Case Study: Hoddle Grid Heritage Review

The City of Melbourne (CoM) engaged Spatial Vision alongside three heritage consultancies (Context, Ochre Imprints, On Country Heritage and Consulting) to provide a comprehensive review of heritage buildings in the Hoddle Grid. Through thematic and spatial analysis, the CoM gained a richer and more nuanced understanding of the cultural heritage that exists throughout the urban landscape of the central city.

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Known as the “cultural capital” of Australia, Melbourne has a rich and diverse heritage that is treasured by locals and visitors alike.

Prior to Robert Hoddle’s orderly arrangement of streets and lanes, the Birrarung (the Yarra River) nurtured the lives and spirts of the Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung peoples for millennia.

Many of the spaces and places within the heart of Melbourne are rich with meaning and special significance to the Traditional Owners and the many other people that call Melbourne home.

The City of Melbourne (CoM) engaged Spatial Vision alongside three heritage consultancies (Context Heritage, Ochre Imprints, On Country Heritage and Consulting) to provide a comprehensive review of heritage buildings in the Hoddle Grid. Through thematic and spatial analysis, the CoM gained a richer and more nuanced understanding of the cultural heritage that exists throughout the urban landscape of the central city.

Customer Profile

Solution

Benefits

Demonstrates the Council’s commitment to understand, plan for and communicate Melbourne’s rich history
Helps protect Indigenous cultural heritage and highlights sites of significance for Traditional Owners

SDGs in Focus

UN Sustainable Development Goals in Focus

This project contributes to the following sustainable goals and associated targets:

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

GOAL 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The Hoddle Grid Heritage Review contributes to the strengthening of efforts “to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage” (Target 11.4). Additionally, the project promotes “peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development” to “build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

For more information on the Sustainable Development Goal Targets and Indicators, visit: sustainabledevelopment.un.org

“The Spatial Vision team worked collaboratively with Context in finding solutions to some of the complexities posed by the project, and was very efficient in coordinating large volumes of data for meeting the specific mapping requirements of the Review.”

Chairim ByunConsultant, Context

The Issue

The City of Melbourne plays an important role in protecting the city’s heritage sites, and promoting appropriate acknowledgement and recognition of places of importance. The Hoddle Grid Heritage Review of more than 1000 buildings needed to take a holistic view of heritage by considering Aboriginal, colonial, contemporary, community, tangible and intangible values.

As one of Australia’s fastest growing cities, Melbourne is developing at a rapid pace. With such growth comes a range of considerations and sensitivities surrounding existing buildings and heritage sites. The review aimed to create clarity for land owners and developers to ensure the heritage character of pre and postwar buildings would be retained in future developments.

“This is about protecting our city’s heritage while providing certainty and clarity to landowners about how they can develop their properties while respecting the places that are significant and warrant protection,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp says of the project.

The Solution

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Spatial Vision focused on the review and refinement of data, visualisation and mapping tools to support the analysis of the multiple tangible and intangible expressions of heritage within the Hoddle Grid study area, supporting the work of the project team. A focus on spatial data collection, GIS database management, and mapping and visualisation were key to the project outcomes.

Spatial Vision also designed, produced and delivered digital visualisations (maps, images etc.) for incorporation into future stages of the project. These visualisations aid in communicating the process and story behind the heritage study findings with the CoM and the broader community.

In shaping the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review, the City of Melbourne (CoM) sought to set a new benchmark for cultural heritage preservation and recognition. An important aspect of the project was to engage with specific stakeholders, bringing their knowledge and perspectives into the project, and to gain a better appreciation of community-held heritage values. Importantly, the brief sought to closely engage with the three Traditional Owner organisations that are recognised by the City of Melbourne. Report outputs explored the concept of shared heritage, the scope of contemporary Aboriginal heritage and the policy context surrounding it.

The Benefits

The project provided the opportunity to acknowledge both the Aboriginal and post-colonial ‘heritages’ across the city’s cultural landscape, and:

Demonstrate the Council’s commitment to understand, plan for and communicate Melbourne’s rich history
Help protect Indigenous cultural heritage and highlight sites of significance for Traditional Owners
Clearly and efficiently communicate key information about the study findings to key stakeholders and the broader community through geographic representation
Aid decisions around permanent heritage controls
Aid both short- and long-term planning (i.e. social vulnerabilities, financial implications, etc.)

Our work in the Hoddle Heritage Review enables the City of Melbourne to protect places of cultural and historical significance for its citizens, visitors and future generations. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch.

The Issue

The Solution

Hoddle Grid Heritage Review, mapping Aboriginal Places: Integrated Map

Map legend

Map detail highlighting different geographic site types

The Benefits

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