerging creative micro-businesses such as; digital • With strong competition, Melbourne must continue content providers, designers, e-publishers, makers, to refresh and renew its cultural offer. While Melbourne’s independent entrepreneurs, inventors, animators, national brand is unsurpassed, it must do more games developers, producers and more to maintain this mantle as well as attract a greater –New thinking will be inspired amidst the centuries international profile and more visitors. The Convent old buildings in spaces that will nurture our brightest will augment this offer. entrepreneurs, emerging creative practitioners and eccentric and brilliant innovators. It will become an We will ensure the provision of spaces and facilities affordable space where our young talent can remain that“ encourage cultural innovation and new forms in the city, rather than having to move further out of artistic expression, not just in the inner city, but to more distant suburbs throughout the metropolitan area. This initiative –This knowledge-based start-up campus will power will support Victoria’s cultural precincts to remain professional service jobs in the advanced tertiary sustainable and attractive for investment, including sub-sectors of culture, entertainment, media and cultural and tourism activities ... Melbourne’s heritage technology. While the Convent will come alive with colour as artists create and perform, the place will is a significant tourism drawcard and an important also buzz with energy as new discoveries are made part of our city’s cultural economy. To ensure that and exciting projects are developed this continues, we must invest in our heritage, –Combined with the practitioners already onsite, and particularly in those places that contribute the power of the emerging creative industry at the to Melbourne’s identity and distinctiveness. Convent will be formidable. Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, 2013 ”

5 The Victorian Government, Securing Victoria’s Economy – Planning. Building. Delivering., Department of Premier and Cabinet, Melbourne, 2012, p.22 6 Tourism Research Australia, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Snapshots 2009, Cultural and Heritage Tourism in Australia, Australian Government, Canberra, 2009, p.1

11 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s ﬁnish the job! • The Convent features almost weekly in The Age and regularly in the Herald Sun. Among interstate media, THE CONVENT’S RISING it features in The Sydney Morning Herald and The CULTURAL TOURISM PROFILE Courier Mail and nationally in The Australian.

If there is a bigger anthology of atmospheric Despite no active promotion of the Convent’s cultural Melbourne“ icons elsewhere in town than there is attractions, there has been massive growth in visitor in Abbotsford, that page must have fallen out of the numbers. Positive word of mouth about the Convent Melways. Consider this: Victoria Park; Dights Falls is spreading. Restoring the rest of the site will see and the Yarra; the vast red brick CUB buildings; the Convent’s profile continue to rise exponentially. Abbotsford Convent; the Collingwood Children’s Farm; • The Convent attracts more visitors than other and the Italianate splendor of the Collingwood Town Victorian cultural sites such as Scienceworks, the Hall, to name a few. For a tiny dot on the map, about Shrine of Remembrance, the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Theatre Company. See ‘More About’ (2) two kilometres from the city, this place is packed – page 64 for more information. with some of Melbourne’s most famed. • The number of regional, interstate and international The Age, 2012 ” visitors to the Convent is consistently increasing, in large part due to word of mouth and unsolicited media Abbotsford Convent has successfully connected coverage. A 2014 survey found that 69 per cent of the“ past to the present, on the one hand tranquil, whilst visitors heard about the Convent via word of mouth on the other, dynamic, evolving and forever engaging. and 9 per cent learnt about the Convent via social media. It both represents and contributes to what makes • The Convent’s 2014 public survey of 700 people found that: Melbourne a great city for its own citizens and others – 62 per cent of visitors rated their visit 5 out of 5 who come to visit. – 33 per cent rated their visit 4 out of 5. Hayden Raysmith AM” • The Convent’s average rating on tripadvisor.com.au Chair, Regional Kitchen P/L; Chair, Hobsons Bay Community Fund, 2014 is 4.5 stars. The expansive grounds look disarmingly like an • The Convent’s average rating on Facebook is 4.9 stars. old“ French village – solid stone buildings linked by • Of the 224,844 visitors to the Convent’s website pathways, treed courtyards and cloisters, formal between November 2012 and November 2013, 11,561 gardens and farmland. were from international jurisdictions, with online visitors from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom Wow, where do I start? Whether you fancy a walk and New Zealand the most frequent. around the serene gardens, a coffee and freshly baked • A survey of 2,000 people conducted in early 2014 bread, a shop around one of the many visiting markets, a found that international visitors to the site (5.7 per browse in the art gallery or craft workshops, a treatment cent of all visitors) had more than doubled from the from one of the holistic resident therapists there, sushi, previous year (67,575 versus 28,900 in 2013). There are now more international visitors than those visiting a moonlight movie during Summer, music, not-for-profit from Abbotsford, the largest local visitor group. nosh at Lentil as Anything ... the list goes on. It is such a • Media interest in the Convent increases year-on-year. bustling community hub and undoubtedly my absolute In 2012, there were 87 articles in the mainstream media favourite place to go in Melbourne. about the Convent; in 2013, there were 194, an increase Helen Gina ” of more than 100 per cent on the previous year. Visitor from Melbourne, online tripadvisor.com.au review, 2012 • In the first three months of 2014, the Convent featured in the Times of Oman and the Sri Lanka Guardian. In I never cease to be inspired by a visit to the Convent. the UK, the Convent featured in The Independent, The “Although so much remains to be done, it has already Telegraph and was noted in the British edition of the cemented its place as a creative hub, a magnet for ideas Guardian’s ‘Four things to do in Melbourne’ list. and a showpiece of quality. Food, music, artists ... a haven • On Australian television, the Convent has appeared on within the bustle of the inner city. What it would offer to The Today Show, Gardening Australia, River Cottage Melbourne when it is fully formed we can only wonder. Australia, Better Homes and Gardens, Coxy’s Big Jon Faine ” Break and Postcards. Presenter, Host, 774 ABC Melbourne, 2014 • The Convent regularly appears in the Qantas and Virgin in-flight magazines and was rated on Lonely Planet’s website as the fourth best ‘thing to do’ in Melbourne.

12 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! [I] Visited Abbotsford Convent Open Day last • Many unrestored spaces offer generous proportions Sunday“ and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Did and vaulted ceilings and can be restored to encourage not have any idea how big the Convent was and loved diverse and adaptive usage, presenting fresh content to encourage return visitation. wandering through the various chapels and buildings and looking at the historical information on the • Multi-use and versatile, the spaces will attract curated exhibitions and expositions to provide a lively and Convent in its heyday … Very interesting day. engaging destination for conferences and workshops, ‘Jlmewburn’ ” thus boosting Victoria’s ability to attract lucrative Visitor from Melbourne, online tripadvisor.com.au review, 2013 international gatherings. The spaces will be well suited to public presentations, musical performances, major “I attended a wedding and had strolled through the events, festivals and immersive theatre productions. grounds on my way, and told myself to return again. • Once restored, a suite of artisan spaces will provide There were wonderful art exhibits, gardens, a bakery, access to skilled craftspeople – ‘the makers’. In the performances, stalls – and so much more. The gardens same way that city residents bring their children to were amazing. When I read more [online] about this the Collingwood Children’s Farm to see where milk remarkable place just four kilometres from the city comes from, people want to see how things are made. Melbourne’s dynamic arts and crafts movement will centre, one can see that it is a place to return again and be enhanced by niche artisan operations in small and again. There’s so much happening there. interesting spaces, with low rents to support their ‘Elly25’ ” viability. Rewarding for the makers and their public, the Visitor from Brisbane, online tripadvisor.com.au review, 2013 Convent will foster direct connections between the two. On one of my first days in Melbourne I had the “ Opening up more interactive space in the Convent pleasure to be at the Abbotsford Convent and discover “through the Sacred Heart buildings will boost the the wonderful and exciting world you created between Convent’s capacity to be a key tourist attraction in the Convent’s walls. New to Australia and Melbourne, Victoria. The site provides a unique experience of the Convent was an exciting surprise to me! A hub Melbourne’s culture, with a mix of characteristics around of culture, innovation, creativity, [and] ecological food, creative arts and events … Expanding and opening awareness ... Such a positive and authentic vibe, it’s up this experience now may enable Victoria to capture hard not to immediately embrace it and it’s hard not the interest of the growing Asian tourism market. to want to be part of it! PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2013 ” Delphine Delchambre ” Visitor from Belgium, email to the ACF, 2014 Investing to complete the Abbotsford Convent’s “infrastructure is a great opportunity because it will There is so much history and character that we create jobs and economic activity – clustering creative noticed“ at the Abbotsford Convent as we completed start-ups and providing interesting new spaces for our afternoon with a stroll along the grounds. While cultural tourism. Completing restoration will also build a large part of the remaining buildings have been much artistic, social and community capital. As a site that converted to artists’ studios as well as event space is already capturing the public’s imagination, its potential rentals, some of the remaining buildings are unused to be a signature Melbourne destination is clear. and left vacant with the intricate and ornate ceilings Janine Kirk AM ” left to age while showing signs of paint peeling. Immediate past Chair, Tourism Victoria, 2014 ‘Teri Y’ ” Visitor from Chicago, US, online yelp.com review, 2013 The Convent’s completed restoration will provide a“ dynamic and appealing community hub, whilst also building much creative and cultural infrastructure for THE CULTURAL TOURISM PLAN current and future generations. Its future as a platform for vital, evolving, accessible and changing cultural content, appealing to the wider Victorian community Plans for the unrestored spaces on the Convent’s and the cultural tourist alike, will greatly boost the ground floors point to a range of publicly accessible competitive advantage the state enjoys as the nation’s and unique visitor experiences. The Victorian economy cultural capital. will benefit from the extended stays of tourists that Barry and Suzi Carp” a fully-restored Convent will encourage. River Capital Foundation, 2014

13 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! Investment in the operation of arts organisations “has a significant and sustained impact on their ability THE CREATIVE CLUSTER CONTEXT to leverage further investment and to generate earned income. This in turn enables organisations to deliver significant public benefits to the Victorian community by There is great value in boosting Melbourne’s prime generating new artistic and cultural ideas, activities and creative cluster to accommodate world-class collaborative services; engaging diverse audiences and participants; workspaces that are dedicated to innovation. furthering Victoria’s national and international cultural • Requests are often made for public funds to support profile; and contributing to Victoria’s economy. 7 established industries such as manufacturing. Large Arts Victoria, Organisations Investment Program” employers including multi-national corporations and government departments are now reducing employees in There are remarkable outcomes in the confluence order to cut costs. Prevailing market forces suggest that fostering entrepreneurialism will be key to creating jobs. of“ arts, culture and community that inspire new thought and actions. • Creative start-ups are becoming the engine of market-driven jobs growth, innovation and future As a Sydney resident, we are witnessing a new focus prosperity as technology puts them into the driver’s on arts, cultural and community initiatives such as seat and provides an opportunity to expand to Carriageworks and the Walsh Bay Pier Project, in overseas consumers at low cost. The emerging sector of micro-businesses and micro-multinationals that use order to make them world-class cultural facilities. The technology and the internet are innovators. They are Abbotsford Convent, as a beautiful and iconic heritage changing the economic landscape. site, is showing great potential through its cultural • The professional landscape where these entrepreneurs activity to become a world-class precinct in itself. work is still undefined. There are few resources and John Kaldor AM ” systems to support them or address the unique Director, Kaldor Public Arts Projects, 2014 challenges they are encountering. There is much evidence to demonstrate that clustering similar Restoring the remaining buildings will further businesses and those sharing similar challenges leads enhance“ and extend impacts … this assumes the new to increased productivity and more rapid innovation. spaces will generate the same benefits as the existing • The experienced, highly skilled and creative individuals facilitates. With further learning, development and in the entrepreneurial sector are agile and resilient. They synergies, there should be scope to further expand do not want shop fronts or lengthy lease commitments upon these impacts. and they want to work alongside like-minded individuals. Increasingly, young people are frustrated with traditional The remaining buildings are highly functional and are workplaces and practices and are looking to work for located within the heart of the Convent. There is strong themselves. They want invigorating, stimulating and unmet demand for space at the Convent, with over 500 flexible places to work, as well as access to shared businesses currently on the notifications register (i.e. who resources, professional development opportunities have indicated an interest in being advised of available and prospects for connectivity and collaboration. space). This suggests there will be enough interest in new • Young entrepreneurs represent a potent and significant pool of latent job creators who can be activated if space to continue the success seen in other areas of the equipped with the training, mentorship, resources Convent. Investment in the restoration will also generate and incentives they need to grow their businesses.8 short-term jobs within Victoria as the refurbishment will be a substantial project in itself.” [The Victorian Government will] facilitate the PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2013 development“ of National Employment Clusters ... Clusters are focused on knowledge-based businesses Melbourne Fringe is proud to be a part of activating that locate close to each other because of the the“ dynamic spaces of the Abbotsford Convent through productivity and economic gains from co-location, our annual Fringe Furniture Exhibition. It’s the perfect access to a skilled labour pool and infrastructure, space for the arts community in Melbourne to come and the potential to share ideas and knowledge. together, explore the best in emerging design practice ” and celebrate the opening of the Fringe Festival. Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, 2013 Jayne Lovelock ” Creative Director, Chief Executive Officer, Melbourne Fringe, 2014 8 Mettler, Ann & Williams, Anthony, The Rise of the Micro-Multinational: How Freelancers and Technology – 7 http://www.arts.vic.gov.au/funding_programs/organisations_investment_program Savvy Start-ups are Driving Growth, Jobs and Innovation. The Lisbon Council, Belgium, 2012

14 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! There is a huge demand for space in Melbourne by THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE creative“ entrepreneurs running small start-ups. They want to work in spaces with character, convenience CLUSTER OPPORTUNITY and a community. By having spaces with co-working possibilities, a broad and connected community and flexible and affordable leases, the Abbotsford Convent There are few sites in Australia that offer co-location can offer huge amenity to emerging entrepreneurs, opportunities for creative practitioners in such atmospheric surrounds. With abundant space within their teams and their clients. its 11 heritage buildings, restoration works will The Convent is a dynamic and beautiful workplace that double the capacity of the Abbotsford Convent to is connected to the CBD as well as lush green space. Its house creative talent. By providing interesting and connected spaces, young entrepreneurs will keep many collision points also do much to encourage the their energy and ideas in Melbourne, rather than Convent community and the public’s connectivity to taking their talents interstate or overseas. each other. • Now housing more than 900 creative practitioners, Marcus Westbury” workers and students, the Convent is already the Writer; Festival Director; Chief Executive Officer, Renew Australia, 2014 largest multi-practice creative precinct in Australia. When we were looking at space to set up our studio, • People onsite share ideas, intellectual property, “ networks, skills, tools and moral support. In 2012, we considered moving to the Convent as its spaces and there were 325 collaborations at the Convent between surrounds were not only attractive, but they would existing tenants; a figure that does not include the many have given us access to a large creative community informal connections that occur daily. and all of its inherent benefits. Unfortunately, there • There are 531 individuals and small businesses on the was not the space we required. Restoring the rest tenancy notification register awaiting news of available of the Convent to house more creative businesses tenancy space (June 2014). and organisations would be of great assistance to • The Abbotsford Convent is connected: Melbourne’s creative community. – The Convent is four kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD There are numerous animators working across –It is near Victoria Park Station, connected by the Melbourne in their bedrooms and garages. Providing South Morang and Hurstbridge train lines and is close to bus stops on the Doncaster, Donvale, Kew and a focus and localisation of practitioners such as Bulleen routes. The Convent is within walking distance animators, filmmakers, gamers and app designers, to bus stops to Elsternwick, La Trobe University, Box would create many opportunities for sharing skills, Hill, Mitcham, Ringwood, St Kilda and Templestowe resources and tools and would undoubtedly lead to a –The Convent sits within the City of Yarra, next to more productive and dynamic creative sector. Collingwood and Richmond along the river corridor. Adam Elliot ” As Melbourne’s earliest manufacturing and industrial Academy Award-winning Animator; Writer; Director, 2014 hub, the former factories surrounding the Convent now hold many emerging creative businesses – The City of Yarra has a high concentration of fashion, technology and media businesses with more than THE CREATIVE CLUSTER PLAN 50 national and global headquarters of Australian companies including Aesop, Computershare, Factory X, REA Group, Just Group, Country Road, carsales.com Australia’s largest multi-arts precinct has the capacity Ltd., Madman Entertainment and Schwartz Publishing to become Australia’s largest creative cluster. By –The Convent borders the ‘North Richmond to Victoria supporting emerging creative start-ups, the economy Park Station Urban Renewal Corridor’, identified will become more diversified and stronger. within the Victorian Government’s Plan Melbourne • Upstairs spaces in the Sacred Heart Building will as a priority site where work should focus on planning become a new place for creative people to work across activity centres disciplines, leveraging technology and media forms to –The Convent is situated two kilometres from The straddle the line between culture and commerce. University of Melbourne and the Parkville Employment • As a place for investigating new modes of cultural Cluster, one of the prime Victorian employment production, the Convent will become a key Victorian clusters identified in Plan Melbourne. The Convent location for seeding and testing new concepts, products is connected to the University by numerous bus links. and enterprises.

15 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! • Through a residency program, international visitors The plans to house a cross-section of digital will add to the vitality, encouraging a broader exchange start-ups,“ app and games designers, cultural content of ideas onsite. makers and more, alongside the artists, writers and • The Convent will offer a base for the many ‘bright producers already at the Convent are bold. young things’ moving into Victoria – including those from interstate, the northern hemisphere, New Few spaces have the ability to bring together such a Zealand, South Africa, South East Asia and increasingly, large crop of creative practices and what will come out South America. of the mix will be exciting to watch. Digital businesses • The buzz of Australia’s largest multi-creative practice such as carsales.com.au, SEEK and realestate.com.au all site will attract visitors, mentors, venture capital started up in Melbourne and each are now substantially and attention. This will assist innovation and help larger than traditional media groups such as Fairfax. commercialise an expanded skills base. Melbourne’s digital sector is evolving fast and we need to compete to keep talent in town. Supporting dynamic The Abbotsford Convent points to a new and clusters that support the sector will be key to how our sustainable“ business model – one that can bring economy evolves over the coming years. much benefit, without being expensive. It sits almost ” without peer worldwide and is setting a new template Eric Beecher Publisher, Private Media Partners; Chair, The Wheeler Centre, 2014 for communities to create valuable and non-cynical shared space. It would be wise to complete this national The Convent’s development has vastly surpassed the treasure. Dozens of cities around the world would crave expectations“ of many who were involved in bringing this an opportunity like this and here the community has project from community conception to establishment. already done half the job. The Convent has resonated and this is being noticed. Worldwide, there is a significant issue where creative The Convent is redefining how community spaces people are being priced out of urban environments as can bring together heritage, culture and contemporary gentrification occurs. Melbourne will only stay vital if arts to broad appeal. Its appeal with young people is it works to provide affordable space for artists, makers significant. With word spreading, tourism by those and emerging creative talent that is close to its city coming from the outer regions and further afield, centre. The ACF’s aim to establish more affordable will increase once plans to restore and activate space for creative forces is commendable, visionary public spaces are put in place. and demands support. ” As economic headwinds make many traditional job Sir Jonathan Mills AO areas vulnerable, the Convent’s plans to boost its Composer; Director, Chief Executive, Edinburgh International Festival, 2014 creative cluster credentials with spaces for new media, If we are all to think globally but act locally in publishing, design and content creation provides today’s“ connected world, then a perfect place for a strategic economic development opportunity to today’s creative communities would have to be an provide green shoots to Victoria’s economy. iconic heritage cluster located in a magical green If supported, this proposal will position Melbourne corridor right near the centre of Australia’s most on the ground floor in broadening existing strengths liveable, culturally-driven city. in professional services by growing jobs in new The yet-to-be-restored spaces at the Abbotsford enterprises at the intersection of media, digital Convent lend themselves perfectly to attract those technology, culture and consumption. working in the confluence between technology and Terry Moran AC ” craft – the state-of-the-art, small-to-medium creative President, The Institute for Public Administration; Governor, The Committee for Economic Development of Australia; Chair, Barangaroo sector, from digital filmmakers to animators. Delivery Authority; Adviser, Boston Consulting Group, 2014 The creative mind desires interesting spaces within which to work and the unique appeal of the Convent offers this in abundance. It is no surprise that people love coming to the Convent to work, play, relax or re-energise. Tony Sweeney” Chief Executive Officer, Australian Centre for the Moving Image; Director, VESKI, 2014

16 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! In its 10 years, Abbotsford Convent has become • The Convent has the capacity to continue to build its a“ unique crucible of talent, ideas, experimentation offer by providing a cultural platform for the creative and artistic dynamism. Artists queue to rent studios, sector. Weekly, the ACF turns down groups and individuals requesting space to stage performances, fabricate work, create and rehearse performances, and exhibitions, workshops and photography and film shoots. the community is the beneficiary. It is an extraordinary Similarly, those wanting to stage events, conferences and success story as a creative cluster. festivals are unable to do so in the non-compliant spaces. Professor Andrea Hull AO ” Director, Melbourne Forum Limited; Director, The Florey Institute; A CREATIVE CLUSTER Director, National Museum of Australia, 2014 • The ACF will target emerging and start-up practitioners working across a range of fields. Typically, those in the The cultural workforce in Australia has grown creative sector do not earn large incomes, however, the and“ continues to grow. In 2011, it represented 5.3 per sector is growing as a percentage of the total Australian cent of the workforce, an increase of almost 70,000 economy. Many young people working to establish start- jobs since 2006. At the time of the 2011 Census, ups do not have the financial resources to test concepts. 531,000 people worked directly in this part of the The ACF can assist those who have good ideas but little economy. Census data shows that creative services capital. A critical mass of practitioners will provide sufficient lease income to make the total of the restored employment is one of the fastest growing areas as the upstairs spaces financially viable for the ACF. economy digitises with new business-to-business and • The Convent has a history of supporting emerging business-to-consumer activity. 9 ” practitioners and start-up businesses through Commonwealth Government charging reasonable rent. Charities such as The Creative Australia, National Cultural Policy, 2012 Song Room and Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation grew from small beginnings at the Convent and have both become large national organisations. WHY THESE OPTIONS They both matured onsite and now have huge impacts across Australia. They have now outgrown the Convent WERE SELECTED and moved to larger offices. Many other small start-ups have been nurtured at the Convent and have had to move to larger commercial spaces. Plans for the Convent’s unrestored spaces • There are many spaces offering co-location were developed with input from local community opportunities to start-ups in Melbourne and the members, tenants, visitors, artists, entrepreneurs, City of Yarra but the Convent has a strong offer creative practitioners, economists, cultural leaders, which sets it apart. The Convent houses more creative bureaucrats, philanthropists, business people, practitioners than anywhere else in Australia and unlike curators, CEOs and politicians (for information about similar workspaces, it has a bounty of surrounding who was consulted, go to ‘More About’ (3) – page 65. green space, appealing heritage architecture, food and • Many identified that the Convent has great assets beverage options and the capacity to provide a range including its attractive architectural infrastructure; of interesting cultural programming. the existing community; the Convent’s sense of shared identity and its wider brand. Many noted that aspects of this shared culture and identity are well aligned with growth areas of the economy: cultural tourism and creative start-ups. • The Convent’s future offer should acknowledge the foundations of its current popular offer – while greatly enhancing its strengths – with an eye to the contemporary, to flexibility and to future trends.

