A Visit to Parliament

Marble stair rail

library table

Metalwork detail on balustrade

Sunday was Open House at the Victoria’s Parliament in Melbourne.  Parliament is a very grand looking stone building at the edge of the Central Business District.  Victoria is equivalent to a state in the US.  The building was designed in 1855 by the architect Peter Kerr.  He specified all of the design work for the moldings, stair railings, carpets and even some of the furniture.

The Legislative Assembly chamber

The mace used by the Speaker

Ceiling in the Legislative Council Chamber

Since this was an open house there were a lot of displays set up about current reports and initiatives and docents stationed all around to answer questions.  The Parliament has 2 houses, the larger legislative assembly and the smaller Legislative Council.  Somewhat confusingly to us Americans, the conservative parties are called the Liberal Party and the National Party (they have formed a coalition) and the liberal party is called the Labor Party.  There is also a Green Party with a couple seats and one Independent seat.  The Labor Party currently holds a very small majority. 

Refreshments in the Member's Dining Room

We had coffee and cream scones in the Member’s Dining Room midway through our self-guided tour.  A very pleasant interlude.  At the end of the tour we went out through the basement where most of the member offices are and into the Parliament Gardens.  The gardens have a few grand old trees including a huge Algerian oak tree which may have been the inspiration for the oak leaves on the carpets in the building (or they may have been inspired by the oak tree that the Magna Carta was signed under).  The gardens include a bowling green and grass tennis court still used by members.