Queen Victoria Market: Future Heritage

HE CHALLENGE
Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s most complex heritage sites, raising difficult questions about governance, development, and community value. The challenge lies in understanding how to adapt this nineteenth-century precinct for the future without erasing the chaotic, authentic character that defines it.

OUR APPROACH
Founding Director Dr James Lesh conducted extensive academic research into the site’s evolution and future:

► Historical Evolution: We examined the site's transformation throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries to document the layers of history that standard heritage assessments often overlook.

► Critical Analysis: The research interrogated proposals for the market's renewal, exploring how sustainability and modernisation can coexist with heritage values.

THE OUTCOME
This scholarship contributes to the broader public discourse on the market, offering a rigorous historical perspective on how to balance necessary change with the preservation of the market’s soul.