A CULTURAL TOURISM SITE • The Convent now attracts close to one million people a year but beyond the two galleries, the coterie of hospitality options, the heritage buildings and the gardens, the Convent currently has very little permanent oﬀers for visitors.

9 Australian Government, Creative Australia, National Cultural Policy, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2013, p.7

17 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! • The ACF is in regular contact with senior management at the combined Commonwealth/Victorian Government HOW THE ACF WILL ENABLE BENEFITS Northern Melbourne Metropolitan Region Office (associated with the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Development Australia program). The Northern To enable the Convent’s future as a creative cluster Melbourne Metropolitan Region Office understands the and a cultural tourism site, the ACF and its partners potential of the Convent and informs the ACF when new need to deliver high quality infrastructure, creating Commonwealth Government initiatives and opportunities a world-class community cultural precinct. become available. This relationship led to the ACF securing Commonwealth Government funding in 2008. A CULTURAL PLATFORM • When opening the new cluster spaces at the Convent, • The ACF will build on its strong links and relationships the ACF will employ ‘agent provocateurs’ to ‘join with the Australian cultural sector, both institutional the dots’ between talent located in the Convent’s and independent, to follow trends and attract buildings. They will encourage collaborations, program interesting content to the Convent. professional development opportunities and discussions, • The ACF has established relationships with the City of build a mentoring program, produce events and enable Yarra’s Arts and Culture Department, Arts Victoria and connectivity with activities and people. They will also the Australia Council. Government bodies have financially work with the business sector to encourage the support supported cultural projects staged at the Convent. of start-ups. • The ACF will continue to strengthen its social media, • Some obstacles to trade for start-ups will be removed marketing and communications to deepen engagement by providing free meeting and workshop spaces and with its audience. encouraging the sharing of equipment. There will • The ACF has intentionally not yet proactively engaged be storage lockers, high speed internet, access to with local, state and national tourism agencies as it subsidised event space and large-scale production needs to first strengthen the Convent’s amenity, safety spaces. There will be a prototyping lab with community and access. The ACF has, however, had many overtures workbenches, a fabrication lab stocked with 3D printers, from tourism agencies at all levels of government, as electrical tools, micro-processors, hand-building tools, well as commercial providers. The Convent has built LCD technology, media equipment, photo and video strong audiences without engaging in marketing to the cameras and printing presses. tourism sector. Once restoration is underway, the ACF • These services will be funded from the ACF’s operations will work more closely with tourism authorities, the budget and new partnerships developed over the media and commercial providers to attract additional coming years. The ACF will seek business, government visitors to Melbourne. and tertiary sector partnerships to provide the • The ACF will implement a transport plan to encourage infrastructure required to equip cluster spaces. travel options to the Convent in ways other than by car to ensure more people can access the site (for more information about the ACF’s transport plan, go to ‘More About’ (4) – page 67. THE ACF’S PLANS ALIGN

A CREATIVE CLUSTER WITH PUBLIC POLICY • The ACF has strong and continuing relationships within the three levels of government, in economic development departments and various agencies. • The ACF is seeking the majority of its funding commitment from the Victorian Government. This • The ACF is liaising with the Economic Development document demonstrates how the Convent’s activities department at the City of Yarra to develop its own align with the Victorian Government’s vision and policies. creative cluster plans and is aligned with the City In 2014, the Victorian Government released Plan of Yarra’s next five-year Economic Strategy. Melbourne; a guide for Melbourne to become a ‘Global • The ACF has been working with the Department of City of Opportunity and Choice’. Setting a road map for State Development, Business and Innovation and in growth towards 2050, many directives demonstrate particular with the Melbourne Central Office of the consistency between the Abbotsford Convent’s Victorian Government Business Office. The ACF’s offer and the Victorian Government goals. This plans are congruent and complementary with the document features quotations from Plan Melbourne to department’s strategies. demonstrate the Convent’s alignment with public policy.

18 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s finish the job! The government recognises that, in some instances, public“ benefits flow from private sector developments A STRONG RETURN ON INVESTMENT that involve significant heritage assets. This can include the conservation and adaptive reuse of heritage assets that would otherwise deteriorate and cease to • A total of $12.3 million has already been invested contribute to Melbourne’s economic development. into the site through restoration works over the past Examples of this include the conversion of Melbourne’s decade. The Convent generates more return in the former GPO into a landmark retail complex and the wider economy on this investment every year. conversion of the former Abbotsford Convent into a • The ACF aims to have all existing buildings operational community and arts precinct. Regeneration of heritage by the end of 2021. Based on the expected uses of each assets through adaptive reuse can deliver unique and refurbished building, Essential Economics has estimated that an extra $600,000+ per annum will be generated exciting places that can be used well into the future. in rental returns when all buildings are fully tenanted, Rehabilitating old buildings and places also creates plus $100,000+ from increased car park revenue. opportunities for new investment and jobs. 10 Conservative ACF projections show that additional annual Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, 2013 ” income will be $460,000, once all buildings are activated. • Additional annual revenue will provide the ACF with the funds to consolidate its long-term independence and sustain a Sinking Fund to maintain the buildings, car THE CONVENT IS PROJECT READY park and landscape. It will also allow the ACF to increase community and cultural programming, as well as fund future projects. • Long-term planning is well advanced. Work must • Conservative estimates demonstrate that at least: begin now but can be staged as funds become available. –An extra $2.8 million will be spent onsite by • The restoration project will create many jobs in the visitors annually (though this will likely be higher construction sector. given at least half of the new spaces will have • This shovel ready project will provide a significant a public interaction focus) stimulus to Victoria’s economy. The benefits of –Lessees will more than double with 127 new clustering businesses alongside building the Convent’s businesses accommodated tourism appeal will capture market opportunities. The Convent’s continued revitalisation will ensure – Tenant revenue will increase by at least that amenable community space is available for new $13 million annually residents moving into the many newly-constructed –Visitation will likely increase by at least apartments in the area. Works to develop world-class 355,600 annually. cultural infrastructure will create employment for • Essential Economics found that the $18 million those that use the restored spaces. restoration project will contribute to increased • Construction works can commence within six months of employment opportunities, including the following: confirmation of funding. Estimated building time for the –An increase in direct employment of approximately first stage is 18 months and preparations for subsequent 185+ full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs stages of works will occur during this period. –An increase in indirect employment of approximately • For more information about the works required to 190+ FTE jobs * finish the job, including budgets, timelines, financial –Approximately 105 FTE direct construction-related projections and cost determination, please see ‘More jobs during the restoration period About’ (5) – page 67. –Approximately 170 FTE indirect construction-related jobs during the restoration period.11 * Indirect jobs are supported elsewhere in the wider economy (regional, state and national) through the employment multiplier effect. The employment multiplier effect refers to the jobs supported through the production of inputs, the expenditure of wages income, and other activities that are associated with the direct investment occurring on the Abbotsford Convent site.

10 op cit, Plan Melbourne, p.131 11 Abbotsford Convent Restoration Project – Employment Impacts, Essential Economics Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, 2014

19 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s ﬁnish the job! IMPACT VALUE POST-RESTORATION (AS AT 30 JUNE 2013) PROJECTED VALUE*

Employment opportunities generated at the Convent 625 Jobs (465 FTE) 875 Jobs (incl. 651 FTE) 334 Volunteers 467 Volunteers 236 Students 330 Students 475+ FTE indirect jobs supported elsewhere in the economy 190+ FTE indirect jobs supported Total 940 FTE jobs elsewhere in the economy Total 1,315 FTE jobs12 Amount spent onsite by visitors $7 million $9.8 million Total leases 113 240 Tenant revenue > $22 – $34 million > $30 – $47 million Capital expenditure to date $12.9 million $30.9 million Visitors > 850,000 (now at 935,696 – Aug. 2014) > 1,244,600 Operating revenue $2.4 million $4.2 million

* These ﬁgures (minus the new lease numbers, which have been calculated by analysing new leasable spaces) have been determined by increasing the current outcomes onsite by 40 per cent, the amount of new space set to come online post-restoration.

• By not restoring this treasure on the Yarra River, opportunities to boost leisure tourism along the river THE RISKS OF NOT will stagnate. FINISHING THE JOB • The Convent will not be able to best tell the significant and interesting story of its role in Australian history. • By not supporting the emerging market force of The Victorian community is the custodian of this creative entrepreneurs, the opportunity will be internationally significant heritage precinct. The ‘village lost to nurture green shoots in a post-mining and atmosphere’ onsite is beautiful and rare. Restoring manufacturing economy. Public investment in education it now will ensure it can be enjoyed by this and future will not be capitalised upon because Melbourne will generations. Future benefits cannot occur without increasingly lose young local entrepreneurs to more support. There are risks in letting the site languish. supportive states or countries. • If restoration is delayed, many of the Convent’s • By ignoring opportunities to provide supported spaces internationally significant heritage buildings, already for emerging start-ups, Victoria’s economy will not at serious risk of deterioration, will be lost forever. reflect structural shifts in the economy and may risk Some buildings will collapse or require demolition as missing the opportunity to diversify and strengthen they become increasingly dangerous. Costs to finish community resources. 12 restoration will increase if further delayed. • Melbourne’s film and television industry will not benefit • Without support to restore the site now, the ACF’s from the amenity the Convent can provide as a location financial projections show that works required to stop for filming. buildings from collapse will soon require a far greater • Melbourne will not benefit from an enhanced cultural share of the funding otherwise spent on operations and site for use by creative practitioners from the wider will deplete reserves. These projections show impending region. Its empty spaces will not be utilised by the deficits. The Convent would become more run down, demand coming from the not-for-profit, business less vital and, in time, potentially unviable. and corporate groups interested in the Convent. • The strong economic benefits of completing the site • Melbourne’s ‘liveability’ will be eroded if new community will not be realised. infrastructure is not built close to new high density • Without providing fresh and compelling cultural tourism residential developments. product, Melbourne cannot consolidate its position as • Without improved landscaping and amenity, the Convent’s the nation’s cultural capital. green spaces cannot provide a safe ‘backyard’ for the inner • The economy will not benefit from extended stays by city’s exploding number of apartment dwellers. tourists that a fully restored Convent will encourage. • If the Convent does not remain a showcase of sustainable adaptive reuse of heritage, there will not be the same inspiration to commit to new investments into 12 op cit, Essential Economics Australia’s considerable heritage building stock.

20 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s ﬁnish the job! The Public Good

REFLECTIONS BY DR NICHOLAS GRUEN Chair, Innovation Australia; Chief Executive Oﬃcer, Lateral Economics; Chair, Australian Centre for Social Innovation

From economic textbooks to informal popular usage – public goods are supposed to be provided by governments, private goods by the market. But that’s always been a crude simpliﬁcation of a much richer and more interesting reality.

Though he never used the term, economics’ founder Adam Smith put public goods at the centre of the good society. Smith asked where social mores came from – for they’re the glue that holds together groups of people from families, ﬁrms and football teams, right through to the family of nations.

His ﬁrst book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, answered that social mores were an emergent property of life itself. Culture in this schema is an emergent public good. So too is language. And governments built neither.

Another emergent public good is religion. It binds its adherents together. And particularly in Europe, religious institutions provided all manner of public goods from arts patronage and the preservation of learning and heritage to poor relief, from schools to hospitals.

And so when I went on a tour of Abbotsford Convent I saw miracles of translation – across continents and across the millennia. The French order of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd reached across the oceans investing some of its vast reserves of capital – of treasure and know-how – to build a public good institution for the nascent colony of Victoria.

Yet before long that investment was stranded, increasingly anachronistic in a changed world in which religion had declined and governments were dominating public good provision.

As Abbotsford Convent’s potency in providing public goods atrophied, a burning question arose. What would we make of its legacy?

The site made a promising investment for private property development. But privatisation would also compromise much – though not all – of its public good value. Or it could continue in the ownership of a proud community, eager to rebuild and reinterpret its role as provider of public goods.

Ten years on, how thankful we all are that the latter, more immediately diﬃcult course was chosen.

I don’t know about you but I’ll be giving generously to this appeal.

April, 2014

21 THE PUBLIC GOOD Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE CONVENT’S CREDENTIALS

The Convent has a broad remit and oﬀers much to many people. It is a signiﬁcant heritage landmark and its current outcomes reach far beyond the ACF’s original vision to restore and activate the site. The following pages highlight the Convent’s current credentials and point to how the ACF can further develop the Convent’s future as an economic driver, a cultural tourism site, a creative cluster and a community hub.

THE CONVENT’S ECONOMIC CREDENTIALS

Strong economic benefits will flow to the economy • A 2014 study by Essential Economics found that of the once the Convent is fully restored. The Convent is 465 FTE direct jobs generated at the Convent, a further already providing a robust return on the original 475 FTE indirect jobs were supported elsewhere in the government grant provided 10 years ago. With fast, wider economy. In total, approximately 940 FTE direct yet sustainable growth, the Convent’s economic and indirect jobs are generated by current activities at profile demands attention. the Abbotsford Convent.14 • The ACF pays Victorian Government Land Tax and • The ACF has built a year-round program of events, City of Yarra rates. The Convent is also a home to conferences and festivals that represent a parade of many tax-paying businesses. activity employing services within the local economy • As Australia’s largest multi-creative practice site, the from equipment hire, accommodation, publicity Convent is supporting many small businesses. These companies, designers and more. The Convent’s businesses are growing. In 2012, gross tenant annual venue hirers spent $12,317 with one local business income was estimated at approximately $34 million for microphone hire alone during 2013. (PricewaterhouseCoopers), up from $12.7 million in • ACF income – $2,459,003 in 2012/13 – is self-generated, 2007 (Essential Economics). with no recurrent government support. This represents • A 2014 ACF survey found that an estimated 17.7 a 1.5 year payback on the initial $4 million Victorian per cent of the Convent’s visitors did not spend any Government capital improvement expenditure in money on their visit. On average the remaining visitors gross terms. ACF income in 2007/08 was $1.5 million. spent $10 per visit, equating to an estimated annual • There are three monthly markets at the Convent, expenditure onsite of $7 million by visitors (not each held 13 times a year, providing spaces for over including external income earned by tenants). 182 stallholders. Each stall-holder generates an average • In early 2014, surveys found 63.3 per cent of visitors profit of $11,712 per annum – to an overall total of $2.1 were under 35 years of age. This presents a significant million. For more information about the Convent’s opportunity for the Convent and its tenants as, markets, see ‘More About’ (6) – page 70. statistically, younger household members spend proportionately more on discretionary services such as travel, restaurants, apparel and recreational services.13

13 Beech, A, Dollman, R, Finlay, R & La Cava G, ‘The Distribution of Household Spending in Australia’, The Bulletin, March Quarter, 2014, Reserve Bank of Australia , 2013, p.15 14 op cit, Essential Economics

22 THE CONVENT’S ECONOMIC CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! Since the ACF began trading in 2004, the The Convent not only provides financial support Abbotsford“ Convent has managed to achieve sustained “for small businesses and social enterprises, it also offers success without (ongoing) state government support. significant commercial opportunities for its tenants. In fact, 60 per cent of the Convent built form has By leasing a space at the Convent, tenants have access been renovated and restored to provide the largest to a large market – the Convent’s ever-increasing cohort multi-arts, creative practice precinct in Australia that of visitors. supports a range of small businesses, social enterprises, Based on a survey undertaken in 2013, the markets, events and festivals. ” Abbotsford Convent’s tenants generate at least $18 PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2013 million in revenue per annum (compared to $12 million Few spaces around the world can draw together in 2007/08). This is based on revenue reported by 36 contemporary“ arts and culture, learning, heritage and per cent of lessees and excludes the ACF. cluster small creative enterprises for wide community While the exact revenue generated by all tenants is benefit as effectively as the Abbotsford Convent. That unknown, it is estimated that total revenue generated it does so without recurrent external funding shows we by the businesses on site could be between $22 – $34 can be lateral and enable wide outcomes when applying million per annum. new business models to activating space. PricewaterhouseCoopers,” 2013 Steep growth in broad visitation and enjoyment, tenancy interest and onsite business success makes restoring the rest of the dormant spaces both timely and shrewd. Carol Schwartz” AM Chair, Our Community; Chair, Women’s Leadership Institute Australia; Director, Stockland; Director, Bank of Melbourne, 2014

Whilst the Convent’s burgeoning community and creative“ credentials are evident with any visit to this historic site, less so is the Convent’s development as an emerging jobs powerhouse and a robust economy in its own right. Behind the doors of its stunning buildings are many busy practitioners running small and growing businesses. The Convent should be taken seriously as a contender to develop not only a place for the community to come together, but also as an economic driver, offering a large audience to its small businesses and offering new infrastructure for Victoria’s creative economy. The completion of the restoration is an exciting initiative and will have great economic ramifications. Peter McMullin ” Board Member, Immediate Past President, Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI); Special Counsel, Cornwall Stodart; Board Member, Geelong Art Gallery; Board Member, National Portrait Gallery of Australia, 2014

23 THE CONVENT’S ECONOMIC CREDENTIALS Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS

The ACF produces and encourages interesting • 2013 festival attendance and revenue examples include: activities onsite. Victorian creative practitioners –Evolve Yoga and Wellness Festival, attracting and their audiences are benefitting from this new 380 patrons and delivering $21,204 income to and popular cultural space. event organisers • The Convent is an accessible arena for contemporary –The Persian Fair, attracting 3,000 patrons and culture. As well as providing numerous venues for the delivering $13,500 income to event organisers presentation of arts and culture, the ACF provides –Pushover Festival, attracting 2,600 patrons and grants, pro bono and in-kind support for people delivering $104,000 income to event organisers. working in the arts, cultural and creative sectors. • The Convent hosts many Melbourne independent • During 2013, the Convent hosted 194 arts and cultural theatre and performance seasons from groups such events onsite. Many social enterprises, not-for-profits as Attic Erratic, Peepshow Inc. SNAFU, Exhibit A, Triple and charities were charged low rental rates to hold 8 Theatre and Honeytrap. Some emerging theatre their events onsite: including the Bikefest Village Picnic, company users, such as The Hayloft Project and the Persian Fair, the Emerging Writers Festival, the Forest Collective, have gone on to play the stages of Globelight Festival and the Guitar Makers’ Festival. The the Melbourne Theatre Company and The Melbourne Convent also hosts events for annual festivals such as Recital Centre (respectively). the Comedy Festival, Next Wave and Midsumma. • The ACF produces the School Holiday Program • The ACF annually hosts the Melbourne Fringe Festival, during three of the four annual school holiday breaks. which programs its annual Fringe Festival opening event It manages classes and pays wages to Convent tenants and its Fringe Furniture exhibition onsite, showcasing who provide the classes. More than $10,000 was Melbourne’s emerging industrial designers. generated by the School Holiday Program in 2013. • The ACF established the St Heliers Street Gallery to exhibit and sell tenants’ wares in a professional gallery Melbourne’s cultural and sporting venues are space. The ACF has provided business mentoring and free rent to the start-up independent operator. integral“ to the city’s identity. Our stadiums, convention facilities, libraries, museums, galleries, performing arts • The ACF provided The Shadow Electric Cinema and Bandroom with a low rental charge for the first two venues, parks and open spaces all contribute to making years of its operations to offset the cost of establishing Melbourne a vibrant, creative city that supports a the cinema. The cinema employs 25 staff and sold busy year-round calendar of events and festivals. 11,000 tickets in its 2013 season of 51 films. These things help define the city and make Melbourne • The Slow Food Farmers’ Market does not pay any rent attractive to residents, visitors and investors. to stage its monthly market. To maintain our city’s reputation and global • The ACF operates a Studio Start-up program providing competitiveness, we will ensure that we maintain and emerging visual artists with free studio space for up to a year. expand our cultural, sporting and convention infrastructure • The ACF conducts two funding programs to support and add to it with new, world-class facilities.” practicing individuals and groups to create, install and Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, 2013 stage public creative projects across the site annually.

