The grand house on the hill where Australian art was born, reborn

On the city's eastern hill sits a grand old bluestone and brick house that has seen grand old times.

Here, on Albert Street in East Melbourne, the Heidelberg School would meet: the country's first art movement, Streeton and Roberts, McCubbin and Withers, changing the palette of Australian art.

Red wine flowed at the gentlemen's 'smoke nights'. After a few, Fred McCubbin would sing Schubert, Walter Withers recite Banjo Patterson, their colleagues would stand and deliver bawdy ditties, sporting some of the era's great moustaches.

On warm nights they'd convene on the balcony and look over the road at the new cathedral, bathed in moonlight.

The colonies joined to form a country and the place continued to bloom. The Victorian Academy of Art's parties were the place to be seen for the cream of society. In the front room Dame Nellie Melba taught her students to sing.

But time passed. The city sprouted other galleries and museums, studios and clubs. Carpet covered the floorboards, and got grubby. The gutters sprang leaks. There was always a lively gathering of artists, taking classes and mounting shows and competitions. But there was an air of decay.

Abandoned portraits painted by students in the studio at the Victorian Artists SocietyCredit: Simon Schluter

"We had to do something," says Eileen Mackley, president of what is now called the Victorian Artists Society. It came to a head when she was meeting a potential sponsor, the son of a former member, and rain poured down the inside of the wall behind them.

"It was from that day, really, I said 'OK, the only thing we can do is we've got to repair it'."

Artist Clive Sinclair at The Victorian Artists Society to celebrate their 150th anniversary as the country's oldest art club.Credit: Simon Schluter

Victorian Artists Society building 1892 by William Tibbits, loaned by Andrew Mackenzie.Credit: VAS

It has taken years of work and $2.5 million raised from donors and members. The pandemic added more delay. But this month, 150 years almost to the day since the group mounted its first exhibition, the renovation is complete, the doors are open and the place looks magnificent.

Old storerooms have been emptied and dismantled, bringing the architecture back to life. A restored, grand staircase takes visitors up to the galleries. The polished floorboards shine. There's even a lift.

The studio, too, has been cleaned up. Not too much. It would be sacrilege to scrub away the decades of multicoloured drips that have sunk into the timbers, marking the time, inspiration and frustration of generations.

"This was the cradle," says Mackley. "It's the history.

"This is for the community, for artists, to present their work."

Some are professionals, others just enjoy creating.

And since the renovation they have seen a surge in interest, says Mackley. Bookings are through the roof. All of a sudden this old organisation is being discovered by a new generation – and the school is encouraging that. Digital art is no longer anathema.

An early photo of the Victorian Artists Society galleryCredit: VAS

And they have plans to take their members out onto the city streets and into the city parks, painting in the plain air just like they used to (there are issues over permits, which they're lobbying the city over).

They want to revive that Heidelberg spirit of exploring Melbourne and reflecting it.

For a long time the Victorian Artists Society has dwelt on its past. Now it has an eye again on the future.

"I'm surprised how it's held up over the years - and now we've rejuvenated it," says Mackley. "There's life in the building now."

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