Summary

One of a subset of 17 negatives taken of Melbourne central business district.

This subset is part of approximately 3,000 negatives taken by Jim Payens, the Melbourne based aerial photographer, and form part of the Payens Collection. The images span the period predominantly between the 1950s - 1970s.

Jim Payens was one of a very small number of Australian photographers to have specialised in oblique and survey aerial photography. He was also one of the earliest Australian aerial photographers. This collection consists predominantly of aerial views of the city of Melbourne, surrounding suburbs and regional Victoria but also extends to other parts of Australia. The Collection depicts a variety of landmark events and major engineering projects throughout Australia including the Australian Grand Prix, Olympic Games (Melbourne & Sydney) and the construction of Eildon Weir.

The Museum also holds the aerial camera and equipment used by Payens to take these images as well as an oral history interview with the photographer.

Description of Content

Oblique aerial photograph of the city of Melbourne looking south-west from Brunswick Street showing the area bounded by Nicholson Street, Carlton Street, Spencer Street and the Yarra River. In the foreground is the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens. Further in is ICI (now Orica) House, and the Parliament of Victoria building. On the south-west corner of Bourke and Exhibition Streets is the Southern Cross Hotel (under construction). South of the Hotel, on Collins Street, is the CRA Building and further in is St Paul's Cathedral and Flinders Street Station. The Port Melbourne railway line can be seen crossing the Yarra River and running down through South Melbourne to Port Phillip Bay. Victoria Docks (now Melbourne Docklands) can be seen in the background.

Physical Description

negative; black and white; silver gelatin; cellulose acetate.

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