24 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! One of the proudest moments of my six years at the Last Sunday was the third year that we have been Melbourne“ Food & Wine Festival was being part of the holding“ our Persian Fair at the Abbotsford Convent team that brought so many spaces at the Convent alive and it was a total success. Actually, it has been a through events like the first Taste of Slow Festival. complete success every year. Back then the Convent was lonely, a little derelict but Somehow the Abbotsford Convent, with its rich still a very beautiful and calm place – but I think that ambience, lends itself as an ideal and friendly venue together with the Convent’s management and Slow for the assimilation of newly emerging migrant Food we all helped give everyone a sense of how the communities into the broader Australian community. Convent could become the vibrant place of today. The very rich mixture of people who attended the Of course it’s a huge journey from a weekend vision to Persian Fair is a testimony to the role that Abbotsford a fully-fledged, arts, cultural and entertainment space Convent can play to create harmony and understanding that pumps through the year, so thanks and huge kudos in the community. must go to the Board and the Convent’s supporters for ” achieving their vision. My only regret was that we never Shahin Movassat Director, Australian-Iranian Society of Victoria, 2014 got to raise eels in that old derelict swimming pool! Matt Preston ” Food Journalist; Restaurant Critic; Television Host, 2014

So far we have had 36 collaborative exhibitions HERITAGE – TELLING AN in“ our gallery [to mid 2014]. There were also 20 AUSTRALIAN STORY launches last year including six launches for books written at the Convent. The site is getting busier with more visitors, making The Convent presents a multitude of fascinating stories for those keen to learn about a way of life me confident about the future. People are happy to that is long gone – and yet it continues to create new support the Convent and its practitioners. stories daily. The Convent’s restoration will enable its Cameron Miller ” evocative spaces to continue telling its stories from Curator, St Heliers Street Gallery, 2014 our past – well into the future. It will be a place to share our history – from one generation to the next. Although every time I visit the Convent there is “ • The Abbotsford Convent’s history makes it a prime something fascinating new to see, there is always more location to tell the stories of: to do to make this site even more fascinating. ” –The Wurundjeri people. The Convent now sits on Anne Kantor a former camping, meeting and ceremonial site. It Community Member, 2014 is near to many other significant Wurundjeri sites The Abbotsford Convent is that very rare kind of –The first documented inland European visit to Victoria. In 1803 Charles Grimes, the NSW Surveyor General, artistic“ space: it’s both a creative haven, and a place of sailed up to where the Convent is now situated, past great depth and rigour. As soon as you step through the what is now Dights Falls gates, you’re part of a community that’s eager to know –The new Colony of Port Phillip. Three pioneers lived on what your passions are, what drives you, and what the Convent’s peninsula including: Edward Curr, known you’re going to do with your energies. as the father of Separation, who acted to create the new colony of Victoria; John Orr, who named his house The social enterprise model led by the Abbotsford ‘Abbotsford’ and ran steamers on the Murray, gold Convent Foundation is the kind of success story that escorts to Melbourne and the docks at Port Albert; people talk about all across the state. Having enjoyed and Charles Liger, the first Vice-Chancellor of The the Abbotsford Convent’s many spaces as a casual University of Melbourne and later the Chancellor of visitor, strategic planner, festival director, art lover the Exchequer of Great Britain and weekend daydreamer, I’m constantly amazed at –Australia’s Gold Rush. The great population boom and what’s possible there! its ensuing societal flux saw chaos and lawlessness on Esther Anatolitis ” the streets of Melbourne. Many men were struck by Director, Regional Arts Victoria; Curator, Architecture+Philosophy, 2014 gold fever and left their families to join the Gold Rush

25 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! –The past struggles by – and on behalf of – destitute • The ACF offers weekly tours of the Convent (conducted women. Many who were at risk of homelessness, by volunteer guides) and has presented hundreds of violence, prostitution or other dangers, were weekday tours to special interest groups. Between the accommodated at the Convent 2009 and 2012 financial years, 4,239 paying attendees –The Sisters of the Good Shepherd. They recognised undertook tours raising funds for the restoration the needs of marginalised women, provided the program. This program won the 2014 Community Service required services and influenced social policy Award in the City of Yarra’s Australia Day Awards. –The history of religion in Australia. The Catholic Church was pivotal to the history of welfare Melbourne is known for its well-preserved provision in this country heritage“ buildings, distinctive modern architecture –Past attitudes towards women. The Convent and well-designed urban spaces. These are fundamental shows past social welfare norms, the experience to Melbourne’s liveability and more can be done to of girls and women who lived on site, the story strengthen protection of this heritage. of the ‘Forgotten Australians’ and the difficult Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, ”2013 experiences of institutionalisation and of healing –Being able to trace to the beginning of The Australian The natural peninsula in the Yarra River where the tradition of ‘looking out for one another‘. The Sisters, Convent“ now sits was the traditional meeting place of took care of impoverished and at-risk girls and women. two major Aboriginal groups – the Wurundjeri and the The thousands of residents who lived onsite also took Kulin nation – before white settlement. care of each other –The demise of cloistered monastic lifestyles in For my people, it was the site of regular corroborrees Australia. The Convent tells the demise of the and other traditional celebrations and so it is of great site – at the behest of the Sisters themselves – in significance to us and we continue to have an important reflection of mores moving towards the progressive, spiritual connection with the place as our inaugural non-hierarchical model of religious observation seen organisational home. in contemporary Australia Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy” AO –The public’s strong passion for the site. A protracted Wurundjeri Elder, 2007 and hard fought community campaign – one of Australia’s longest and most high-profile heritage Few sites in Melbourne offer the light as well as campaigns – resulting in the site being won and gifted the“ dark inherent in our state’s colonial history as to the public by the Victorian Government in 2004 atmospherically as the Abbotsford Convent. – Australia’s largest multi-arts precinct. A community- driven project has seen the Convent provide a new Built by a community to lock up its daughters, the model of not only how to invigorate heritage buildings community now works to energise this site so it is one but also how to create a new style of community where its children can roam free. From a time where gathering space. people would brush aside parts of their past they prefer • There is no other former monastic complex so intact not to face, it is a mature community that will fight to that is still set on its bucolic surrounds in any major city save their heritage and bravely tell their story. in the world. The Abbotsford Convent was the largest Catholic complex built in Australia and, in the early 1900s, The Convent’s transformation into an arts, cultural it was said to be the largest charitable institution in the and community space is making it vital. It is a site Southern Hemisphere. worth saving. • The Convent is nominated for National Heritage Listing. Nick Cave ” For the Convent’s historical timeline please see ‘More Musician; Author; Screenwriter, 2014 About’ (7) – page 71. • Unlike most popular heritage sites in Australia, such To me the Convent is a place of great cultural as the Sydney Opera House, Port Arthur, Rippon Lea significance.“ Not only is it now the home of the House & Gardens, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Wurundjeri Tribal Council, it is also located on Puffing Billy and Sovereign Hill, the Convent does not the banks of the Birrarung Marr, the lifeline of the charge an entry fee. Wurundjeri people and the burial site of the great • The Public Record Office and RE Ross Trust have both Wurundjeri Ngurangaeta Billibellary. It is a place supported interpretive signage so the public can access where I can connect with my ancestors. the story of the Convent free of charge. Colin Hunter Jnr ” Wurundjeri Elder, 2014

26 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! Today I visited Abbotsford Convent for the first Although the Sisters are no longer in residence at time“ ... Wow! This place is simply amazing. If ever the“ Convent, the story of the site’s development, the there was a place that carried its past so beautifully social justice work that was achieved in caring for into the present it would have to be this (what took women over many years, the Convent’s close location me so long to find it?). to the city and the good condition of the physical Bob Garbett ” infrastructure of the site represent important aspects Abbotsford Convent Facebook page, 2011 of Australia’s history. Sister Pamela Molony ” The Abbotsford Convent has been the heritage Former Province Leader, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, 2007 restoration“ project to talk about. When first contemplated for conservation and reuse, large-scale The former Convent of the Good Shepherd is one former institutional buildings often present themselves of“ the last intact and outstanding examples of the as insurmountable challenges. That was certainly the religious institutions that played a key role in shaping image of the Convent complex – yet a small dedicated Australian society, before the introduction of secular community group determinedly pursued an inspired national welfare system. Charitable institutions, both vision to fruition. secular and religious, were the principal mechanism for care of the poor, destitute and the ‘wayward’ in As the global chairman of INTO, the International Australia in the 19th century and early 20th century. National Trusts Organisation, I am fortunate to spend much of my time viewing heritage restoration The former Convent of the Good Shepherd is of national projects the world over. The most successful are significance as the only surviving former monastic or only those that find a truly viable, often imaginative, convent complex and farm within an Australian city. reuse that breathes life back into the place. As an It is the site of the largest self-sufficient convent and exemplar without peer, the Abbotsford Convent project monastic complex in Victoria, a remarkable cultural demonstrates the power of community spirit: a project landscape in an inner-city location. by the community, for the community. The Magdalen Laundries of the Convent are of To architectural historians the site has great international significance as one of the last international significance, being one of the world’s last standing surviving structures in which thousands of women Magdalen Asylum buildings, but to the wider laboured in Ireland, the Americas and Australasia. The community the buildings speak for themselves: Mercator Building is the world’s only known Magdalen superb architecture in an atmospheric setting that Laundry building to have been restored. have a proven capacity to be adapted to a multiplicity Dr Anita Smith ” of creative uses. Member, The Heritage Council of Victoria; Australian Voting Member, International Committee for Archaeological Heritage Management; With 40 per cent of the Convent still awaiting Australian Delegate, World Heritage Committee, 2013 renewal, it is not so much the challenge of restoration that lies ahead that is so exciting, but “The work of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd was rather the opportunity to show that once again a an outstanding exemplar of the place of the churches caring community, in partnership with its farseeing in the provision of social welfare in the state. Their supporters, can demonstrate that the best of our endeavours at the Abbotsford Convent demonstrated heritage has a vital place in our future. the ways in which the churches, and especially the Catholic orders, opened up avenues for women to show Professor Simon R Molesworth AO QC ” Executive Chair, INTO (International National Trusts Organisation), 2014 their agency in a socially significant organisation, in decades when many women faced sharp boundaries Close to half a million children in Australia in the to their participation in mainstream society. 20th“ century were brought up in ‘care’ in orphanages, Professor Patricia Grimshaw ” children’s homes and other institutions. Preserving the Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne; Abbotsford Convent and the history it represents is Professor Shurlee Swain vital to show part of Australia’s story. History Department, Australian Catholic University; Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne, 2007 Dr Joanna Penglase OAM ” On behalf of the CLAN Committee, 2007

27 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! The Convent makes an enormous contribution • The Convent is one of two Southern Hemisphere “to Victoria’s social history of women in several areas: based Members of the international organisation, 19th century religious nuns as settler women, the ACCR – Association des Centres Culturels de Recontre ongoing work of the sisters in the education of orphans – a network of cultural centres in historical monuments. and young women in an institution, their role in the • The ACF has begun hosting international practitioner reform of women who were sent to the asylum by the residencies and has plans to establish a broader formalised program of international residencies to courts, the operations of a self-sufficient farm by women, encourage onsite cultural exchange. the design of gardens and buildings for a specific purpose, • The ACF presents at international conferences and of the daily lives of all who were housed therein.” detailing its work. Dr Madonna Grehan • Between 2008 and 2013, c3 Contemporary Art Abbotsford Convent Volunteer Tour Guide, 2011 Space exhibited the work of 69 international artists There is a spiritual nature to this place. It is a at the Convent. place“ for quiet contemplation and enjoyment. Out • The ACF receives international applications for its of a history, often of sadness and negativity, there funded art programs. has grown a positive and tranquil atmosphere. • The ACF hosts student interns, teaching them ” about arts management. The Convent has hosted Kate Shelmerdine international students from China and Hong Kong, Convenor of the Arts and Humanities Committee, The Sidney Myer Fund, 2013 Taiwan, South Africa, France, Germany, Chile, New People like heritage. A survey for the Heritage Zealand and Monaco. “Chairs of Australia and New Zealand by the Allen • In 2012, the State Department of Monaco supported Consulting Group in 2005 found that 90 per cent a site-wide public art exhibition that brought together 18 Convent and external artists. of Australians have visited a heritage site and some 95 per cent had engaged in at least one heritage-related • The Convent has hosted diplomatic events for the Spanish Embassy, the American Embassy and a number activity in that past year ... Australians are very of other international cultural events. clear about the role of heritage in identity and in the • With few similar cultural precincts to the Convent educational benefits of heritage and history for their in Australia, ACF staff visit international cultural children. They want to know more about their own sites to learn from their experiences and to establish heritage and that of others, and at the same time feel relationships with international peers. strongly that too little is done to protect heritage, and many of them are willing to pay considerably more than Asialink Arts is pleased to endorse the future vision current spending levels to improve that situation. 15 for“ Abbotsford Convent. Completing the restoration of Allens Consulting Group, 2005 ” this historic site is crucial to ensure it fulfils its potential as one of Victoria’s key cultural tourism destinations as I love the idea that this site is being preserved. well as an important cultural and community hub. In“ Queensland we have lost so many of our heritage buildings. The proposal for increased residency spaces to accommodate both local and international artists, John Beaufoys” Visitor, public survey, 2012 curators and producers, particularly from our region, would be a welcome addition to the cultural infrastructure in Victoria, which is lacking these facilities that are much more plentiful in many countries of Asia. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS The growing importance of cultural exchange and artists’ mobility programs worldwide makes it imperative that we are able to collaborate, develop long-term partnerships The ACF is increasing its connectivity between and reciprocate residency programs and other projects, Melbourne and the wider world. The Convent is becoming an international gateway for new ideas, both locally and internationally. Access to studio facilities concepts and practices. and exhibition and performance spaces are vital to building long-term relationships and would be highly sought after – adding vibrancy, excitement and valuable programs to the site.” 15 Allens Consulting Group, Valuing the Priceless, The Value of Historic Heritage in Australia, Lesley Alway Research Report 2, November 2005 Director, Asialink Arts, 2014

28 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! I have the pleasure and the honour to confirm the Since its inception close to four years ago, I have “acceptance of the candidacy of the Abbotsford Convent “observed c3’s emergence as a serious contender in Foundation as a Member of the European Network of the Melbourne gallery circuit. In a short time, c3 has Cultural Centres – Historical Monuments. Following established its own niche as a gallery that supports the presentation you made in Brussels, the integration emerging artists and divergent practices, curating of the Abbotsford Convent Foundation was accepted interesting exhibitions that can be both accessible unanimously. The Members of the network had highly and challenging. appreciated the work and the activities of the Foundation Melissa Loughnan” and the prospects you shared with us in Brussels. [I look] Director, Utopian Slumps Gallery; Director, Anna Schwartz Gallery, 2012 forward to our common future projects. The City of Yarra recognises c3 as a key arts Francois de Banes Gardon ” President, Association des Centres Culturels de Recontre, 2011 organisation“ within the municipality. It is a particularly important space for emerging artists and curators (to the more established) within Yarra and wider Melbourne A CASE STUDY – to present work in a professional gallery space within a supportive community-oriented environment. C3 CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE Siu Chan ” Manager, Arts and Culture Services, City of Yarra, 2012 c3 Contemporary Art Space opened in the basement I am a Melbourne-based visual artist and graphic of the main Convent Building in 2008. Managed by the designer“ and over the last four years I have exhibited ACF, c3 has gone from strength to strength. my work at c3 in one group and two solo shows. The • c3 Contemporary Art Space operates six exhibition experience has been hugely rewarding for both my spaces – each presenting 11 shows annually. career and personally. • c3 is an art gallery supporting projects that demonstrate new and innovative approaches toward The extraordinary number of people that regularly the production of art and ideas. go and see exhibitions at the gallery is testament to • The ACF covers c3’s operational expenses, including the prominent position c3 has gained over the time staffing, event costs and insurance and does not charge of its operation. It is now a permanent fixture in the c3 rent. The total annual subsidy is $200,000. Melbourne arts scene and this has a flow on effect • Since opening in February 2008, c3 has exhibited to artists that show their work there. I have greatly 1,165 artists to over 150,000 people (as at May 2014). benefited from an increased profile and access to • c3 enjoys broad critical support in media reviews and the extensive c3 network and community of artists, within the cultural industry. curators and associates. • A key goal of c3 is to connect artists with collectors. Vivian Cooper Smith ” c3 sells artists’ work, but does not charge a commission. Visual Artist, 2012 Between 2011 and 2013, c3 sold over $112,000 worth of art (an average of $4,800 per exhibition) with 100 per The beauty of these un-curated shows is unsettling. cent of proceeds going to the artists. It“ can’t be a coincidence. • c3 has twice been supported by the Melbourne Robert Nelson ” Art Fair Foundation to present emerging artists at Art Critic, The Age, 2008 Australia’s pre-eminent art fair. The Besen Foundation supported the creation of c3’s new website, Art Guide I worked on a month-long live art project within one Melbourne provides c3 with in-kind advertising, Arts of“ the exhibition spaces at c3. I was genuinely shocked Victoria provides programming grants and Colour at the amount of people who were visiting the space. Factory provides ongoing financial support. The large number of viewers from the general public c3 Contemporary Art Space is a dynamic gallery entering the gallery and spending time with the work showing“ brave and fresh works by many local artists. was really wonderful. It was encouraging to see so I encourage any efforts for c3 Contemporary Art Space many people, who would not regularly find themselves to expand the ways in which it brings the public to the in a contemporary art space like c3, considering bold new Australian art it exhibits. conceptual art. Daine Singer ” Kelly Fliedner ” Director, Daine Singer Gallery, 2012 Curator; Writer; Co-Editor, Westspace Journal, 2011

29 THE CONVENT’S CULTURAL CREDENTIALS Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS

Sometimes I am the only person in the office so it is TENANCY great“ to have the interaction here. You don’t go insane! There are bigger rooms so the organisation can grow when it needs. There are rehearsal spaces onsite which The Convent has a strong profile as a creative is convenient. Open Day is good. We use it to launch cluster, not only for tenants but also for individuals our annual program and our supporters attend. We can and businesses, across a diverse range of sectors. leverage events here and the Convent’s profile for our • The Convent currently holds 114 leases and is an benefit as people know the Convent. attractive choice for individuals and businesses seeking Simone Schinkel ” creative stimulus, a collaborative working environment General Manager, Producer, KAGE, 2013 and access to a strong sense of community. • A 2012 survey of Convent tenants reported that I feel incredibly lucky to have been a tenant at the 100 per cent of tenants enjoyed being at the Convent Abbotsford“ Convent. I moved from my home office to and 95 per cent of respondents said being at the the Convent because of the beauty of the environment Convent has benefitted their business. and the kinds of people who are also attracted to • The ACF monitors onsite collaborations to gauge working and visiting there. My time there seemed to the benefits of co-location. A 2011 survey of Convent inspire a surprising bout of productivity, during which tenants stated that 98 per cent of respondents had I wrote one album, one theatre piece, and developed collaborated with another tenant in the previous year. one rather popular social enterprise called ‘Big Hearted For a full list of Convent tenants see ‘More About’ (8) Business’ (we teach creative people about business and – page 75. business people about creativity). • The ACF supports its tenants to realise their own projects by endorsing funding applications and providing For me and the hundreds of people who attended free venue use. The ACF programs an annual series of our first events, the Convent and its surroundings workshops for professional development for its tenants provided a rare and much-needed sanctuary, and a at no cost. The ACF often engages the practitioners and place to think through ideas and surprise ourselves with businesses located onsite to provide services. our productivity. I would be hard-pressed to think of a better hub in the entire world where people of all walks I feel so lucky to have found a room at the of life can come together in such a beautiful natural Convent“ – it’s been both a haven and a hub for me. environment. It is such an exceptional place and it would Most importantly, it’s been a good place to work. be impossible to measure the positive impact it brings On the occasions I leave the room, I’m continually to the entire city of Melbourne. So many people feel so delighted by the various goings-on, the art and food strongly about it, and there is a logic behind that. The and play on offer. The Convent is a rare, special place; Abbotsford Convent is a rare place, and it means a whole all of us, in truth, are lucky to have it. lot to a whole lot of people, myself included. Nam Le ” Clare Bowditch ” Writer, 2014 Singer; Actress; Founder, Big Hearted Business, 2014

30 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! I like that there is a community of other wellbeing The Abbotsford Convent has been my creative home “practitioners. There are huge benefits from the great for“ more than five years. It does feel like a home, too. diversity of practices, ideas and perspectives. There is It has the dual qualities of both being quiet, indeed a good exchange. The location and the setting are great. almost exquisitely peaceful with its high ceilings and It is not a high street, which makes it relaxing for clients. ” glorious edifice, while at the same time nurturing a John Meredith happy, collegiate atmosphere. Indeed, the highlight of Kinsei Professional, WellBeing Practitioner, 2013 many days is opening the door on my isolation chamber Integral to the success of my business is the enormous and wandering down to Cam’s to have coffee with “goodwill that is circulated within the Convent community another practitioner, whether it be a writer or a painter and the goodwill directed towards the project by the or even a recorder maker! I’ve made literally hundreds broader community. There is a great sense that people of contacts in the creative arts through the Convent want this place to succeed, and by extension, visitors community: attending openings; standing in the support the practices that make the Convent their home. tenants’ Pop Up Shop; or enjoying a coffee at Cam’s. I feel people prefer to purchase within this I’ve written five published books since I signed my experience than from perhaps a more commercial first lease at the Convent, and am part way through retail environment. the next. It’s been a perfect place to work.” Katheryn Leopoldseder” Tony Wilson Jeweller, 2011 Writer, 2014

Economic evidence shows that cultural activities I like being in this creative world. Everyone is here! “such as the NGV’s recent Melbourne Now exhibition I“ have met more people here in one year than I have in 10 are big contributors to the state ’s economy. The years. 750,000 visitors to the exhibition highlighted the Roland” Harvey public’s appetite for bold contemporary thinking Illustrator; Author, 2013 as expressed by Melbourne’s creative practitioners. It is convenient as there is easy bicycle access to That a number of practitioners from Melbourne Now the“ Convent. I have a small self-contained office that is hail from and use the Abbotsford Convent’s creative 10 square metres with much natural light. This type of spaces is significant. space is perfect for a sole practitioner. It is very unique The Convent, as well as emerging as a dynamic and they are hard to find ... and this one is cheap. cultural centre in its own right, is a vital incubator Rema O’Neill ” of creative conversation and energy. Victoria’s future Rema O’Neill Architect + Greencheck, 2013 will be critically dependent on how well we innovate, I have 40 in the team, including eight disabled staff and places such as the Abbotsford Convent that are members.“ Staff are all happy to come to work here. It committed to new ideas and creative development is a nice place that keeps them here. I like that we are are fundamental to creating that future. ” doing our bit to bring the history back, such as by using Bruce Parncutt the original kitchen and the wood-fired ovens. President of the Council of Trustees, National Gallery of Victoria; ” Chair, Lion Capital, 2014 Dominic Raco Owner, Convent Bakery, 2013 I’ve been renting an office at the Convent for more “than three years and it has benefitted my writing in “Bursaria has been creating weddings and events at the myriad ways. First, there’s obviously the huge advantage Abbotsford Convent since 2011, with over 100 events of a quiet space in which to work, free from domestic per year. Bursaria employs 11 permanent and interruptions and noise. But, in addition to this, the 25 casual team members. Convent has provided me with a creative environment The unique setting sets us apart from other wedding where I have made a number of great friends and an venues with the beautiful Heritage Gardens, the Good area in which to exchange ideas, seek inspiration and Shepherd Chapel and Rosina Function Space. get advice from artists who are wrestling with similar Sara Callaghan ” problems to mine. Owner, Bursaria, 2014 Chris Wolmersley ” Writer, 2014

31 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! I think the place is a fantastic test bed of • During 2013, 145 business and commercial groups used creative“ ideas. the Convent’s spaces while 46 government departments Justin Hutchinson” and bodies used the facility. Industrial Designer; Director, Urban Commons, 2013 • During 2013, there were 93 community meeting bookings and 557 not-for-profit and charitable sector We don’t have to advertise when based at the meetings and workshops that were subsidised by the Convent.“ There is a wonderful other worldliness to ACF (227 in 2010). For a list of regular Convent venue the Convent. We thought sales would be a struggle hirers, see ‘More About’ (9) – page 76. here but people come in and have a look, then come back a long time after and buy presents. It is a good The Abbotsford Convent is a terrific, highly long-term proposition. We have six pottery classes per functional“ meeting space, set amongst historic week and have been involved with the School Holiday buildings which offer facilities that cater for all needs. Program. Many of our attendees have found out about Australian Red Cross has frequently used the Convent us through word of mouth or by walking past. for training and planning meetings as it offers excellent space for creativity, reflection and social interaction, all Art is a solitary practice, but it is easy to get involved set in a very convenient location – close to everything, here. It is a good community that benefits from sharing but seemingly away from it all! – just the place to get ideas. Professional relationships are shared, which the collaboration happening. helps extend our networks. Robert Tickner ” There are many opportunities here. It is great to Chief Executive Officer, Red Cross Australia, 2014 have galleries onsite. We can leverage off the whole The Abbotsford Convent and its many facets hold site’s activities as events such as Open Day help bring great“ interest to lecturers, course coordinators and in people. The ACF office makes us aware of grants students of RMIT University. Schools of Architecture and commissions work from us. & Design, Global Studies, Social Science & Planning, The Convent is a good address. It makes you feel Environmental Science, Engineering & Technology validated as an artist and helps give you credibility. and Arts Management all regularly engage with the People are learning to respect what comes out of the Abbotsford Convent. Popular with students, the Convent. It works here – it really helps – and we can Convent offers many opportunities to provide continue to develop our practice! practical experience and contextualise their studies. Ilona Topolcsanyi and Colin Hopkins” The Abbotsford Convent, a small not-for-profit Ceramicists, Cone 11, 2013 organisation, often give talks, resources and free venue hire to our staff and students, all greatly improving the The Shadow Electric is a site-specific cinema. quality, reach and impact of our programs. The“ Convent is an address. People know where it is. Professor Margaret Gardner AO ” There are great cross-marketing opportunities onsite. Immediate past Vice-Chancellor, President, RMIT University; People are enjoying finding out about the Convent. current Vice-Chancellor, President, Monash University, 2014 We attracted over 11,000 visitors to our second year! Jay Rayner ” The relationship between Abbotsford Convent Director, The Shadow Electric Cinema and Bandroom, 2013 and“ NAB is mutually beneficial. NAB’s hiring of the meeting room spaces provides Abbotsford Convent with the financial support required to maintain what A LOCATION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING, is a thriving community space. At the same time, LEARNING AND TEAM-BUILDING participants in NAB’s leadership development programs are provided with an opportunity to learn and grow professionally and personally in a relaxed Many corporate, not-for-profit, government and and beautiful environment away from the buzz and business groups value the unique atmosphere of distractions of the office. As a result, participants leave the Convent and stage their team-building days, Abbotsford Convent inspired and open to exploring personal development workshops and planning ways of leading that contribute to the common good. days at the Convent. Alex Stol ” Strategic Design, Talent, Leadership and Culture, National Australia Bank, 2012

32 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS Let’s ﬁnish the job!

