The Heritage Council of Victoria has resolved to include a Maggie Edmond designed amphitheatre and Paul Couch designed pavilion in the Victorian Heritage Register, contravening a recommendation from the executive director of Heritage Victoria.
The amphitheatre and pavilion are part of the Fairfield Park Amphitheatre Complex in north-east Melbourne, which also includes a small kiosk structure. In 2021, the executive director of Heritage Victoria found neither the amphitheatre nor the pavilion met the criteria for inclusion on the state heritage register.
Following a hearing of the Heritage Council of Victoria, the complex was found to be of state-level cultural heritage significance, being particularly significant to the Greek-Australian community.
Northcote Amphitheatre designed by Edmond and Corrigan.
Image: City of Yarra
The committee found that the complex did not meet the criteria for aesthetic significance because it was not “appreciated or valued by the wider community or by an appropriately-related discipline evidenced by critical recognition or acknowledgement of exceptional merit.”
However, in giving evidence, Maggie Edmond submitted that the amphitheatre was not entered for any awards because there were no appropriate categories at the time.
The possible partial demolition of the pavilion had sparked a campaign from architects for its heritage listing.
The Heritage Council committee also considered whether the complex should be considered as one place. Edmond gave evidence that ” there is a holistic nature to, and a connection between, the three structures or elements at the Place – being the Amphitheatre, the Kiosk, and the Pavilion.”
“It was Dr Edmond’s evidence that a spatial relationship exists between the three structures, which is often woven into performances,” the council report reads. The committee agreed and hence all three structures are heritage listed as part of the Fairfield Park Amphitheatre Complex.
