Do you remember Queenscliff or Point

​Lonsdale in the 1950’s and early ‘60’s?
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Local Queenscliff resident and post graduate Melbourne University student, Lesley Alway, is currently completing a research placement with Diana Sawyer’s Research team at the Museum. She is researching post-WWII architecture and buildings in Queenscliff from 1950-65 when what we now know as ‘modernism’ came to town for her Internship Major Project: "Queenscliff Modern” : A Case Study in Heritage Transformation and Erasure.

Queenscliff is renowned for its rich and very well documented architectural history from the Colonial and Victorian periods encompassing the modest cottages at Fisherman’s Flat, to the major Victorian boom era hotels such as the Ozone and Queenscliff on Gellibrand Street. But many changes came with the advent of

‘modernism’ after the war. In particular, 1957 saw the opening of three new modern buildings such as the RSL Hall, the Riptide Motel and Queenscliff High School. During this period, many new ‘modern’ homes were built, some with plans sourced from the Small Homes Service. Many of these buildings played a significant role in community, but have since been changed or demolished. Most are not well documented - yet they are an important part of the Borough’s story.

If you have any photographs, articles, brochures, plans or other documents relating to the buildings and events of this period of Queenscliffe’s history, Lesley would love to hear from you. She is also interested in any old editions of the ‘Queenscliff Pilot’ newspaper from the 1950’s. Please contact her on alwaylesley@gmail.com or 0407860158 or via the Museum.

RSL Hall 1957

Queenscliff High School 1959?

Riptide Motel 1957