Abbotsford Convent ... LET’S FINISH THE JOB! VISITORS CURRENTLY MORE THAN 900 JOBS SPEND $7 MILLION ARE GENERATED DUE TO ONSITE ANNUALLY ACTIVITY AT THE CONVENT THERE ARE 5,128 NOTHING TO SQUARE METRES SEE HERE! OF FLOOR SPACE DURING 2013, 623 PERFORMING UNRESTORED ARTS REHEARSALS WERE HELD ! AT THE CONVENT (474 IN 2010) 1

4 NOTHING TO SEE HERE! ! ! ! NOTHING TO ! SEE HERE! 3

! 6 THERE WERE 81 9 2 WEDDINGS AT THE ! CONVENT IN 2013 5 $2.1 MILLION IS CURRENTLY SPENT AT IN 2013, THE SHADOW ELECTRIC MARKETS CINEMA EMPLOYED 25 STAFF, ! ANNUALLY SELLING 11,000 TICKETS IN ITS NOTHING TO SEASON OF 70 FILMS NOTHING TO SEE HERE! SEE HERE!

8 THERE WERE MORE THAN 29,750 VISITORS FROM KEW 85,265 PEOPLE 7 IN THE PAST YEAR ENTERED THIS GATE ! DURING 2013

416,193 PEOPLE ENTERED KEY THIS GATE DURING 2013 1. ST MARY’S 8. PROVIDENCE BUILDING DURING 2013, 145 BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL GROUPS AND 46 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS 2. MERCATOR BUILDING 9. ROSINA BUILDING AND BODIES HIRED THE CONVENT’S SPACES 3. MAGDALEN LAUNDRIES 10. CONVENT ANNEXE 4. SACRED HEART 11. ST EUPHRASIA THERE WERE 5. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL 12. MAIN CONVENT BUILDING MORE THAN 4,675 VISITORS FROM 6. ST ANNE’S 13. GOOD SHEPHERD CHAPEL THERE WERE MORE THAN TAIWAN IN THE 8,075 VISITORS FROM PAST YEAR 7. STABLES IVANHOE IN THE PAST YEAR

! HERITAGE BUILDINGS AT RISK LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 224,844 VISITORS TO THE DURING 2013, THE CONVENT CONVENT WEBSITE HOSTED 194 ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS ONSITE THERE WERE MORE THAN 3,400 VISITORS FROM MORDIALLOC IN THE PAST YEAR DURING 2013, THE CONVENT HOSTED 47 FILM SHOOTS THERE WERE 67,575 FOR FILM, TELEVISION AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIALS (INCLUDING 531 INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL VISITORS IN THE PHOTO SHOOTS) IN 2013, THERE WERE BUSINESSES ARE ON THE PAST YEAR 325 COLLABORATIONS TENANCY NOTIFICATION BETWEEN TENANTS AT REGISTER, AWAITING NEWS OF THE CONVENT AVAILABLE TENANCY SPACE

THERE WERE MORE 41,437 PEOPLE ENTERED THAN 5,400 VISITORS THIS GATE DURING 2013 FROM LARA IN THE DURING 2013, THERE WERE 93 PAST YEAR COMMUNITY MEETING BOOKINGS AND 557 NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND CHARITIBLE SECTOR MEETINGS SO FAR, $14.3 MILLION HAS BETWEEN 2008 – 2014, C3 BEEN RAISED FOR THE CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE CONVENT’S RESTORATION EXHIBITED 1,165 ARTISTS TO MORE THAN 150,000 PEOPLE LENTIL AS ANYTHING SERVES 8,000 MEALS A WEEK IN SUMMER

! 128,983 PEOPLE ENTERED THIS GATE DURING 2013

10 !

UP TO $35 MILLION MORE THAN 20,000 A YEAR IS CURRENTLY LOAVES OF BREAD EARNED BY CONVENT WERE BAKED IN 2013 12 TENANTS

130,848 PEOPLE ENTERED THIS 11 GATE DURING 2013

THERE ARE MORE THAN DURING 2013, 435 CLASSES 330 VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK AT THE CONVENT 124,045 PEOPLE ENTERED AND WORKSHOPS WERE THIS GATE DURING 2013 PRESENTED BY TENANTS AND EXTERNAL CREATIVE 392 VISITORS TO OUR WEBSITE PRACTITIONERS LAST YEAR WERE FROM INDIA THERE WERE MORE THAN THERE WERE MORE THAN 39,950 VISITORS 27,625 VISITORS FROM NSW FROM NORTHCOTE IN THE PAST YEAR IN THE PAST YEAR * Details of visitors’ place of residence are extrapolated from a 2013 survey of 2,000 visitors

Based in Sydney, the National Institute of Dramatic A CREATIVE CLUSTER FOR THE Art“ (NIDA) is Australia’s centre of excellence in dramatic arts education and training. WIDER CREATIVE COMMUNITY NIDA has provided a range of short courses for adults and young people at the Abbotsford Convent in The Convent welcomes everyone to use its spaces Melbourne since 2013. As a site offering a diverse range for creative research and development, rehearsals, of spaces, the Convent is a wonderful location for our classes, workshops and planning days, as well as to creative courses. It provides a convenient, atmospheric stage events, exhibitions and performances. and inspiring setting for our participants, and we even • During 2013, 623 performing arts rehearsals were run a course specifically inspired by the gothic nature held at the Convent (474 in 2010). of the site! • During 2013, 147 arts development projects were Lynne Williams” progressed at the Convent by external creative Director, Chief Executive Officer, National Institute of Dramatic Arts practitioners (86 in 2010). (NIDA), 2014 • During 2013, 435 classes and workshops were presented by tenants and external creative practitioners (291 in The Convent is a brilliant and beautiful cultural 2010). Thousands of interested members of the public space.“ Over the years, I have used it for teaching, came to the Convent to attend workshops teaching professional development workshops and industry architecture, pottery, painting, life drawing, design, gatherings and it always provides an inspiring bread making, pasta making, ballet, dance, singing, blog context for the work and learning that takes place. writing, creative writing, travel writing, screen printing, The Convent is a gathering place for communities, language classes, arts management and more. an incubator for new ideas, and an outstanding example of arts and cultural enterprise. In 2012, Mushroom Music Publishing held its ” Writers’“ Bloc workshop at the Abbotsford Convent. Associate Professor Hilary Glow Associate Head of School, Research; Director, Arts Participation Incubator The Writers’ Bloc workshops are run over one week (API); Course Director, Arts Management Program, Faculty of Business at a select location and are a chance for songwriters and Law, Deakin University, 2014 of different genres to come together to write and demo a song in one day – the idea being to take Melbourne is very adept at building cultural them out of their comfort zones – but have them institutions“ that bring the public in to view arts in a laid-back environment. and culture across all its forms. The Convent offers an added paradigm, at a grand scale, to the state of The Convent provided an ideal space for Mushroom Victoria. Beyond the Convent’s presenting of arts and artists to create, share and adapt different ideas. Our cultural activity, it also provides vital and connected writers loved the Convent’s ethereal atmosphere, spaces for creative development, for collaborations, which gave everyone the opportunity to connect with for testing ideas and pushing creative thought. It is peers in relaxed and creative surroundings and the fact a special asset that has a bright future. that it’s conveniently situated just a few kilometres Jason Smith ” from the city. The Convent staff were professional, Director, Chief Executive Officer, Heide Museum of Modern Art, 2014 flexible, friendly and very helpful. They ensured privacy and understood the creative process. All in all, the Convent was a perfect setting for our 2012 Writers’ Bloc workshop. Michael Gudinski AM ” Chair, Mushroom Group, 2014

53 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! The Victorian screen industry generates around PROVIDING SPACES FOR THE FILM $1.4“ billion annually for the state economy and employs more than 10,000 people on a full-time AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY basis in creative, highly skilled jobs. Locations are a key element of any production, and The Convent provides vital spaces for local the Abbotsford Convent grounds and buildings have film-making and has been a location for many provided a unique backdrop for a range of film and films, mini-series, television shows and commercials. television productions over the years, whether they Works to restore the site will benefit Melbourne’s be period, contemporary or not of this world. film and television industry. • As a no-car site with vast and versatile interiors and The continued support and development of the interesting external spaces, great opportunities are Abbotsford Convent precinct will be a valuable provided to production companies, especially those investment for Victoria’s creative community, requiring heritage backdrops. including the film, television and games sectors. • During 2013, the Convent hosted 47 shoots for The benefits will be ongoing and will filter through film, television and commercials (including photo the community in many ways. Film Victoria is shoots) compared to 22 in 2010. pleased to support the Convent’s next stage • The Convent has a strong history as a filming location. development proposal. Television shows such as Prisoner, The Sullivans, The Jenni Tosi ” Flying Doctors, Carson’s Law, Mission Impossible and Chief Executive Officer, Film Victoria, 2014 Stingers filmed at the Convent. In 2008, Australia’s largest film production, the American Steven Spielberg production of The Pacific, filmed at the Convent over two months. More recently, Chopper, Underbelly (Squizzy), Offspring, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, as well as Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries have been filmed at the Convent. • Melbourne television productions are a great export. The last series of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries was locally and internationally successful and bought by 120 international territories.16 Similarly the previous series of Underbelly was shown in over 150 territories.17 • The 2014 film Predestination, starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Australia’s Spierig brothers, was filmed at the Convent and was the opening night film for Melbourne’s 2014 International Film Festival.

The one location in particular we are using is the“ Abbotsford Convent, which becomes a bit of a backlot for us. It is a really versatile location where we get interiors and exteriors and the art department can supplement really easily ... it’s also a really ﬁlm-friendly location. The Convent is a standout. Paddy McDonald and Tim McGahan ” Producers, Predestination, 2013

16 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/miss_ﬁsher’s_murder_mysteries 17 http://www.drg.tv/news.aspx?newsItemid=772

54 THE CONVENT’S CREATIVE CLUSTER CREDENTIALS Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS

The Convent provides an ‘old world’, yet authentic, • The ACF offers subsidies to provide access for a diverse village landscape that is unrivalled in Australia. Such community. The ACF: a unique atmosphere appeals to everyone as a place to – Provides free entry come together. Improving community infrastructure where it is most required will assist Melbourne to –Charges lower fees to not-for-profit, charitable and maintain its ‘liveability’ credentials. community organisations for venue hire • The Convent increasingly draws people from interstate – Provides low-income groups with free tours of the site and overseas and visitor information demonstrates that – Charges students dramatically reduced film shoot fees it is embraced by a broad Victorian audience. During –Annually houses a number of emerging artists 2013, a survey found that of 850,000 annual visitors, in studios at no cost attendees came from the following regions: –Provides event spaces free to arts and REGION ANNUAL VISITORS cultural organisations (BY VICTORIAN UPPER HOUSE PARLIAMENTARY REGION) (2013) –Provides tenants with free venue hire for meetings Eastern Metropolitan 101,575 and creative workshops. Eastern Victoria 28,475 • The ACF operates the Convent’s Twitter, Facebook Northern Metropolitan 351,050 and Instagram profiles, with followers receiving daily Northern Victoria 21,250 information about activities. As at June 2014, the South Eastern Metropolitan 26,350 Convent enjoys: Southern Metropolitan 174,250 –2,252 Twitter followers Western Metropolitan 46,325 – 6,811 Facebook followers Western Victoria 19,550 –2,015 Instagram followers. Interstate 51,425 • The ACF supports other not-for-profit organisations, International 28,900 including: No fixed address 850 –The Collingwood Children’s Farm, which receives 20 per cent of the Convent’s annual car park income For more data on the origins of annual Convent visitors see ‘More About’ (10) – page 77. (totalling $333,212 between 2008 and 2013) –Richmond Rotary Club Members are paid by the ACF • The ACF surveyed 650 people during 2013 about what to manage the car park on busy days. During the 2010 they most enjoyed about the Convent: – 2013 financial years, the ACF paid Rotary $67,928 –21.7 per cent most enjoy the cafes –Any not-for-profit organisations that use venue – 17.9 per cent most enjoy the atmosphere hire at the Convent receive a special rate. During – 13 per cent most enjoy the site’s heritage setting 2013, the ACF provided cheaper not-for-profit rates –12.5 per cent most enjoy the country feeling in the on 2,212 occasions city; the sense of refuge and retreat from the city –The ACF provides garden cuttings to the Royal –10.7 per cent most enjoy the site’s ‘community ethos’ Melbourne Zoo (to feed the exotic animals), at no and that the site is people-friendly. cost, on a regular basis.

55 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! With free entry, affordable hire spaces and a variety The Convent is a wonderful example of ‘grass roots of“ catering options that can be accessed by everyone, democracy’“ saving an iconic Melbourne site and giving the Convent espouses inclusion for all. In this space, it a new purpose and vitality. quality of life improves. The Abbotsford Convent Lynne Landy ” Foundation is creating a place to do things, rather than Founding Patron, Greatconnections, 2012 a place to just see things and, by doing so, the Convent The past decade has resulted in the development is increasingly enriching individual and civic life. of“ a productive and harmonious partnership between Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE and Lady Lyn Nossal, 2014” Collingwood Children’s Farm and the Abbotsford Abbotsford Convent is one of those rare spaces Convent Foundation. This peninsula precinct is unique that“ can hold together a breadth of artists, meeting in our country and the value of supporting the whole attendees from the finance sector, Chinese tourists, community, including those who are disadvantaged, Spanish backpackers, hipsters, community-service has high priority for both of our organisations. We workers, corporate volunteers, Wurundjeri elders, both recognise the importance of positive results when groups with disabilities, mothers with prams, touring communities witness our harmonious cooperation and seniors and lycra-clad cyclists. I’ve seen it there myself facilitation of countless projects and programs for so on a daily basis. It’s really dynamic. Everyone enjoys many individuals and groups. being there alongside each other. It’s this vitality that This precinct is interesting, offering adventure, everyone loves at the Convent. education, diverse cultural experiences with art Whilst the ACF’s curatorial ‘light touch’ seems and music; a peaceful and relaxing site to spend time invisible, it’s very strategic ... and it works! visiting. We look to keep this perfect experience at an optimum for long into the future and will respond Jude Anderson ” Artistic Director, Punctum; Director, Regional Arts Victoria, 2014 to increasing demands for facilitating community programs for individuals and groups. The Abbotsford Convent precinct has been very popular“ with the community and deserves support. Visit our unique sites for a welcoming and peaceful ” atmosphere, friendly hosts, farm life, great food, the Lady Primrose Potter AC odd puddle for a kid to jump in, plus open spaces for The decision to run the cinema at the Convent everybody, right in the middle of the hustle and bustle was“ a no-brainer. It’s got an amazing energy in getting of modern life. people together. There’s something about the Convent Alex Walker ” that makes you really conducive to talking to strangers. General Manager, Collingwood Children’s Farm, 2014 I’m not sure what it is, but people just let their guard In my experience of volunteering at the Convent, down and chat to each other. I“ have met many of the staff and fellow volunteers, as David Chestwig ” well as a number of the tenants. I have found that there Director, The Shadow Electric Cinema and Bandroom, 2013 is a good sense of community, and that this community I love coming down to the Convent with my is dedicated to making the Convent a lively cultural family,“ meeting and making friends with the onsite hub in our city. community and it is a perfect spot to have work In the course of undertaking surveys for the Convent, meetings with a coffee. It has a magical air about it that I found that many visitors also seem to share the makes being within its walls quite tranquil – everyone same community-mindedness and commonly cited seems to be in a good mood (and it means meetings go reasons for their enjoyment when visiting the well!). I’ve liked watching a vibrant artistic community Convent, including the historic setting, the community evolve at the Convent. atmosphere and the types of events and activities that Emily Floyd ” take place there. Artist, 2014 Grace Cheng ” Abbotsford Convent Volunteer, 2014 The place feels like it has a great big heart. Tony“ Ellwood ” Director, National Gallery of Victoria, 2013

56 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! Good social outcomes must be at the heart of –During 2010, site tours were provided for councillors Melbourne’s“ metropolitan planning strategy if we and executives of 103 different Australian local councils want a city that meets the needs of its citizens into –During 2011, the ACF met with 329 community leaders the future. from all over Australia, many wanting to learn how to replicate the ACF model of adapting heritage Victorian Council” of Social Service As quoted in Plan Melbourne, 2013 infrastructure. The ACF continues to meet with those who want to learn more about its experience The Convent is such an important meeting place for –This advice and knowledge-sharing is provided at the“ whole community. When I visit, I am heartened to no cost. The ACF regularly receives international see many young people spending time around the old requests for advice about adapting heritage infrastructure for community and cultural use buildings and in the gardens. I hear music in the air and see lots of interesting activity taking place for everyone –Examples of groups that have been interested in the ACF’s experience include: to enjoy. – Creative Spaces (City of Melbourne) We are lucky to have saved this truly special site, – The Living Museum of the West a space that should be cherished and protected for – The Committee for Bellarine future generations. – City of Greater Geelong – City of Greater Dandenong Betty Amsden AO ” Philanthropist, Arts Advocate, 2014 – City of Canada Bay – Hepburn Shire – Creswick Shire – City of Ballarat A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SHOWCASE – City of Sydney – The Alpine Shire – Brisbane City Council – Parramatta City Council Social enterprises are businesses that apply market- – City of Maribyrnong based approaches to fulfil their social missions. The –The Museum of Australian Democracy, Eureka ACF demonstrates how commercial activity can fund –The Newport Substation social, cultural and creative outcomes for the public –The Cultural Policy Branch of the New Zealand good, without constant recourse to government funds. Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Te Manatu Taonga. A thriving Abbotsford Convent will continue to ‘show the way’ and inspire other community spaces to thrive. My visit to the Abbotsford Convent was • The ACF is a charity that generates its $2.5 million inspirational.“ As a trustee working to continue my operational costs through diverse and robust business grandmother Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s wish that streams. The ACF leases spaces to tenants, provides venue hire, charges fees for its car park and welcomes future generations enjoy Cruden Farm, a visit to the events such as weddings and festivals. Convent to learn more about its operations and mission • The inclusion of the Convent in the 2011 book Australian has been helpful in regards to our planning for the Stories of Social Enterprise (Kernot & McNeill, UNSW) future. The enthusiasm of the Convent management indicates, that, at a very young age, the Convent was is infectious and I came away from the tour with much recognised as a leader in the social enterprise field. energy to go forward. • Social Traders, a peak body for social enterprises, has Judy Paterson ” twice short-listed the ACF for the Social Enterprise of ACE Radio, 2014 the Year Award. • The ACF’s operations have an impact far beyond its walls: It’s incredible what you’ve achieved in such a small amount“ of time. Congratulations! Your site straddles –The ACF hosts tours for social entrepreneurs each quarter well the unbelievably delicate line between community –The ACF provides free tours to groups including benefits and economic sustainability. clients of Homeground, Members of Rotary, University Matt Pfahlert ” of the Third Age and groups from the City of Yarra, Board Member, Social Traders (then consulting for the Beechworth Asylum), 2012 the City of Geelong, the City of Ballarat, students from RMIT University, The University of Melbourne, Swinburne University, Deakin University, La Trobe University, various high schools and more

57 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! Set in an extraordinarily beautiful natural environment,“ the Convent’s heritage buildings are COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE being lovingly restored to provide a contemporary platform, which showcases our multi-cultural customs, VOLUNTEERING epitomises the Victorian cultural experience and enables innovation, creativity and productivity on a daily basis. Volunteering enables connectivity with others and the wider community and provides benefits The cumulative successes of the Convent project set a for not-for-profits. With an array of not-for-profit new benchmark for Australian community spaces and organisations operating at the Convent, there are warrant local and global recognition. many volunteers working onsite and restoring the site will enable more opportunities for volunteerism. Let’s celebrate and build on these successes by working • There are more than 340 volunteers who regularly work together to finish the job of restoring the Convent. at the Convent’s not-for-profit tenant organisations. Winsome McCaughey AO ” • The ACF has an average of 65 volunteers providing Trustee, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, 2014 services in tour guiding, gardening, the car park on market days and providing visitor services. I really liked the setup at Abbotsford Convent “ • The ACF’s Board of Directors fulfil their roles on a – both the buildings and the site, but also the volunteer basis. For a full list of the ACF’s Board Members numerous social enterprises you were accommodating and volunteers, see ‘More About’ (11) – page 78. and supporting. It’s a fabulous community asset. • The ACF provides arts management internships across Ben Gales ” strategic, programming and operational roles, providing Chief Executive Officer, SEFA Innovative Lending, 2013 graduates and others with skills to bridge the gap between education and work. A new community group wants to regenerate “ • The ACF welcomes corporate volunteer groups to help the former Victoria University site at Jacksons maintain the Convent’s garden. Volunteer groups relish Hill into a space similar to Abbotsford Convent ... helping the community, working outdoors, getting their finding widespread support for their plan. They have hands dirty and bonding with each other in the process. continued to consult management at Abbotsford • Groups that volunteer at the Convent include Convent on how they ambitiously re-imagined their employees from NAB, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, SEEK, heritage-listed site. PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bendigo Bank, Melbourne Sunbury Leader, 2014” Water, Theiss, ComputerShare and GlaxoSmithKline. • The ACF enjoys extensive pro bono advice and services We want it [Benedict House] to become an arts from businesses such as AllensLinklaters, Freehills, hub,“ a place where community members can come Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The ACF also and see artists at work, ask them questions, and enjoy enjoys ‘low bono’ support from Essential Economics, Colour Factory, Chapman and Bailey and numerous what we have to offer at the cafe … Mr Markham said other businesses and individuals. the idea was based on the trend of ‘convent revivals’ modeled on Melbourne’s Abbotsford Convent, which AllensLinklaters looks for partnerships with has successfully combined professionals, ‘foodies’, community“ organisations that reflect its values and musicians and creatives into one space. ” how it operates. AllensLinklaters sees great integrity The Queanbeyan Age, 2014 in its partners at the ACF and has a strong belief in the worth of the Abbotsford Convent project for the The Convent is the best example of a virtually community. This is why the relationship has been so unfunded“ community cultural development in the successful and ongoing. country. Nothing touches it. Chris Schultz ” Zane Trow ” Partner, AllensLinklaters, 2012 Creative Arts Centre Manager, Redland City Council; Chair, Media Arts Asia-Pacific, 2010

