1855
District of Emerald Hill proclaimed and First Emerald Hill Council elected in June.
Orphan Asylum opens on site of current Town Hall (relocated in 1875 for the new Town Hall to be built).
1878
Emeral Hill Council holds a design competition for its new Town Hall, electing architect Charles Webb (St Paul’s Church, the Windsor Hotel, Royal Arcade). Project budget £22,000.
1879
South Melbourne Town Hall opens. The building houses Council Chambers, a public hall, the Mechanics Institute, the local police and courthouse, post and telegraph offices and the local volunteer fire brigade.
1994-95
South Melbourne, Port Melbourne and St Kilda are brought together into City of Port Phillip. The new City of Port Phillip inherits three grand-scale Victorian-era town halls at South Melbourne, St Kilda and Port Melbourne.
1997
Following the relocation of civic functions to St Kilda Town Hall, ANAM is granted a 20-year lease to occupy 54% of the building that was left vacant.
2002
Restoration of the Town Hall’s exteriors is undertaken, reinstating much of the building’s original ochre coloured skim coat, and reconstructing original mansard roofs, iron cresting and decorative parapet urns. The mansard roof reconstructions and completion of works to the clock tower receive a large grant from Heritage Victoria.
2017
ANAM signs a new 15-year lease.
2018
A roof failure leads to the collapse of a major roof beam in the ANAM office area, bring down the roof (narrowly missing two ANAM staff at their desks) and the sprinkler system extensively flooding the building’s West Wing, leading to the evacuation and temporary relocation of all tenants.
2019
The building is declared safe and ANAM returns.
2020
Engineering investigation of the building uncovers further serious structural issues in the roof structures. The building is again declared unsafe, leading to ANAM’s evacuation and temporary relocation.
2022
In a community consultation run by the City of Port Phillip, local residents and businesses vote overwhelmingly in support of ANAM’s proposal to restore the Town Hall (91% of 487 public submissions received).
2023
The City of Port Phillip grants ANAM a 50-year lease (35 years + 15 years) and agrees to invest $30m to undertake building rectification works prior to ANAM’s work commencing.
ANAM Appoints Peter Elliott Architects as the lead consultants for the much-anticipated restoration and renewal of the South Melbourne Town Hall.
2025 March
ANAM launches Building the Future Capital Campaign.
2028 January
ANAM’s projected return home.