58 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS Let’s finish the job! Volunteers in Victoria provided a volume of work PricewaterhouseCoopers allows staff one day of equivalent“ to 359,100 jobs in 2006 (similar to 14.2 per the“ year to get out into the community and volunteer cent of the total Victorian workforce). This work was for a good cause. Being in the outdoors with team mates of $16.4 billion value to the Victorian economy. 18 and viewing the beautiful grounds, we got a real sense Volunteering Victoria, 2012 ” that at the Abbotsford Convent we were achieving a really impressive community outcome as they have Volunteers get a lot of satisfaction from helping others, such a small number of staff members. By volunteering, “enhancing the quality of their life and their health. The I feel we really made a difference for them. benefits to the recipients are obvious and there are also positive spin-offs for governments and workplaces. I enjoyed learning about the Convent and its history. The tour of the Convent was amazing and now I can The value of volunteering is difficult to measure. talk to other people about it. It was great to be able to Volunteers gain a broad range of new skills that are see the difference that we made by the end of the day. transferable to their workplace, for example. They are We could stand back and really see a change in the healthier, fitter, more mentally alert and more socially areas we worked on. connected than people who do not volunteer. These Kathryn Sarkies ” 19 benefits may even act as a pathway to employment. National Corporate Responsibility Administrator, Dr Lisel O’Dwyer ” PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2012 University of Adelaide, 2012 As an intern at the Abbotsford Convent Foundation, 3MBS is a community radio station with 249,000 I“ was given the rare opportunity to work creatively in “monthly listeners. We have seven employees but the arts/cultural management and not-for-profit sector. our 200 volunteers are central to the operation of This role allowed me to learn useful management and the station. communication skills. The Convent is an attractive place for volunteers. I now work full-time for the Abbotsford Convent They love coming here. There are great facilities Foundation and credit the experience as almost onsite. Moving to the Convent really lifted the the sole reason I have taken the difficult step from perception of 3MBS and we were able to raise visual arts graduate to steady employment in the important funds with this exciting vision. The competitive field of arts management. I would highly studios we fitted out enable us to invite musicians recommend the experience as it is exceptional that into the station to record and play live-to-air. There a busy not-for-profit organisation such as the ACF are great meeting spaces and we can have concerts would enthusiastically meet interns with time, and events here, such as late night jazz. guidance and trust. Anne Frankenberg ” Tom Rendell ” General Manager, 3MBS, 2013 Special Projects Coordinator, ACF, 2013

Thank you for having us. We all had a ball and it“ was great to learn more of what’s happening at that fantastic venue! Becki Milani ” Product and Marketing Coordinator, SEEK, 2012

18 Department of Planning and Community Development, ‘The Economic Value of Volunteering in Victoria’, Melbourne, 2012 (citing ABS data), p.4 19 Dr Lisel O’ Dwyer, Senior Research Associate, School of Social Sciences, University of Adelaide, as cited in ‘Volunteers Worth More to Australia Than Mining’, Pro Bono Australia, August, 2012 http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2012/08/volunteers-worth-more-australia-mining#sthash.obwqrbcp.dpuf

59 THE CONVENT’S SOCIAL CREDENTIALS Let’s ﬁnish the job! RESTORATION, MAINTENANCE, DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY

The ACF is undertaking a major urban renewal It has been a joy and inspiration to witness a thriving project. Forward thinking has to accompany “arts precinct blossoming from what was a dilapidated and restoration if it is to have long-term outcomes. overgrown site. Congratulations to the Foundation! The Convent will become a showcase of how to ” restore heritage built form in a sustainable manner, Emeritus Professor Peter McPhee AM inspiring others to make new investments into The University of Melbourne, 2014 Australia’s considerable heritage built stock. The key message from Australian and international • In restoring the Convent, the ACF employs “experience is that major urban-renewal projects tradespeople, heritage architects, industrial designers, provide one of the few opportunities cities have interior designers, artisans and craftspeople. As well as restoration, the ACF provides resources to maintain to simultaneously solve past problems, renew and already restored buildings. For more information about update critical infrastructure and add new value to what constitutes the ACF’s maintenance requirements the liveability and economic vitality of cities. see ‘More About’ (12) – page 80. Plan Melbourne, Victorian Government, 2013 ” • When making essential contemporary interventions, the ACF has worked with celebrated Melbourne Living at Raheen and watching the Abbotsford architecture firms including Denton Corker Marshall, Convent“ come alive makes me think about the Taylor Cullity Lethlean, Folk Architects and Jackson wonderful stories we share. We’re close neighbours. Clements Burrows. We’re both more than the great buildings we love. • An onsite project by Jackson Clements Burrows won We both care about the arts and culture that make a 2013 Victorian Architecture Award. Melbourne ‘marvellous’ – just as the city was in the • The ACF has a Sustainability Strategy which aims to: 1890s. We both treasure our beginnings in the 19th –Become a showcase of how to restore heritage built century, even as we look ahead in the 21st. This is why form so that it is sustainable we’ve both been relearning the three Rs: Restoration, –Utilise the creative energy onsite via projects that build Revival, Reinvention. I hope the Abbotsford Convent’s resilience and community capacity for positive change story goes from strength to strength. –Greatly increase the attraction and amenity of non-car Jeanne Pratt AC ” travel to the Convent. Co-Chair, Visy; Chair, The Production Company; Council Member, • For more detail about the Sustainability Strategy that The National Gallery of Australia, 2014 will inform future work see ‘More About’ (13) – page 81. The Abbotsford Convent is already a Melbourne • Re-purposing old buildings is environmentally icon,“ both for the present and future generations. sustainable. With up to 80 per cent of the local built form in inner Melbourne suburbs considered ‘heritage’, Much has been done in the first 10 years, but still the ACF can play a big part in showcasing how old some 40 per cent of the site is unrestored. Action buildings can be made environmentally sustainable and must be taken to do this over the next 10 years. reduce energy costs, while maintaining comfort across a Baillieu Myer AC ” range of different styles of heritage architecture onsite. Founder, Life Director, Emeritus Director, The Myer Foundation, 2014

60 RESTORATION, MAINTENANCE, DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY Let’s ﬁnish the job! The Resurrection of the Abbotsford Convent

REFLECTIONS BY SIR ANDREW GRIMWADE CBE Chair of The Alfred Felton Bequest

Resurrections are such rare events that they must be admired, revered and honoured.

Though no longer a religious body, the once-abandoned Abbotsford Convent has been part of a resurrection that must be admired, revered and honoured. But, resurrections do not come easily into the world.

When The Felton Bequest was ﬁrst approached in 2004 by the emerging Abbotsford Convent Foundation, it was troubled at how its support could be best directed within its philanthropic priorities. For more than 100 years, these priorities have been determined as grants to assist women and children, as well as encouraging projects that will catalyse change.

The aim to create a dynamic cluster of community and cultural activities was irresistible. At its meeting on 5 August 2004, The Felton Bequest initially reserved an amount of $25,000 for the Foundation, pending more information about progress on the site. This led to frequent discussions in which Charlotte Allen, the Deputy Chair, was persuasive and she wisely fashioned a proposal that would ﬁt within The Felton’s philanthropic guidelines. By 10 November 2005, it was recognised that, in retroﬁtting a heritage site, accessibility was of high importance. How could this best be done? It was agreed to fund the preparation of a masterplan, which would include landscaping, and importantly would focus on disability access.

Within six months, on 11 May 2006, The Felton Bequest resolved to fund up to $60,000 for the preparation and drawings for a Disability Access Masterplan. At the same time, because there was an urgent need for the Foundation to pay an urgent bill, it was somewhat unusually agreed to release an amount of $3,850 for the Rosina Theatre Complex restoration. This left a funding balance of $56,150 to follow, of which $50,000 was drawn a year later on 27 August 2007.

Since then, the Abbotsford Convent has progressed its unique resurrection, with unimagined cultural, economic and social impact. Whilst much of the Convent remains to be renovated, its achievement to date in drawing more visitors than most of the major institutions in Australia is a miracle. Such is the power of a resurrection!

April 2014

61 THE RESURRECTION OF THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (1): THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT’S SUPPORTERS

The ACF acknowledges the vision of the Abbotsford Convent Coalition whose members worked for seven years to secure the Convent site. This success would not have been achieved without their commitment and that of many others. Over the years, the project has also been greatly assisted by a vast number of individuals and organisations who have contributed their time, energy, skills and ﬁnancial support. The Foundation is extremely grateful to all those who have helped. The ACF acknowledges the signiﬁcant philanthropic support to date from the following people and organisations:

TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS INDIVIDUALS Jonathan Carmichael Neil Franis Suzanne Kaldor The Alfred Felton Bequest Anonymous (18) C. Cawthorn Anne Frankenberg Tomi Kalinski The Trust Company as trustee Stephanie Alexander OAM L. & M. Chan Jennifer Frost Dawn Kanost of the Fred P Archer Trust Charles Allen Elizabeth Chernov Mandy Gange L. Katsilidis The Besen Family Foundation Charlotte Allen Caroline Chesterfield Suzanne Gardiner Maria Kayak Colonial Foundation Trust Grace Allmand L. Clifford Michelle Garnaut Ken Keating The Dara Foundation J. Alonso Rita Cohann Brenton Geyer Peter Kelly The Dyson Bequest Betty Amsden AO Catharina Cook Hilary Glow S. Kenny Fouress Foundation Peter Anderson Vivian Cooper Smith Susie Grabsch Craig Kenny The George Adams Joanna Baevski V. Corbett Sue Grant Chris Keogh Tattersalls Foundation Dianne Bambra David Cotterill David Gibbs Robert Kirby & Mem Kirby OAM Peter Griffin Family Fund – Alison Barber Alan Cowen & Rose Gilder Michael Kokinos The Ballandry Fund Daniel Barnes Mavourneen Cowen Monique Grbec Professor David de Kretser Australian Community Joyce Craig AC KStJ & Mrs Jan de Kretser Foundation – Henkell M. Barry Judith Gunter Family Fund T. Barwick Anna Cruse Jean Hadges Peter Kronberg The Ian Potter Foundation Angela Bayliss Grace Cumming T. Hailey David Laidlaw & Megan Laidlaw The Jack Brockhoff Foundation Anne Becker Suzanne E Davies Julie Hall John Landy AC MBE & Lynne Landy The John T Reid Charitable Grace Beeson Patricia Davis Tony Hallam Dominique LaVie Trusts Jane Begg C. Day Ilona Hamilton J. Lawton The Margaret Lawrence Bequest, M. Beilby Dr R. Dean Tim Hammon as managed by Perpetual Doug Lee Lin Bender AM Professor Dick Denton AC & Bruce Hartnett AM Helen Macpherson Smith Trust Dame Margaret Scott AC DBE Tony Lee P. Bermington Kathryn Hendry McLeod Family Foundation John Di Natale David Samuel Levin Marc Besen AO & Eva Besen AO Sheila Heys The Myer Foundation Russell Levy Graeme Black Alison Duncan Kate Higgins The Sidney Myer Fund, as part L. Lindsay T. Blake L. Dunstan David Hirshfelder of the 2009 Commemorative Michael Eager Dr M. Longfield Grants Program Emily Booth C. Hocking Hayden Elliot S. Liux The Pratt Foundation Vicki Boucher Anna Hoetjes M. Elliot William Logan The RE Ross Trust Helen Brack Chris Hooper Andrew Evans Joanne Luciani The River Capital Foundation Allen Brent BL Howe AM & RT Howe Annmarie Faulkner Kasia Lynch Robert Salzer Foundation Julie Brown Ken Hue Anthony Felettigh Maggie Maguire Sarah & Baillieu Myer Robert Buckingham Professor Andrea Hull AO Family Foundation Julian Burnside AO QC Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield The Hon. Greg Hunt MP Carmel Mansfield The Schudmak Family Sallie Butler Despina Fillipidis Janice Hunter Victoria Marles Foundation Jon Butt Grace Findlay Shakti Iyer Craig Marshall Scobie & Claire McKinnon Trust JN Button John Paul Fischbach Pamela Jellie Aldona Martin The Trust Company of Australia John Calvert-Jones AM P. Flachs Graeme Johnson Philip Martin The WCF Thomas Trust & Janet Calvert-Jones AO M. Flaver & Joan Johnson Tess Martin The William Buckland Kay Campbell Joe Flynn Sue Johnson D. Martini Foundation Janine Cameron Kelly Ford M. Johnston Justine Martini The Yulgilbar Foundation Anthony Carbines MP Professor David Forrest M. Jones Tarius McArthur Claire Carling William J. Forrest AM Dr MR Taffy Jones AM Helena McCallum Lisa Carlton Bill Forwood Ronald Alan Jones Jan McCann

62 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! Jean McCaughey Judith Rutherford ASSOCIATIONS Corporate AV Ronald McConaghy Louise Sanger Abbotsford Convent Coalition CPR M. McCormack Bernadette Saukeris Australian Decorative & CSR Roslyn McCully C. Savage Fine Arts Society Yarra Inc. Cundall Australian Garden Margot McDonald Ken Savage Deloitte Historical Society Lynne McKechnie Denton Corker Marshall Chris Schultz The Makers’ Market V. McKenzie Egon Zehnder C. Scott Psychodrama Australia Malcolm McKinnon Essential Economics Thea Scott & The Rotary Club of Richmond Pamela McLure Reverend Dr JF Scott Commonwealth Government Sisters of the Good Shepherd Margaret McNaughton Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine Green Corps Program Dr Ian McPhail R. Siggins Folk Architects GOVERNMENT GE Capital Finance Emeritus Professor Gordon Silverman Peter McPhee AM City of Yarra Gerrard Bown Bruce Sims Patricia Miller Arts Victoria Gozer Media PMK Sinclair Ivan Milton Victorian Government – Greg Tucker & Associates K. Slade Community Support Fund Dr Tom Mole Gunn & Taylor Printers Elizabeth Sleigh Victorian Government, Jo Molloy Herbert Smith Freehills Lady Marigold Southey AC Department of Education RP Molnar Hotel Agencies Pty. Ltd. Victor Spitzer & Victorian Government, John Glossop Clare Moran Fleur Spitzer OAM Department of Human Services Joy Melbourne WC Morgan Patricia Stocca Victorian Government, Judy Morton Department of Treasury KPMG Jan Sturzaker & Finance Christine Mullen Leadership Victoria Professor Bob Sullivan Public Record Office, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE Landawee & Associates Antonia Syme Victoria 175 – Grants Program Wayne Murphy La Note Bleue Mary Symes Commonwealth Government – Sally Murray Community Water Grants Liquorice Erwin Taal Baillieu Myer AC & Sarah Myer Commonwealth Government John McKerrow Judie Thomas M. Nash Jobs Fund (Heritage Projects) The Makers’ Market Sarah Tomesetti I. Nicolades Commonwealth Government, Melbourne Water Rhonda Tutton Department of Families, Mick O’Kane Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove Genevieve Tyak Housing, Community Services Brenda O’Keefe & Indigenous Affairs Mutual Trust Robert Utter Rema O’Neill Commonwealth Government, National Australia Bank Christine Omeara Naomi Velaphi Department of Transport & National Trust of Australia (Vic) Magda Pakulski Phill Virgo Regional Services Regional North Fitzroy Star Partnership S. Palmer Dr Adrian Wallis OAMPS Principauté de Monaco – John Paterson & Annie Paterson Liam Wallis Ministère d’État Orchestra Victoria C. Patton Mrs Wanita PLOT Media Jasmine Watterson Plus Publicity Heather Pendergast GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE, M. Perry Dr Jennifer Webb BUSINESS DONATIONS, PricewaterhouseCoopers Patricia Pinto G. White REDUCED FEE SUPPORT Print Bound & IN-KIND SUPPORT Jennifer Pitson D. Williams Psychodrama Australia 3MBS Fine Music Radio Christine Polyzos Beth Wilkinson Resolution X Lighting A is for Atlas Michelle Quigley SC Kim Williams AM Rider Hunt AllensLinklaters Hayden Raysmith AM Meagan Williams Sign Express ANZ & Lynne Wannan AM Vera Williams Simmonds Lumber Group Art Guide Australia Ian Renard AM & Diana Renard Jacinta Williamson Sinclair Knight Mertz Mary Rhyllis Clark Australand Daphne Wilson Sophia Mundi Ltd. Naomi Richards Biggin & Scott Moyna Wilson Splitrock Tiro Ann-Maree Richardson Bursaria Fine Foods Terrace Gardens Florist E. Withers Sarah Riddle Chapman & Bailey Tesselaar Lyn Wood & Phil Wood M. Robertson Clemenger BBDO Thiess Trudy Wyse Sally Romanes Colliers International Triple R Radio Phillipa Youngs Janey Runci Collingwood Children’s Farm The Victorian Institute of R. Ziffer Geoffrey Rush AC Colour Factory Technology & Jane Menelaus Leon Zwier Connell Wagner The Windsor Hotel Bill Russell Convent Bakery Yarra Energy Foundation

63 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (2): COMPARATIVE DATA OF VICTORIAN CULTURAL TOURISM SITES

The Convent is now one of the main cultural visitor attractions in Melbourne. The only venues that generate more visitors are the ‘ﬂagship’ facilities such as Federation Square, the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria, the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne Zoo, ACMI and Melbourne Museum.

COMPARATIVE DATA – 2011/2012 GENERAL PUBLIC ATTENDANCE AND STAFF FIGURES, ARTS AND CULTURAL VENUES IN VICTORIA VENUE NUMBER OF VISITORS STAFF Federation Square 9,999,239 40 Full-Time (FT), 6 Part-Time (PT), 12+ Casual The Arts Centre 2,298,103 184 FT, 34 PT, 40 Casual Royal Botanic Gardens 1,634,084 131 FT, 48 PT, 61 Casual State Library of Victoria 1,580,338 214 FT, 80 PT National Gallery of Victoria 1,548,309 159 FT, 67 PT Melbourne Zoo 1,184,000 416 FT & PT 82 Casual (as part of Zoos Victoria) Melbourne Museum 1,099,546 543 Volunteers (50,399 hours), 511 FT & PT, 109 Casual (as part of Museums Victoria) Australian Centre for the Moving Image 911,635 82 FT, 41 PT, 100+ Volunteers (8000 hours) Abbotsford Convent 770,000+ (now close to 1 million) 16 FTE The Shrine of Remembrance 616,323 15 FT, 10 PT, 15 Casual Royal Exhibition Building 487,976 (unticketed visitation) Scienceworks & Planetarium 482,305 As above (as part of Museums Victoria) Werribee Zoo 416,000 As above (as part of Zoos Victoria) Healesville Sanctuary 329,000 As above (as part of Zoos Victoria) IMAX (Melbourne Museum) 241,943 Centre for Contemporary Photography 117,238 7 FT, 38 Volunteers Gasworks 175,395 5 FT, 9 PT, 14 Casual Melbourne Recital Centre 158,339 25 FT, 5 PT, 439 Volunteer hours Immigration Museum 143,054 McClelland Sculptural Park 130,000 16 FT & PT Heide Museum of Modern Art 81,093 (47,773 gallery, 33,320 cafe) 18 FT, 22 PT & Casual, 165 Volunteers Monash Gallery of Art 67,317 (onsite) 61,036 (travelling exhibitions) 5 FT, 7 PT, 4 Casual, 25 Volunteers Footscray Community Arts Centre 28,800 14 FT, 5 PT, Casual & Intern Staﬀ

(Numbers from annual reports and contact with the organisations listed)

64 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (3): ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Photography credits: Jonathan Carmichael, Sapna Chandu, A very special thanks goes to the thousands of members of David Collopy, Hana Davies, Andrew Evans, Film Victoria, Daniel the public who gave their time to be surveyed at the Convent. Hawes, Justin Leijon, John Mummery, Amy Piesse, Amber Tan, Thanks also to the hundreds of tenants and regular users of Cindy Schultz, Trudy Schuringa, Guilhem Vu, Michael Warnock, the site who were interviewed and provided valuable feedback Caz Whitehead and Beth Wilkinson. and data for this document, informing plans to best activate the Abbotsford Convent. Printing: Thanks to Gunn & Taylor Printers for their support in the production of this document. Thanks also to all of those listed below who provided quotes, attended workshops, visited the Convent to meet and discuss Special thanks to: Charlotte Allen, Nkechi Anele, Din Heagney, Anna Hoetjes, Eric Lee, Nigel Lewis, Fran Madigan, Katrina future plans and volunteered their knowledge and advice (at Mattingley, Patricia Pinto, Michael Smith, Sarah Tesar, Genevieve no cost) on how best to complete restoration and activate the Timmons and Ruby Walker-Smith. Thanks also to Shivaan Convent for the beneﬁt of the wider community. Bardolia, Zac Hatzantonis, Sam Meakin, Shannon Thompson, Knowles Tivendale and James van Smeerdijk from the Economics and Policy team at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Andrew Abbott, Director, Arts Victoria Nick Brisbane, Director, Essential Economics Professor Margaret Gardner AO, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rob Adams AM, Director, City Design, Martin Browne, Community Member President, RMIT University City of Melbourne Paul Callaghan, Partnerships Manager, IdeasTap Professor Ross Garnaut AO, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, The University of Melbourne Sylvia Admans, CEO, RE Ross Trust Sara Callaghan, Owner, Bursaria Rose Gilder, Trustee, The Dyson Bequest Frankie Airey, Director, Philanthropy Squared Barry & Suzi Carp, River Capital Foundation, Rod Glover, Economic Strategy Consultant Stephanie Alexander AO, Founder, Jim Castles, Sustainability Consultant Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation Associate Professor Hilary Glow, Arts Management Raye Collins, Art Conservator Taj Alexander, Art Director Program, Faculty of Business & Law, Deakin University Andrew Cannon, Honorary Consul of Monaco, Melbourne Lesley Alway, Director, Asialink Arts Grant Gould, General Manager, Mesa Verde, Rooftop Bar Siu Chan, Manager, Arts & Culture, City of Yarra Betty Amsden AO Rona Green, Printmaker Grace Cheng, Abbotsford Convent Volunteer Esther Anatolitis, Director, Regional Arts Victoria Dr Madonna Grehan, CJ La Trobe Society Fellow, David Chestwig, Director, State Library of Victoria, 2013, Convent Tour Guide Jude Anderson, Artistic Director, Punctum The Shadow Electric Cinema & Bandroom Simon Griffiths, Social Entreprenuer Nkechi Anele, Administrator; Musician Danella Connors, Community Member Sharon Griggs, Art Conservator Eleni Arbus, Director, Creative Spaces Tony Coppola, Senior Manager, Professor Patricia Grimshaw, Historical & Robyn Archer AO, Producer, Light in Winter Northern Melbourne Regional Development Authority Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Britt Arthur, Film & Television Producer, Georgie Crozier MLC, Parliamentary Secretary, Health Sir Andrew Grimwade CBE, Chair, Documentary Film Maker Pip Davies, Visual Artist The Alfred Felton Bequest , Minister for Innovation, The Hon. Louise Asher MP , Vice-Chancellor, Dr Nicholas Gruen, Chair, Innovation Australia Tourism & Major Events; Minister for Employment & Trade Professor Glyn Davis AC The University of Melbourne Rebecca Gunn, Senior Manager, Ernst & Young Stephanie Asher, Director, One Purple Pony Communications Damian Drum MLC, Minister for Sports, Veterans Affairs The Hon. Matthew Guy MLC, Minister for Planning Michelle Aung Thin, Writer Chris Dupe, Manager, Infrastructure, Arts NSW Jane Haley, Philanthropic Consultant The Hon. Ted Baillieu MP, Member for Hawthorn Annie Edney, Visual Artist Ilona Hamilton, Researcher, The University of Melbourne Adam Bandt MP, Member for Melbourne Evelyn Ek, Senior Advisor, CPR Neal Harvey, Arts Program Manager, Myer Foundation Francois de Banes Gardon, President, ACCR Adam Elliot, Director; Animator Roland Harvey, Author, Illustrator Shivaan Bardolia, Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers Tony Ellwood, Director, National Gallery of Victoria Zac Hatzantonis, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers Kye Bartel, Former Manager, Lentil as Anything Jon Faine, Presenter, ABC Melbourne Professor Andrea Hull AO, Director, Florey Institute Eric Beecher, Publisher, Private Media Partners Ken Fehily, Director, Fehily Advisory Jill Humann, Grief & Couple Counsellor Lin Bender AM, CEO, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust Kelly Fliedner, Curator; Co-Editor Westspace Journal Colin Hunter Jnr, Wurundjeri Elder Graeme Black, Executive Director, Lignor Emily Floyd, Artist Justin Hutchinson, Director, Urban Commons Ulanda Blair, Assistant Curator, ACMI Martin Foley MP, Shadow Minister for Water, Arts, Daniel Ippoliti, Manager, Boney, The Toff In Town, Youth Affairs Cookie, Revolver Clare Bowditch, Singer; Actor; Founder, Big Hearted Business Bill Forwood, Strategic Council, CPR Melanie Katsilidis, Director, Pieces of Eight, Edition X Stephen Brammer, Energy & Sustainability Services Anne Frankenberg, General Manager, 3MBS John Kaldor AM, Director, Kaldor Public Arts Projects Manager, Jones Lang DeSalle Kevin Fregon, Big Green Boots Anne Kantor Martin Brennan, CEO, Regional Director, ICELI Ben Gales, CEO, SEFA Jane Frances Kelly, Cities Program, The Grattan Institute

65 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! Ralf Kempken, Visual Artist Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE & Lady Lyn Nossal Robert Tickner, CEO, Red Cross Australia Aimee King, Publisher Libby O’Connor, Department of State Development, Genevieve Timmons, Philanthropy Executive, Janine Kirk AM, Immediate past Chair, Tourism Victoria Business & Innovation Portland House Foundation Jill Koppell, Collingwood & Abbotsford Residents Craig Ondarchie MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to Knowles Tivendale, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers Association the Premier Ilona Topolscanyi, Ceramicist Brad Krauskopf, CEO, Hub Australia Janette O’Neil, Head of Corporate Responsibility, NAB Jenni Tosi, CEO, Film Victoria Luca Lana, Architect, RMIT Lecturer Rema O’Neill, Architect, Greencheck Zane Trow, Creative Arts Centre Manager, Delphine Laboureau-Ormancey, French tête-à-tête Chris O’Shannessy, Director, Auctioneer, Biggin & Scott Redland City Council Lynne Landy, Founding Patron, Greatconnections Bruce Parncutt, President of the Council of Trustees, Sam Twyford-Moore, Director, Emerging Writers Festival National Gallery of Victoria Jennifer Lauber Patterson, Chair, Leonard Vary, CEO, The Myer Foundation Yarra Energy Foundation Judy Paterson, ACE Radio Bianca Vallentine, Project Coordinator, Games Eric Lee, ACF Intern Dr Joanna Penglase OAM, Writer; Co-Founder, Experimental Entertainment Lab, RMIT Design Hub Care Leavers Australia Network John Lenders MLC, Leader of the Opposition, James van Smeerdijk, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Legislative Council Matt Pfahlert, Board Member, Social Traders Mark Vassarotti, Director, Katheryn Leopoldseder, Jeweller Lady Primrose Potter AC, Philanthropist Strategic Economics Consulting Group Nigel Lewis, Heritage Architect Phoebe Porter, Jeweller Heidi Victoria MP, Minister for the Arts, Women’s Affairs & Consumer Affairs Geoffrey London, Professor of Architecture, Ben Pratt, Communications Manager, CPA Australia The University of Western Australia; Bryon Price, Strategic Director, A.G. Coombes Group Alex Walker, General Manager, Collingwood Children’s Farm Former Victorian Government Architect Matthew Quick, Artist Louise Walsh, CEO, Philanthropy Australia Melissa Loughlan, Director, Utopian Slumps; Dominic Raco, Owner, The Convent Bakery Director, Anna Schwartz Gallery Marion Webster OAM, Chair, GASP Jay Rayner, Producer, Jayne Lovelock, Creative Director, CEO, Melbourne Fringe The Shadow Electric Cinema & Bandroom Jennifer West, Former Principal, Sophia Mundi Steiner School Helen Marcou, Bakehouse Studios Hayden Raysmith AM, Chair, Xpand Foundation; Rick Matear, Painter Director, South Western Melbourne Medicare Marcus Westbury, CEO, Renew Australia Katrina Mattingley, Environmental Scientist, Natalie Reiterer, City Strategy, City of Ballarat Lorrae Wild, VicRoads Golder Associates Kathryn Sarkies, National Corporate Responsibility Lyn Williams AM Niki na Meadhra, Performance Artist Administrator, PricewaterhouseCoopers Lynne Williams, CEO, Artistic Director, Sam Meakin, Senior Consultant, Simone Schinkel, General Manager, KAGE National Institute of the Dramatic Arts (NIDA) PricewaterhouseCoopers Chris Schultz, Partner, AllensLinklaters Tony Wilson, Writer , Kinsei Wellbeing Practitioner John Meredith Senator Scott Ryan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Julie Wiltshire, Technical Advisor, World Vision Australia Caimin McCabe, Principal, Cundells Minister for Education Chris Wolmersley, Writer Paddy McDonald & Tim McGahan, Film Producers Emily Sexton, Former Artistic Director, Next Wave Chris Wootton, Manager, Victoria & Tasmania, Rob McHaffie, Visual Artist Greg Shalit, Architect Philanthropy Australia Quincey McLean, Bakehouse Studios Bonnie Shaw, Digital Placemaker The Hon. Richard Wynne MP, Shadow Minister for John McLeod, Independent Philanthropy Advisor Housing, Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs & Closing Dr Kate Shaw, Academic; ARC Future Fellow in Urban the Gap, A Fairer Victoria Pamela McLure Geography & Planning, The University of Melbourne Trudy Wyse, Philanthropy Consultant Peter McMullin, Special Counsel, Cornwall Stodart Kate Shelmerdine, Convenor of the Arts & Humanities Professor Peter McPhee AM Committee, The Sidney Myer Fund Jay Meek, Department of State Development, Bruce Sims, Community Member Business & Innovation Luke Sinclair, Director, The Sticky Institute Barry Meehan, Associate Professor, Helen Silver, Chief General Manager, Applied Sciences, RMIT Workers Compensation, Allianz Cameron Miller, Curator, St Heliers Street Gallery Dr Anita Smith, Member, Heritage Council of Victoria Geoff Mills, Department of Treasury Jason Smith, Director, CEO, Heide Museum of Modern Art Sir Jonathan Mills AO, Composer; Director, Phil Snowdon, Architect Chief Executive, Edinburgh International Festival David Southwick MP, Member for Caulfield Professor Simon R Molesworth AO QC, Executive Alex Stol, Strategic Design, Talent, Leadership & Culture, Chair, International National Trusts Organisation National Australia Bank Sister Pamela Molony, Sisters of the Good Shepherd Julian Stow, Acupuncturist Terry Moran AC, Chair, Barangaroo Delivery Authority Charlie Sublet, Hunter Gatherer Tom Mosby, CEO, Koorie Heritage Trust Professor Shurlee Swain, History Department, Shahin Movassat, Director, Australian Catholic University Australian-Iranian Society of Victoria Tony Sweeney, CEO, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE Australian Centre for the Moving Image Wayne Murphy, ACF Volunteer Kim Swinson, Coordinator Economic Development, The Hon. Lisa Neville MP, Shadow Minister for City of Yarra Environment & Climate Change Arthur Tanzi, Independent Producer Megan Norgate, Sustainability Consultant Sarah Tesar, Researcher, The University of Melbourne

66 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (4): WORK REQUIRED TO ENCOURAGE NON-CAR TRAVEL

• It is very important for the ACF to encourage the public to –Working with the state government to expedite the access the Convent in ways other than by car. It will do this by: building of a planned Capital City Trail bridge crossing –Working with the City of Yarra to install signs at Smith, the Yarra to replace the Gipps Street steps Victoria, Brunswick and Hoddle Streets, as well as at local –Incorporating a bicycle sales and maintenance-related train stations showing walking distance and directions to business onsite to encourage bicycle riding and the Convent associated amenity –Working with Council and VicRoads to increase bicycle –Working to gain an extension of the Melbourne Bike amenity from the west to the Convent (to avoid the Share system to the Convent dangers of cycling on Johnston Street) –Continuing to host and subsidise events like Bikefest Picnics –Working with Council and VicTrack to build awareness and Ride to Work community breakfasts (the 2013 Ride to at Victoria Park Station of its proximity to the Convent Work community breakfast won the 2014 Best Community –Working with Parks Victoria to build a jetty at the Event Award at the City of Yarra Australia Day Awards) Convent to encourage river access and then seek river transportation providers to oﬀer access to the Convent –Providing shuttle buses for ACF produced special events and insisting other producers do the same when holding –Working with Ventura buses so that all buses passing larger events onsite. the Convent have ‘via the Convent’ on their LCD screens –Building a marketing campaign around public transport Note: The ACF’s new spaces, when restored, will house many access to the site start-ups and younger creatives. Studies ﬁnd that many of the –Presenting onsite and online information about public Convent’s younger visitors and tenants ride bicycles, walk or transport times and connectivity catch public transport to the site.

MORE ABOUT (5): WORKS REQUIRED TO FINISH THE JOB

ONCE RECEIVED, INVESTMENT WILL PAY FOR: • The site’s main entrance and congregation areas will be improved, according to the site’s Entrance Landscape Years 1 – 2: Infrastructure • Essential works to restore and modernise underground Masterplan. Grassed areas will be expanded with new infrastructure including sewers, storm-water drains and watering systems and hardier grass planted. communication links across the site. Years 3 – 4: Magdalen Laundries Years 1 – 2: Sacred Heart • Restoration will activate the expansive versatile spaces • The restoration of the Sacred Heart buildings to enhance of the Convent’s Magdalen Laundry spaces. the community and cultural tourism offer (ground floor) and Year 4: Industrial School provide a creative cluster of shared workspaces (upstairs). • The downstairs of the Industrial School is already restored. Years 2 – 6: Public Amenity The upstairs will be restored in Year 4. • Works across the site will increase accessibility for people of all abilities. Landscape works, path improvements and grounds Stables works will remove tripping hazards and enable wheelchair • The restoration of the site’s former stables, positioned close access across the site. The site’s Universal Access Plan, to the Capital City Trail, will house a bicycle retail, rental and alongside its Landscape Masterplan, will be implemented. repair store. • Elevators will be retrofitted into heritage buildings to ensure Years 4 – 6: Main Convent Building everyone can access the upstairs spaces across the site. • The largest and most majestic building onsite, the main • Public toilets will be enhanced and their numbers increased Convent Building already houses more than 100 leases and to meet the demands of the increasing number of visitors. many venue spaces for meetings, workshops and conferences. • Environmental sustainability design interventions will be made Works will replace the main Convent Building’s slate roof, to the buildings to ensure people are comfortable indoors while which currently leaks. Roofing insulation will be installed. keeping energy costs down. Floors, including heritage tiles, will be repaired. Other heritage • Park benches, BBQs, signage and wireless internet connectivity features – some of the most decorative across the precinct – will be installed to further enhance the visitor experience. including rusted columns and lacework, will also be restored.

67 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! Year 5: Various HOW COSTS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED: • St Anne’s, the building that formerly housed the site’s cooking • The first three years of works will involve civil infrastructure class, will be restored to house an additional restaurant. works (underground), the beginning of restoration of the • The restoration of the Providence Building’s foundations Sacred Heart buildings and public amenity works (including and walls will take place. Situated near the main entrance, sustainability works). Costs for the works required have been Providence will also have a Visitor Information Centre determined by the ACF’s Buildings and Facilities Manager and established on the ground floor. Master Builder Alford Builders Pty. Ltd., alongside experts • The restoration of the remaining empty space in the relevant to each project. Mercator building will occur to become a hard arts store • The underground civil infrastructure works are a continuation and demonstration space. of previous works across the site. These works were Year 6: Rosina undertaken in conjunction with architects Denton Corker • The restoration of the floors of the Rosina Building will take Marshall, supervising engineer Trevor Huggard and Associates place. A former staircase will be reinstated to enable full use and principal contractor David Collins. As conditions of the of the upstairs spaces for performing arts. unrestored underground infrastructure are largely unknown, these costs are estimated based on previous costs per metre. Convent Annexe • The Sacred Heart and Laundry works have been independently • The Convent Annexe’s roof, under which the site’s hospitality quantity costed by Aquenta Consulting Pty. Ltd., the ACF’s spaces are located, currently leaks, so it must be restored. quantity surveyors. • The ACF will continue to employ quantity surveyor consultants Heritage Gardens • A large-scale gardening project will enable the reinstatement throughout the final restoration project to reduce risk and of all of the site’s original heritage gardens. Trees lost in recent ensure value through the life cycle of the construction project. droughts will be replaced. Tanks and watering systems will be • A large section of landscape and amenity works have been installed to secure the ongoing health of the gardens. estimated by landscape architect firm Taylor Cullity Lethlean. • Costs for sustainability initiatives have been estimated by Cundall, one of Australia’s largest specialists in environmentally sustainable design. • Works from years four to six will be independently quantity costed once funding is secured for stage one of the restoration project.

TIMELINE OF RESTORATION WORKS

BUILDING / PROJECT DESCRIPTION TOTAL 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 ($’000S) Restore and modernise sewers, Infrastructure stormwater and communications $600 $100 $500 underground infrastructure St Anne’s Restore kitchens $663 $663 COST OF WORK ON EMPTY Industrial School Restore upper floor $1,248 $1,248 BUILDINGS Stables Restore oldest building onsite $637 $637 Magdalen Laundries Restore former laundry spaces $3,220 $3,000 $220 Sacred Heart Restore ground floor $5,363 $3,000 $2,363 Providence Restore building $340 $340 Mercator Building Restore large space $150 $150 Rosina Building Restore floors and stairs $200 $200 COST OF WORK ON CURRENTLY Main Convent Building Restore roof and flooring $2,550 $500 $1,200 $850 UTILISED BUILDINGS, Convent Annexe Restore roof $550 $550 FACILITIES & Make site and landscape safe and LANDSCAPE Public Amenity accessible. Install signage and $2,135 $100 $100 $470 $700 $765 implement sustainability initiatives

Gardens & Outdoor Improve visitor amenity and public area $445 $445

Total Capital Requirements $18,101 $3,100 $2,963 $3,100 $3,075 $3,053 $2,810

68 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! BREAKDOWN OF COSTS TO FINISH THE JOB COST BASIS CORE BUILDING WORKS OTHER WORKS TOTAL COST Create a Convent Building to Providence communications link $110,000 Repair and replace sewer and stormwater pipes $100,000 INFRASTRUCTURE Install solar panels (total project) $180,000 $600,000 Enable wireless internet capacity across site $50,000 Install public and outdoor lighting $160,000 ST ANNE’S Restore building 265m² @ $2,500 per m² $662,500 $662,500 Restore upper floor 406m² @ $2,500 per m² $1,015,625 INDUSTRIAL Professional fees $1.015M x 13 per cent $132,000 $1,247,625 SCHOOL Soundproof $100,000 Restore building 188m² @ $3,000 per m² $562,500 STABLES $637,500 Professional fees $0.562M x 13 per cent $75,000 Restore north end 720m² @ $2,500 per m² $1,800,000 Restore west wing north 250m² @ $2,000 per m² $500,000 MAGDALEN $3,220,500 LAUNDRIES Professional fees $2.850M x 13 per cent $370,500 Restore west wing south 275m² @ $2,000 per m² $550,000 Restore east wing ground 528m² @ $1,500 per m² $791,250 Restore west wing ground 67m² @ $1,500 per m² $100,000 Restore east wing 1st floor 678m² @ $2,000 per m² $1,355,000 Restore west wing 1st floor 252m² @ $2,300 per m² $502,500 Restore south wing 1st floor 226m² @ $1,200 per m² $271,500 Restore south wing 2nd floor 252m² @ $2,300 per m² $408,000 SACRED HEART Install elevators (3) $600,000 $5,363,250 Professional fees $4.028M x 13 per cent $525,000 Landscape to make the space green and install water feature $150,000 for cooling Install window coverings – internal and external $160,000 Install grey water toilet flushing and tank $300,000 Retrofit chill beams, boosted evaporation cooling and install chimney coolers for cool air $200,000 Restore externals – repairs, re-render and painting $140,000 PROVIDENCE $340,000 BUILDING Install elevator $200,000 MERCATOR Restore ground floor $150,000 $150,000 BUILDING Restore Dorm One external staircase $100,000 ROSINA BUILDING $200,000 Replace floor – ground floor $100,000 Install external blinds on all west-facing and east-facing windows $80,000 Restore tessellated tiles $150,000 Make balconies safe for use $50,000 Replace elevator $200,000 MAIN CONVENT $2,550,000 BUILDING Replace floor – ground floor $250,000 Replace floor – public areas and tenancy $200,000 Replace internal lighting $120,000 Replace slate roof $1,500,000 Replace slate roof $300,000 CONVENT ANNEXE Restore basement $200,000 $550,000 Remove redundant plant equipment under building $50,000 Install directional signage $150,000 Install flyscreens to all site windows $120,000 Repair site-wide bitumen and curbing $200,000 Make safe site-wide hard landscaping $325,000 PUBLIC AMENITY $2,135,000 Build toilets near the heritage gardens $150,000 Install more public seating $100,000 Implement the Landscape Masterplan $1,000,000 Restore the swimming pool change room $90,000 Install power and repair fencing in the French Meadows $50,000 Restore and make safe the paths in the gardens $120,000 GARDENS & Install water tanks at St Euphrasia, Providence and the French $445,000 OUTDOOR Meadows $175,000 Make new universally accessible public entrance from the Farm up through the brick wall near Mercator $100,000

69 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (6): THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT’S MARKETS

• The Makers’ Market is held 13 times a year and includes As the Shirt and Skirt Markets philosophy is around 36 stalls each market day – selling arts and crafts. to“ engage and support local emerging designers • The Shirt and Skirt Market is held 13 times a year and in Melbourne, we have been very fortunate to includes between 30 and 40 stalls (winter) and 70 to have found a precinct that aligns with our market’s 80 stalls (summer), selling locally produced fashion and ethos. Operating the Shirt and Skirt Market on design products. the Abbotsford Convent site has been beneficial to • The Supper Market is held on Friday nights throughout attracting the right clientele, who are appreciative of summer. With a mixture of craft and hawker style food, quality and value creativity. Over the years, we have it is very busy and averages between 10 to 20 stalls each market. found that the Abbotsford Convent site has improved from the time we started operating and we have seen • Farmers, smallgoods makers and preserve and sauce concoctors come to the Convent once a month for the the foot traffic to the site increase as well. Slow Food Farmers’ Market. It is held 13 times a year Binh Rey ” and includes around 70 stalls each market day. The Founder, Shirt and Skirt Market, 2014 Slow Food Farmers’ Market averages 2,000 visitors each market day who come to buy groceries grown The Makers’ Market adores the historic or made within a 100-kilometre radius of the Convent. Abbotsford“ Convent venue as it not only has marvellous surroundings full of history, but it also We manage six accredited farmers’ markets provides a welcoming atmosphere to both stallholders “across Melbourne and the Abbotsford Convent’s and market visitors. Our indoor setting is perfect for environment is a perfect setting for the Slow Food the handmade theme of the market and we couldn’t ask Melbourne Farmers’ Market. It is unique because the for a more picturesque venue to support local talent. site has meant the market stalls weave in and around The Convent is a well known landmark, which our the heritage buildings creating a village atmosphere many visitors mention while browsing and we are very like no other. pleased to be part of the regular events held within its grand walls. The Slow Food Melbourne Farmers’ Market has Allison Young” been held monthly at the Abbotsford Convent for Manager, Makers’ Market, 2014 eight years. It brings farmers and their produce from across Victoria, directly connecting with city consumers. Around 2,000 customers a month attend and support the 60+ produce growers and food makers, building long standing loyal relationships and returning growers profitable market day sales. Customers of our market are an extremely engaged audience; enthusiastic to learn much about what is in season, how crops are going, understand regional issues and hear tips about how to make the most of their purchases. They are also great ambassadors for community spirit fostered by the regular event; their personal recommendation and social media activity is a significant part of our success. Their support generates visitation to the market specifically but also builds awareness and appreciation of the Convent and the St Heliers Street precinct as a whole. Miranda Sharp ” Director, Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association, 2014

70 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (7): THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT SITE’S HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Pre-1803 1851 • First human occupation. The river, Birrarung – meaning ‘river • On 1 July, the Separation from NSW was gazetted. Gold of mists’ – marked the tribal boundary for the Wurundjeri and was discovered in the new Colony of Victoria in August. Boonerwrung of the Kulin nation. The future convent site was an • Melbourne’s gold rush led to a rapid population influx (77,000 important meeting place for the two groups. This site was near a in 1850 to 409,000 in 1857) and rapid construction of houses natural crossing upstream where Dights Falls was later formed. and industry across the Collingwood flats. • Set in a naturally enclosed amphitheatre, the site provided the Wurundjeri people with a natural camping area. The rich 1863 river flats and deep fresh water were well endowed for hunting, • The first four Sisters of the Good Shepherd came to fishing and food collection. Melbourne in June to establish an Australian outpost of their Order to ‘toil for the salvation of souls’, namely • Note: The Wurundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and young women at risk due to the Gold Rush’s societal flux. Cultural Heritage Council, in acknowledging this significance, established their first headquarters at the Convent in 2005. • They soon purchased Abbotsford House, which was opened as a convent on 26 August 1863. Fundraising for 1803 further buildings was conducted through a bazaar organised • The Yarra River was where the first documented inland by wealthy Catholic Melbourne benefactors. European visit to Victoria occurred. New South Wales • By the end of the year, new temporary brick and timber Surveyor General, Charles Grimes, explored the Yarra River buildings were constructed for a laundry and reformatory. as part of an expedition to forestall possible French interest By the following year, 60 penitents in the Magdalen Asylum in the Bass Strait area. Grimes explored the river in a rowboat were employed in laundry and needlework onsite. These as far as Dights Falls. women and girls were made to wash laundry for their upkeep. 1838 1865 • Robert Hoddle surveyed land on both sides of the river into • The Sisters purchased St Heliers after it was put up for uniform-sized small farming allotments of 25 acres, except auction by the Curr family in December 1864. It enabled where constrained by natural features. the Magdalen Asylum to expand. Fences were erected to • As the Colony of Port Phillip was establishing itself, three enclose the site. pioneers lived on the Convent’s peninsula. • The Preservation School was established for girls in need • Edward Curr was a prominent Van Diemen’s Land pastoralist who of care. built his villa and farming estate, St Heliers, on the eastern bend of the river. Curr became active in local politics and in the campaign 1867 – 68 • The Industrial School was established with government to separate the Port Philip District from New South Wales. funding as part of a network of Industrial Schools housing 1843 children who were subject to court orders – ‘neglected and • Another riverside villa and farming estate, Abbotsford House criminal’. Ninety-five girls were housed by 1870. was constructed by John Orr, in a grander manner, on the 1870 – 72 Clarke Street edge of the subdivision. The suburb was named • The original section of the church was completed. It was rare after the house. The property became widely described and in that it housed a clock (that still keeps time over the site). admired. Orr was an early Member of the City of Melbourne The church is also unusual as it is one that was designed to Council. He ran steamers on the Murray, gold escorts to segment the girls of different ‘classes’ from the site, who could Melbourne and owned the docks at Port Albert. watch a service at the same time, yet not see each other. It is • Charles Liger, who for a number of years rented Orr’s still owned by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, rather than Abbotsford House, was a Member of Victoria’s first Legislative by the Catholic Church. Assembly. Liger established and was the first Vice-Chancellor of The University of Melbourne and later became the 1874 – 75 Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain. • St Joseph’s was constructed as an orphanage. It housed about 200 government wards. 1850 • Edward Curr died just months prior to the announcement 1877 – 78 of the separation of Port Phillip District and New South Wales. • The new Magdalen Asylum for penitents was constructed In his obituary, he was described as ‘The Father of Separation’ (now Sacred Heart). thus connecting the site to Victoria’s seminal parliamentary foundations.20 A tree still stands onsite that is said to have 1878 – 79 been planted by his family to commemorate the new colony • St Euphrasia’s School was constructed in response to the of Victoria. While both houses are gone, many elements of both withdrawal of government funding for ‘denominational’ schools. ‘gentleman farmlets’ are still in place, including gates, garden 1883 remnants and trees. • The second Good Shepherd convent in Australia was established in Oakleigh (later becoming the Australian Catholic University and now the site of the expanded 20 Port Phillip Gazette, 20 November 1850 Chadstone Shopping Centre).

71 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! 1886 • The future maintenance costs at Abbotsford were identified • The third Good Shepherd Australasian convent was in the consideration of the future viability of the complex. The established in Christchurch, NZ. buildings were considered to represent social welfare provision from a past era, unable to be modified to serve changed 1887 requirements and social mores. • Providence was constructed. This provided dormitories and • The Sisters of the Good Shepherd changed the delivery of classrooms for voluntary students and residents, as a form social services from an institutional base to the provision of of finishing school for female teenagers. services directly to the community. 1891 1975 • Abbotsford was declared Provincial House of Australasia by • The Victorian (Hamer) Government purchased the site the Parent House in Angers, France. It was the only noviciate to preserve its heritage and landscape values for higher for new candidates for the Good Shepherd sisterhood education use. It approached the Commonwealth Government outside France. for funding, with the $5.5 million purchase price provided 1892 by the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. • The Albert Park Good Shepherd convent was established. • The Collingwood Children’s Farm was established on a section of the Sisters’ previous farming land. 1893 • The Hobart Good Shepherd convent was established. 1976 – 77 Other Good Shepherd convents – led by the Abbotsford • The Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences and the School ‘motherhouse’ – were later built in Auckland, Wellington, of Early Childhood Development established a joint campus Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Bendigo and Tahiti. on the site. • The Sisters held a massive clearance sale and vacated the 1900 site. They retained ownership of the St Joseph’s School and • Contract drawings were signed for the main Convent Building, the church. They purchased other properties nearby. with the foundation stone laid later in the year. • The Convent of the Good Shepherd in Abbotsford became, 1977 – 78 by the turn of the century, the largest charitable institution • At the time of transfer, all buildings were in operating in the Southern Hemisphere. condition. However, most of the farm buildings and farm yards, as well as the boiler house and stable built along St 1901 Heliers Street, were demolished, being seen to be surplus • A fundraising movement was inaugurated by Lord Hopetoun, to requirements for higher education. entitled ‘The World’s Fair’, which commenced on 12 October • Many more demolitions were mooted, but did not proceed. at the Royal Exhibition Building. This raised £37,000 for Still owned by the Sisters, the Orphanage was demolished building to begin on the main Convent Building. and the Good Shepherd Nursing Home was constructed. 1902 1988 – 89 • Construction began on the Convent Annexe. • The Commonwealth Government’s Dawkins ‘reforms’ led to amalgamation of smaller higher education institutes. The 1905 Lincoln Institute was absorbed into La Trobe University and • St Anne’s was built to enclose the Magdalen Asylum courtyard. the School of Early Childhood Development by The University 1908 of Melbourne. • Rosina was built as the Scared Heart Class for voluntary • The University of Melbourne retained ownership of the former entrants, largely older women who would work alongside Junior School as a kindergarten, while the rest of the site was the girls in the Magdalen Asylum. transferred to La Trobe University. 1911 1993 • St Mary’s Class was under construction in late 1910 and • The university-owned Convent land and the Collingwood early 1911. It was built for older orphans, disabled children Children’s Farm was placed on the Historic Buildings Register. and also housed a boarding school. Later, new immigrants, 1994 – 1996 largely from Southern Europe would leave their daughters • The Urban Land Corporation was commissioned to sell the land. in the care of the Sisters for a time, whilst they established themselves in Melbourne. 1996 – 1997 • The Capital City Trail bicycle path was constructed on a route 1931 between the Convent site and the Collingwood Children’s Farm. • The Great Depression increased the demand for services at the Abbotsford Convent. • In 1997, the Urban Land Corporation accepted the highest offer from developer Australand. Reputed to be over $20 1934 million, it more than doubled the Valuer General’s valuation. • A great flood peaked on 1 December, destroying and washing • The initial proposal was for approximately 240 units on the away the fountain from Abbotsford House, together with walls north and south sites including three-storey units along and fences and other early landscape features. the bike path and many other large new buildings among the existing buildings. Many existing buildings were to be 1972 demolished, with some to retain just their facade. • The Sisters of the Good Shepherd undertook a review of the Order’s work and the future of their various large institutional 1998 complexes. Abbotsford then cared for 139 women of all ages, • The Abbotsford Convent Coalition (ACC) was formed to a far cry from the peak of nearly 1,000 girls and women, earlier oppose the development. The public’s passion for the site in the century. saw a long and hard fought community campaign.

72 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! • The ACC developed an alternate proposal, based on • St Euphrasia’s restoration was finished to house the community arts, tourism, hospitality and training objectives. community radio station 3MBS. This was lodged in the form of a planning application to the • The ground floor of Rosina was restored with the support City of Yarra and was exhibited alongside the developer’s of the JT Reid Charitable Trust. A commercial kitchen was application in Richmond Town Hall. opened and weddings and events began to happen onsite. 1999 • A community access auditorium was opened for use. • Potential tenants made commitments to the site and to the 2008 ACC’s proposal and benefactors pledged substantial financial • c3 Contemporary Art Space was opened. support. Prominent philanthropist Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE made a significant donation to support the ACC’s campaign. • The upstairs section of the Rosina Building was restored for performing arts use. Support for this project was gained from • A state panel scheme hearing examined both proposals the Commonwealth Government, the Dara Foundation, The Ian and gave qualified support for the Australand proposal. Potter Foundation, The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, The • The City of Yarra abandoned its support for the Dyson Bequest, The Robert Salzer Foundation and a number Australand proposal. of individuals. 2000 • The Convent festival program commenced with the Pushover • A Project Facilitation Reference Group was established by event and the Writers’ at the Convent festival. the new Bracks Government and produced its final report in November. 2009 • A new website, newsletter and merchandise were created. 2004 • The first edition of the site’s history book was published. • ACC campaigning resulted in the site being won and gifted • St Heliers Street Store and Gallery opened. to the public by the Victorian Government under Premier • Kappaya Japanese Soul Food Cafe opened. Steve Bracks. The state government announced the upcoming transfer by deed to the ACF to run the Convent site, on behalf • Restoration of the Mercator Building began with the support of the public. of the Sidney Myer Fund Commemorative Grants Program. • The state government provided the ACF with $4 million to • Commonwealth Government Stimulus Package funds were won, begin restoration. The City of Yarra provided $1 million. Three with services works commencing on the Sacred Heart buildings. staff were appointed and part of the Providence Building was • Carpentry repairs to doors, windows and general building restored to house the ACF. fabric of the Sacred Heart buildings were completed. • High-pressure drain cleaning to a number of old sewer and 2005 storm water pipes took place. • The Convent was opened to the public. • The ACF gained ownership of the land on the northern car park. 2010 • A volunteer program commenced. • The Convent was accepted as a Member of the prestigious • The main Convent Building and the Annexe were restored, European network of historical monuments that are now including the installation of fire sprinklers. These would later arts and cultural sites: Réseau Européen des Centres house three hospitality businesses, 46 artist studios, 34 arts Culturels de Rencontre. and educational organisations and six venue hire spaces. • Eighty per cent of the remaining Mercator Building was • The first works package was undertaken – including re-roofing restored to create ten hard arts studios. Tenants moved in. and installing the fire ring main. • Works were undertaken on Sacred Heart, including • Asbestos and hazardous materials were removed across the site. the demolition of inappropriate modernist building • The laundry buildings were re-roofed. interventions, the establishment of fire protection services, telecommunications and heating services. • Works were completed on the Providence Building to house a ground floor arts studio for people with a disability. • A new ‘breezeway’ was created to enable traffic through the Sacred Heart section of the site. • The Heritage Gardens restoration were underway with a grant from the RE Ross Trust and support from a Commonwealth • The Rudd Government apologised to members of the Government Green Team group. ‘Forgotten Australians’. This was closely followed by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who apologised to those with painful 2006 memories of their times at the Good Shepherd Convents. • A CEO was appointed. 2011 • Tours commenced around the site, led by volunteers. • Works were undertaken to open the ground floor of the • The first major commercial tenants commenced trading, Industrial School. including the Convent Bakery and Lentil as Anything. • The roof vents of the main Convent Building were replaced. • The Sophia Mundi Steiner School moved its primary school • The restoration of the public spaces of the main Convent to the newly restored St Mary’s Building. Building were undertaken. • Gas was connected to the site. • The Theiss/Melbourne Water volunteer day saw monumental • Machinery for charging fees in the car park was installed. landscaping works done across the site by 180 people to a value 2007 of more than $120,000. • A staff restructure was achieved. A Fundraising Manager, • The environmental sustainability work groups commenced. Marketing Coordinator and a Venue and Tenancy Coordinator • Friendraising lunches commenced, introducing new friends were appointed. to the Convent. • The ACF broke even operationally. • Works were completed to save the Separation Oak. • The WellBeing wing moved into the main Convent Building. • Fringe Furniture was held at the Convent for the first time, • The monthly Slow Food Farmers’ Market was launched. showcasing local industrial designers.

73 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! • The Convent, a novel written by Convent tenant Maureen • Improved operational safety systems and emergency response McCarthy, set at the Convent, increased interest in the protocols were established and staff were trained in processes. Convent’s story. Similarly, author Kerry Greenwood based • Public surveys were introduced, with 2,000 visitors invited to her 2012 novel (in the Phryne Fisher series) at the Magdalen guide planning. Laundries of the Convent. The book’s cover features the • Partnership with the NAB delivered 16 graduates to assist Abbotsford Convent, and filming for its TV adaptation in the with c3’s Business Plan and a Venue Hire Marketing Plan. ABC’s Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, was undertaken onsite. • The Convent reviewed and revitalised its internship model, 2012 resulting in more internships. • New roles in Community Relations and • Interpretive signage – 40 new signs with text and images – Programming commenced. were installed across the site. • The next five-year Business Plan was written. • A partnership with Yarra Energy Foundation was developed • The Environmental Sustainability Strategy was written. to explore cost-neutral solar panelling. • The Bikefest Picnic and Ride to Work Day events were • People counters were installed at each of the seven gates. hosted to encourage cycling to the Convent. • Cigarette bins were installed around the site. • The Let Me Out! outdoor art exhibition was launched • A landscape plan for the main area of the site was delivered, with 20 visual artists. following community consultation. • The Shadow Electric Cinema and Bandroom began • More bicycle racks were purchased with a donation from The operation, showing 48 films over summer. Ian Potter Foundation. • The Good Hustle, the Convent’s first co-produced • An ACF Operations office was created. contemporary live music program was launched with • The ACF installed a watering system to save the Separation Tree. 900 punters attending. • St Mary’s roof, walls and ceiling were repaired. • The Spiritous curatorial funding program was launched. • The main fire service pump was replaced. • The first School Holiday Program for children was launched, • The first Globelight Festival – a lighting installation event with 230 attendees. – took place. • Three independent theatre companies each presented • c3 received a $25,000 Arts Victoria grant for programming. a season onsite. • The Besen Foundation supported the development of a new 2014 • The Sacred Heart Oratory was restored. website for Convent gallery, c3 Contemporary Art Space. • The ACF launched a new brand, logo and website. • c3 was granted a free space to participate at the Melbourne Art Fair. • New onsite donation facilities were installed at the two main gates. • Universal access works were completed to give compliant disability access to the external eating spaces at the Convent • The ACF Communications role was expanded to incorporate – supported by the Trust Company, the Commonwealth more social media functions, develop a new suite a printed Government and the City of Yarra. collateral and build the publicity function. The Annual Giving Program was launched. • The electrification of external double doors took place for universal access and ramp access to the main Convent Building. • An appeal to ‘Finish the Job’ of restoring the Convent was launched, coinciding with the November state election. • The Antique Bookstore was restored for creative workshops. • New car park infrastructure was installed to make • The Convent Annexe toilets were restored. parking at the Convent easier. Thirty minutes free parking • The Bendigo Bank joined as a sponsor of Open Day, which was introduced. hosted more than 5,000 visitors. • Safety improvements were made to St Heliers Street. • A new database was built. • The Convent re-launched Music in the Round – a classical • The School’s new playground was built in the former music event. swimming pool. • The Convent’s tenth birthday celebrations took place! • Series five of Underbelly was filmed onsite, generating new income for restoration work. 2013 • Restoration of the Annexe’s disability toilets took place. • Work began on the next five-year plan, including a focus on gaining funds to finish the job. • Rosina Auditorium’s repainting and restoration were completed. • The Collaborative creative collaborations funding program was launched. • The Ironing Rooms were restored. • The first tenant-run Pop Up Shop was created over summer, selling tenants’ wares. • The inaugural Studio Start-up program commenced, where three graduate visual arts students were given a studio for free for 12 months. • One hundred per cent tenancy level was achieved throughout the year. • The Bendigo Bank provided professional development sessions for tenants.

74 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (8): ABBOTSFORD CONVENT TENANTS (as at May 2014)

The Convent is fortunate to have a great collection of talented people and dynamic organisations onsite. Thank you all for your support and for bringing life to the site!

HOSPITALITY SUSTAINABILITY WRITERS, PUBLISHERS Micheline Lee – Writer & Painter The Boiler Room Bar BUSINESSES & PLAYWRIGHTS Kasia Lynch – Visual Artist Bursaria Brave New Eco Didem Caia – Playwright Rick Matear – Painter Cam’s Cafe Greencheck Architects Chris Daffey – Screenwriter Ross McNair – Film Maker Convent Bakery Lisa Dombrovski – Screenwriter Niki na Meadhra – Storyteller Kappaya Japanese Soul DESIGN BUSINESSES Stephen Gray – Writer Adam Paquette – Food Cafe CLP Design Graham Hardy – Advocate Painter & Writer Lentil as Anything Raye Collins – Art Conservator Melanie Joosten – Writer Yvonne Patton – Painter The Shadow Electric Bar Cone 11 – Ceramics Studio Nam Le – Writer Mary Peacock – Visual Artist Dhiren Bhagwandas – Designer Kids’ Own Publishing Matthew Quick – Painter ARTS ORGANISATIONS Sharon Grigg – Art Conservator Maureen McCarthy – Writer Cathy Quinn – Painter c3 Contemporary Art Space Hart Design Jim McIntyre – Writer James Rogers – Industrial Designer Complete Works Theatre Justin Hutchinson Design Roslyn Oades – Playwright Lizzy Sampson – Visual Artist Company Katheryn Leopoldseder – Paddy O’Reilly – Writer Illustrators Australia Jeweller Jacqueline Ross – Writer Joanne Saunders – Instrument Maker Impro Melbourne Hannah Lewi – Kate Ryan – Writer Trudy Schuringa – Photographer KAGE Heritage Architect David Simpson – Poet Kate Shelton – Visual Artist Melbourne Art Therapy Sarah McCormack – Jen Storer – Writer Landscape Architect Vivian Cooper Smith – St Heliers Street Gallery Tony Wilson – Writer Louise Sanger – Shoemaker Visual Artist Chris Womersley – Writer Snowdon Architects Charlie Sublet – Hunter Gatherer Yaffa Publishing Group CULTURAL & CHARITABLE Urban Commons Simon Swingler – Illustrator ORGANISATIONS Zaishu Pty. Ltd. Hanna Tai – Visual Artist 3MBS Fine Music CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS Brian Wise – Broadcaster ACF Taj Alexander – Art Director Short-term Studio – Various Big Hearted Business WELLBEING PRACTITIONERS Aliça Bryson-Haynes – Studio Start-up – Various Interact Australia Kate Barnett, Bronwyn Munro – Visual Artist Alexander Technique Major International Pictures Miriam Butcher – Gael Bayley – Massage Mayibuye Photographer & Paper Artist Vicki Boucher – Ayurveda The Shadow Electric Cinema Sal Cooper – Animator & Bandroom Julia Broome – Feldenkrais Pip Davey – Visual Artist The Song Room Katie Burke – Kinesiology Lucy Desbordes – Visual Artist The Wurundjeri Tribe Land The Chiron Centre – Michael Doolan – Sculptor Brian Clark & Glenys Lawton & Compensation Cultural Emily Floyd – Visual Artist Heritage Council Aruna Giri – Rolfing Method Jesse Fulton – Musician Jo Kennedy – Focusing Australia Wendy Golden – Fibre Artist LEARNING ORGANISATIONS Kate Lukis & Mark Lambrick – Homeopathy Rona Green – Print Maker Drama Victoria John Meredith – Kinsei Isaac Greener – French tête-à-tête Installation Artist One Heart Yoga & Meditation – Organisational Learning Anahata Giri Roland Harvey – Australia Illustrator & Writer Liz Short – Community Sophia Mundi Steiner School Psychology/Counselling Sophie Hill – Craft Maker Victorian Music Teachers Julian Stow – Acupuncture Jessica Hood – Photographer Association Yena Jung – Visual Artist CREATIVE CONSULTANCY Ralf Kempken – Stencil Artist MC Two Bryan Kearns – Animator & New Media Practitioner

75 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (9): ABBOTSFORD CONVENT REGULAR VENUE HIRERS

The Convent has a long history of regular venue hirers who beneﬁt from the range of amenities available onsite. The following list includes some of the Convent’s regular venue hirers who use the site for planning days, team workshops, rehearsals, meetings and conferences. Thank you to all of our venue hire clients for supporting the Abbotsford Convent with your business.

COMMUNITY GROUPS Melbourne Fringe Phoenix Institute of Australia Swinburne University Moreland City Council Australian Vietnamese Women’s Melbourne Recital Centre Public Interest Law Clearing University High The Office of the Minister Association Next Wave Festival House The University of Melbourne for Planning Centre for Multicultural Youth Persian Fair Rotary Melbourne Refugee & Immigration Legal The Royal Agricultural Society Pop M’art GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Centre Inc. Limited The Push Australian Communications Scope Victoria Rob Deakin Design & Media Authority Sisters of the Good Shepherd CORPORATE GROUPS Speakeasy Cinema Copyright Agency Aesop Trust for Nature Sustainable Living Festival Creative Partnerships Australia AMCOR Sidney Myer Fund The Torch Project Distance Education Victoria BJ Seminars International United Nations Youth Australia Environment Victoria BP VECCI NOT-FOR-PROFIT EPA Channel 10 ORGANISATIONS Victoria Legal Aid Melbourne Water Coffey Environments Anglican Overseas Aid Workplace Training Advisory Metropolitan Fire Brigade Australia Coles Supermarkets Anglicare Museum Victoria World Vision Computershare ASCO Operation Newstart YMCA DGM Advertising Australian Red Cross Parks Victoria Duck for Cover Management Australian Volunteers Regional Arts Victoria HEALTH ORGANISATIONS Ezibuy International VicHealth The Austin Hospital Foxtel Baptcare VicRoads GlaxoSmithKline Australia Berry Street Inner West Area Mental Health St Vincent’s Hospital Finance Victoria Legal Aid Health IQ Cancer Council of Victoria Melbourne Hospital Services Victorian Police The Just Group CBM – Nossal Partnership Department Yarra Valley Water MEI Live Clean Energy Council The Mirabel Foundation Mushroom Publishing Family Planning Victoria North Yarra Community Health GOVERNMENT National Australia Bank Federation of Community Odyssey House Victoria Arts Victoria OMC International Legal Centres St Vincent’s Mental Health Australia Council Shell Forensicare City of Darebin Sodexho Gawler Foundation EDUCATIONAL City of Port Phillip Council Urban Seed Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand ORGANISATIONS City of Stonnington Vitasoy Greenpeace Billanook College City of Yarra Warner Bros Guide Dogs Victoria Catholic Education Office Department of Broadband, HomeGround Services Deakin University Communications & the CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS Digital Economy Infoxchange Design Research Institute (RMIT) Ausdance Victoria Fitzroy High School Department of Education & International Cricket Council, Early Childhood Development Australian Society of Authors East Asia-Pacific Genazzano FCJ College Department of Human Services Balletlab International Women’s Global Cities Institute (RMIT) Department of Justice The Black Arm Band Company Development Holmesglen TAFE Circus Oz Jesuit Social Services Department of Planning Lauriston Girls’ School & Community Development The Decoupage Guild Kids Under Cover Monash University Department of Sustainability Dumbo Feather Magazine Melbourne City Mission National Institute for the & Environment Evolve Yoga Festival The Myer Foundation Dramatic Arts (NIDA) Department of Transport Film Adventures North Melbourne Legal Service NMIT Department of Treasury Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Oxfam RMIT University & Finance

76 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (10): ANNUAL VISITATION TO THE CONVENT BY ELECTORATE

Based on August 2013 survey of 2000 visitors (scaled up to 850,000 total 2013 Convent visitors).

UPPER HOUSE LOWER HOUSE Eastern Metropolitan 101,575 Albert Park 19,125 Footscray 10,200 Nepean 1,700 Eastern Victoria 28,475 Altona 2,125 Forest Hill 2,975 Niddrie 2,125 Northern Metropolitan 351,050 Ballarat 1,275 Frankston 4,250 Northcote 63,750 Northern Victoria 21,250 Ballarine 1,275 Geelong 850 Oakleigh 6,375 South Eastern Metropolitan 26,350 Bass 1,275 Gembrook 1,275 Ovens Valley 1,275 Southern Metropolitan 174,250 Bayswater 2,550 Gippsland East 2,125 Pascoe Vale 13,175 Western Metropolitan 46,325 Benambra 1,275 Gippsland South 3,825 Polwarth 1,275 Western Victoria 19,550 Bendigo East 2,125 Hastings 1,275 Prahran 14,450 Bentleigh 5,525 Hawthorn 27,625 Preston 24,650 (Interstate 51,425) Box Hill 17,850 Ivanhoe 22,100 Richmond 151,300 (International 28,900) Brighton 14,025 Kew 47,600 Ringwood 8,500 (No ﬁxed address 850) Broadmeadows 4,250 Keysborough 425 Sandringham 3,400 Brunswick 22,525 Kororoit 5,100 Scoresby 3,400 Bulleen 10,625 Lara 6,800 Seymour 2,125 Bundoora 2,975 Lowan 425 Shepparton 850 Buninyong 1,275 Macedon 3,400 South Barwon 1,275 Burwood 11,050 Malvern 14,875 South West Coast 2,125 Carrum 1,700 Melbourne 63,750 St Albans 1,700 Caulﬁeld 10,200 Melton 2,975 Sunbury 850 Clarinda 8,500 Mill Park 2,550 Swan Hill 425 Cranbourne 1,275 Monbulk 3,825 Sydnenham 2,550 Croydon 6,375 Mordialloc 3,825 Tarneit 425 Dandenong 850 Mornington 4,675 Thomastown 4,675 Eildon 4,250 Morwell 1,275 Warrandyte 10,625 Eltham 9,775 Mount Waverley 9,350 Werribee 3,825 Essendon 8,500 Mulgrave 2,125 Williamstown 4,675 Evelyn 5,100 Narracan 850 Yan Yean 5,525 Ferntree Gully 850 Narre Warren 1,275 Yuroke 1,700

77 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (11): THE ACF BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMMITTEE PERSONNEL AND CURRENT VOLUNTEERS

The ACF is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Anthony Cullen recently finished a six-month consultancy The ACF Board Members volunteer their time and expertise with the ACF where he held the role of Chief Operating Officer, to govern the organisation and to oversee the management helping the Board and CEO to develop the model for the of the Convent. activities of the Convent. Prior to this, Anthony was with Fairfax BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Media for 12 years, holding various senior and executive roles in that time. As Head of Property for Fairfax Media, Anthony was Victoria Marles – Chair – is currently the CEO of Trust for responsible for over 300 leasehold and freehold sites, ranging Nature (the Victorian Conservation Trust), a position she has from small suburban sales offices to the 22,000m2 Sydney head held since late 2009. Prior to assuming this role, Victoria was office at Darling Island. The major focus over the last 24 months Victoria’s Legal Services Commissioner and Chief Executive at Fairfax was the relocation to Darling Island of its head office Officer of the Legal Services Board. As a lawyer, Victoria involving a fit out of 22,000m2 for 2000 staff. At the same time, specialised in media and communications law and policy and Anthony led the Media House project to develop the $140 million was the Deputy Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman purpose-built, sustainable office in Melbourne CBD – housing the and, prior to that, the Deputy Director of the Communications 1,300 Melbourne-based staff. Anthony’s business career spans Law Centre. Victoria has a background in the arts, having 25 years of senior management and executive positions graduated in drama from the Victorian College of the Arts. in finance and property roles. She has held various board positions, including the Victorian is a Fellow of the Australian Institute Arts Centre, the Victorian Women’s Trust and the Melbourne Ronald Alan Jones of Landscape Architects, an Adjunct Professor of Landscape Writers Festival. Victoria was Chair of the Circus Oz Board for Architecture at RMIT University and a Member of the Victorian 14 years. Victoria is currently a Board Member of the Consumer Government Architect’s Design Review Panel. He is a Director of Action Law Centre and a Director of the Australian Advertising Jones & Whitehead Pty. Ltd., a practice established in 2000 that Standards Council. focuses on public landscapes and urban design, including related Charlotte Allen – Co-Deputy Chair – is a qualified policy development, urban design frameworks, masterplans and physiotherapist and also has an arts degree. She has public space design. Before this, Ron was a Member of the City worked as a physiotherapist in New Zealand, South Africa of Melbourne’s Urban Design team, where he played a leading and England. After completing her arts degree, she worked role in developing Melbourne’s urban design strategy and as a Journalist in New Zealand, before migrating to Australia several major projects. in 1988. She worked at the Environment Protection Authority wrote Rare: A Life among Antiquarian Books Victoria for six years, as Journalist and Manager, Community Stuart Kells and has published a series of books about books including Affairs. She runs her own company which specialises in the epic Australian Book Collectors. He speaks regularly community consultation, planning and environmental issues. and enthusiastically on the history and value of printed books, Charlotte lives in Abbotsford and was one of the core members including at Clunes Booktown, Melbourne Rare Book Week and of the Abbotsford Convent Coalition. Duneira. Beyond the field of rare books, Stuart has written on David Laidlaw – Co-Deputy Chair – is a partner in a major regulation and business performance and has had a diverse Melbourne law firm. In his practice, David acts in a wide range career in government, academia and the private sector, of large-scale tort, contract and corporate litigation matters. including as Victoria’s Assistant Auditor-General, Head His board appointments have included Asian Law Centre Board, of the Office of Manufacturing and in roles at the Melbourne The University of Melbourne, Law Institute Council, the Federal Institute, Potter Warburg and KPMG. Stuart was an economic Attorney General’s International Legal Services Advisory adviser to three consecutive premiers of Victoria, and was Council, the ADVOC Asia Board and Inter-Pacific Bar Association formerly on the board of the Industry Capability Network (Vic); Council. He is also a current Board Member of the Melbourne the Victorian Government’s Gateway Supervisory Committee; Prize Trust. David has a keen interest and involvement in the the Advisory Panel on Employment Services Accountability arts, which stretches back to his days as a national student arts and Administration; and the Defence Reserves Support Council leader. David has served on a number of arts boards and was (Vic). Stuart has a PhD in Law from Monash University and a instrumental in fostering his law firm’s support of Australian B.Comm and a M.Comm, both with first class honours, from artists, including its sponsorship of artists selected to represent The University of Melbourne. Australia at various Venice Biennales. He was also responsible for the establishment of the Maddocks’ Art Prize for emerging artists in the visual arts. He and his wife Megan also run cattle on their farm property in Western Victoria.

78 MORE ABOUT Let’s finish the job! Patricia O’Donnell is, by training, an educational psychologist Antonia Syme is the Director of the Australian Tapestry and historian and has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree from Workshop (ATW) in Melbourne. She has many years’ experience The University of Melbourne. From 1978 – 2002, Patricia in the arts and cultural sector as a director, consultant, was the Owner and Manager of the heritage-listed Mietta’s conservator and curator. She is the Director of Syme Dodson Queenscliff Hotel, which earned many hospitality and tourism Consulting. She was the Director of Artbank for more than 10 awards. She also established the North Fitzroy Star as an inner years. Her experience has spanned both the private and public city neighbourhood bar and restaurant. Patricia has been a sector, in Australian cultural institutions and as Co-Director volunteer with Lifeline, Citizens Advice Bureau and, currently, of Syme Dodson Gallery in Sydney. Antonia was the Chair of with the Neighbourhood Justice Centre. Patricia was the Craft Australia from 2009 – 2011 and has been on its Board initiator and Deputy President of the Queenscliff Carnival of since 2007. Board and Committee memberships include the Words and Host of the Queenscliff Music Festival and is now the NSW National Trust’s Museums and Collections Committee, the host for the annual Writers’ Dinner for the Melbourne Writers Commonwealth Government’s Taxation Incentives for the Arts Festival. Patricia was a Member of the Library Board of Victoria Committee, the Heritage Council (NSW) Maritime Archaeological (1999 – 2008) and is currently a Board Member of the Australian Advisory Panel, the Sydney College of the Arts Board and the Art Orchestra, the Mietta Foundation and the executive Camden Park Preservation Committee. committees of the Friends of 45 Downstairs and the Mietta Libby Ward-Christie is the Investment and Growth Manager Song Recital Award. at Social Traders Ltd., a social enterprise development Sally Romanes is an artist and, by training, a commercial organisation. Libby works with the community, corporate lawyer. Before migrating to Australia, she worked with the and philanthropic sectors to support commercially viable major City of London law firm Slaughter and May for eight organisations that trade to achieve a social or community years and then, after a stint at The University of Melbourne benefit. She has an MBA from Melbourne Business School. Law School, joined Arthur Robinson and Hedderwicks (now Libby has held a number of senior business planning, community AllensLinklaters) where she spent several years, before deciding engagement and project management roles in local government to make a radical change to painting. Her professional legal and the community sector. She also has a Master of Landscape career involved wide experience of corporate and commercial Architecture and has worked as an environmental consultant law, including takeovers, acquisitions, loans and other finance and an open space planner. Libby lives in the local community. and fundraisings. She was a Committee Member and then President of the Watercolour Society of Victoria (1996 – 2003) Thank you to the former Members of the ACF Board (below), and from 1999 – 2007, was a Member of the core group of the who committed many hours to voluntary governance roles Abbotsford Convent Coalition and the Abbotsford Convent – leading the activation of the Convent site. Implementation Group. Alongside her engagement in family Bill Russell (former Chair), Hayden Raysmith AM (former Chair), pastoral interests, she is actively involved in supporting the Roger Allen AM, Professor Catherin Bull AM, David Gibbs, arts. She is on the committee of the Mietta Song Competition Tim Hammon and Professor Andrea Hull AO. and the Board of Environmental Justice Australia. Michael Smith is a former Editor of The Age who had a 25-year career in journalism, including appointments as a ACF COMMITTEES AND MEMBERS Foreign Correspondent, Investigative Reporter, Medical Governance Committee Strategic Initiatives Audit Committee Correspondent, Sports Reporter and Editorial Writer. Taskforce He now runs a consultancy specialising in media, issues Charlotte Allen Charlotte Allen Ronald Alan Jones management, crisis and strategic communications. He is Maggie Maguire Peter Doughty a former John S Knight Fellow at Stanford University and Victoria Marles Stuart Kells David Laidlaw Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. Michael Sally Romanes David Laidlaw Maggie Maguire is a Life Member of the Melbourne Press Club and a former Michael Smith Maggie Maguire John Di Natale President of the Ardoch Youth Foundation, which helps Antonia Syme Libby Ward-Christie Kevin Quigley disadvantaged children stay in the education system. Michael was a Member of the Abbotsford Convent Implementation Michael Sokulski Group and a founding Member of the ACF Board. He rejoined Arts Committee Finance & Capital Works Committee the Board in 2010. Jude Anderson Hospitality Reference Anthony Cullen Prof. Andrea Hull AO Group Michael Sokulski is a chartered accountant and finance Anthony Felettigh professional with Ernst and Young. He has significant David Laidlaw Stephanie Alexander AO Maggie Maguire experience in the accounting field, including the delivery of Maggie Maguire Guy Grossi Simon Mahony financial assurance projects, internal audits, compliance work, Antonia Syme Maggie Maguire financial reporting analysis and accounting advice across a John Di Natale Andrew McConnell broad spectrum of private and public clients. He has advised Michael Sokulski James Murphy on a variety of transactions including IPOs, acquisitions and Design & Landscape Patricia O’Donnell business divestments. Michael has also chaired the Young Architecture Group Professionals’ Panel for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Peter Elliot AM Fundraising Committee Rebecca Scott promoting the interests of young members and driving Ronald Alan Jones David Gibbs engagement with the broader community. Nigel Lewis Maggie Maguire Maggie Maguire Victoria Marles Patricia O’ Donnell Sally Romanes Libby Ward Christie

79 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! THE ACF’S VOLUNTEERS The ACF has a wonderful and committed group of volunteers who come regularly to the site to help across a range of activities. The ACF is very grateful, not only for past volunteer support, but also for the essential help and ongoing support of current volunteers (as at May 2014) as listed below: Judith Allen Oliver Christie Ilona Hamilton Sharon McMahon Simone Ruggiero Guilhem Vu Sharon Andrewartha Olivia Corby Jarrah Hume-Cook Marg McVey Clive Rumney Bruce Ward Nkechi Anele Sandra Del Monaco Delphine Laboreau- Megg Minos Jenny Russell Rhonda Watson Janet Bennett Janine Delmenico Ormancey Wayne Murphy Trudy Schuringa Jan Williams Peter Bennett Bridget Doyle Marita Lacota Niki na Meadhra David Simpson Moyna Wilson Melanie Booth Leona D’Vaz Janine Laity Rema O’Neill Elizabeth Spear Peter Zleidler Mary Burgess Gian Garambone Sally Ann Lawford Maree Pattas Julian Stow Janine Cameron Vincent Georges Jeremy Leung Mary Peacock Amber Tan Jinlei Cao Michelle Gordon Geoﬀrey Lewis Georgia Pitliangas Leonardus van der Pluym Grace Cheng Madonna Grehan Marg McCormack Yolande Reid Jasmine Varrasso

MORE ABOUT (12): THE CONVENT’S ONGOING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, BUILDING AND AMENITY WORK

The Convent’s operation costs preclude it from providing a –Garden maintenance, upkeep, new plants, arborists surplus to cover the large works required to finish the site in support and tree works a timely manner. Below is a list demonstrating what the ACF’s –Compliance works such as fire rating, exit light replacements $2.5 million operations costs annually cover: and back flow prevention devices for the water supply – Staffing costs (16 full-time-equivalent staff costs) – Works on the mechanical plants –Administration, marketing and communications – Works to make the site more environmentally sustainable – Insurance – Communications upgrades and maintenance – Cleaning interiors, toilets, showers and kitchens –Dust proofing –Maintenance and restoration of carpets, tiling and – Possum, bee and vermin proofing timber floors – Graffiti removal –Maintenance and improvements to the car park – Toilet paper stock. and associated infrastructure – Lock maintenance (for more than 500 doors) Not annual but ongoing: – Lift maintenance – Repairing 19th century ovens – Site security –Updating and installation of new power distribution boards – Cleaning, restoration and maintenance of gutters – Fire extinguisher replacement –Plumbing repairs, cleaning and replacement of stormwater – Electrical upgrades pipes, drains, mains water pipes, gas mains, sprinklers, – Soundproofing sewers and valve replacements – Soft furnishing repair and replacement –Electrical repairs and updating of light and fittings, – Leadlight glass repair. external and internal, switchboard upgrades and power point replacements – Roof, carpentry and general fabric repairs – Painting of external woodwork and internal walls – Hydronic heating system: repairs and upgrades –Grounds works: including repairing pathways, bollard installations, concrete and asphalt improvements and works to make the site more universally accessible

80 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! MORE ABOUT (13): A SUSTAINABILTY SHOWCASE

• The ACF has developed a site-wide sustainability strategy. Mercator Building It outlines how the Convent will set a global benchmark of –Investigate how kiln heat can be transferred through retrofitting heritage buildings to create positive sustainability the building in winter awareness and resilience. –Investigate the air reticulation capabilities of windows • The ACF has built a coalition of people who are knowledgeable across a range of areas in the sustainability field to inform –Build a retractable external awning over the second floor planning. Their knowledge is provided on a pro bono basis. clerestory windows • With close to one million annual visitors, the Convent has a – Install solar panels. special role to play in showing how people can live comfortably in modified heritage buildings without using vast amounts of Convent Annexe energy. The ACF has found that its audience is interested in – Investigate how ovens can heat the building getting involved and they read the site’s interpretive signage. –Install kitchen gardens for hospitality tenants The ACF wants to ‘do its bit’ to help Australia reduce its carbon use and, in the process, inspire clever modifications – Improve and monitor site recycling to heritage buildings onsite and across the country. – Encourage participation in the hospitality compost program. • Similar to much inner urban and regional building stock, many buildings onsite were erected before the advent of Providence Building air-conditioning and high electricity use. The site’s buildings – Install external blinds to west-facing windows will be easily modified to be comfortable in a range of weather – Install sunken rainwater tanks. conditions whilst using little energy. • With a large creative capacity onsite, the Convent will not St Euphrasia only become a high profile showcase for retrofitting heritage – Install rainwater tanks. buildings but also become an exemplar of building community capacity around change through interesting, lateral, fun, Rosina Building creative and dynamic pilot programs. – Install solar panels. • The ACF will develop signage and digital communications Sacred Heart to exemplify all of its sustainability initiatives. – Utilise recycled building materials where possible • The ACF will, alongside its tenants, develop community projects that will be driven and owned by the tenant – Install waterless urinals, dual-flush toilet cisterns community (eg. waste management projects, interior – Install assisted ventilation systems in chimneys manual air circulation programs, edible garden projects, –Restore all window guards so windows can be left open bicycle user groups). securely • The ACF will roll out its strategy for encouraging non-car transport to the Convent – see ‘More About’ (4) – page 67. It –Restore showers (flow restricted) and add change rooms will also install an electric vehicle charging facility in its car park. for cyclist support facilities for tenants • The ACF will install environmentally sustainable design –Install grey water recycling systems and storm water tanks interventions across the site and within the remaining 5,000+ –Install sensor lights, daylight pipes, skylights, LED lights square metres of currently unrestored heritage buildings, across the site, smart meters and time switches to ensure that the restoration program incorporates best practice sustainable initiatives. – Make improvements to stop duct leakage SUSTAINABILITY INTERVENTIONS WILL INCLUDE: – Isolate room heating – Install roof, floor and wall insulation Main Convent Building –Investigate ventilation system design and how it can – Investigate pre-existing ventilation be better utilised to cool the building – Install internal blinds and reinstate external blinds –Install flyscreens and locking devices to lock windows open –Plant trees around the building, pot plants and install green in the evenings to cool the building in summer walls to provide shade and a grey water ground fountain to – Install external blinds on north, east and west-facing windows decrease courtyard heat gain. – Install insulation in all second floor ceilings –Fund the manufacturing of purpose-built window planter boxes.

81 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! Help us ﬁnish the job!

82 MORE ABOUT Let’s ﬁnish the job! Everyone has a Part to Play

Everyone has a part to play in ﬁnishing the job of restoring the Convent!

Over the page is a donation form. Please consider completing it, cutting it out of the booklet and posting it back to us.

Do you want to help but you cannot aﬀord to donate money to the Convent? There are other ways to help!

Please share this booklet with friends or family members who you think might want to know more about us. Let us know if you would like more copies to pass on to others.

We will post on the Convent’s website many of the quotes within this booklet. Do you want to also write a few sentences about what the Convent means to you? Your words on our website will help others to understand why the Convent is important to the community. Send us an email or a letter – all of our contact details are over the page.

Do you agree that the City of Yarra, the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth Government should support the Convent? If so, we encourage you to get in touch with them and their elected representatives to tell them why they should contribute!

The Convent is reliant on the community’s support. It is only with your help that the Convent’s future can be secured and it can reach its full potential.

Thank you in advance for playing your part.

83 EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY Let’s ﬁnish the job! Make a Donation

FOR ANY QUERIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT FOUNDATION: 03 9415 3600 | [email protected] | abbotsfordconvent.com.au/donate-today

All donations over $2 are tax-deductible I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SINGLE GIFT Please specify amount:

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A REGULAR GIFT Please specify amount: per month / quarter / year.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A BEQUEST I would like to leave an enduring legacy by supporting the Convent in my Will. Please provide your contact details and our CEO, Maggie Maguire, will contact you.

CONTACT INFORMATION Title: First Name: Last Name: Acknowledgement credit (if diﬀerent from above): Organisation (if applicable): Street Address: Suburb: State: Postcode: Phone: Email: I would like to receive the Convent’s monthly e-newsletter, The Humbug

PAYMENT METHOD Secure online transaction (visit www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au/donate-today) Cheque (payable to the Abbotsford Convent Foundation Arts Trust) Direct Debit (please quote ‘Donation’ and your name on the electronic funds transfer notice) Bank: ANZ | Account Name: Abbotsford Convent Arts Trust | BSB: 013 030 | Account Number: 1083 81773 Credit Card: Mastercard VISA Cardholder Name: Card number / / / Expiry Date / Signature:

Please tick if appropriate: I would like my gift to remain anonymous I would like to meet you and learn about the projects I could support Please cut this slip and post to: Abbotsford Convent Foundation, PO Box 417, Abbotsford, Victoria, 3067 A tax-deductible donation receipt will be promptly issued to you.

84 THE INVESTMENT CASE Let’s ﬁnish the job! CONTACT US 03 9415 3600 [email protected] [email protected] abbotsfordconvent.com.au 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria, 3067 facebook.com/abbotsfordconvent twitter.com/theconvent instagram.com/abbotsfordconvent