Victorian Trades Hall, Trade union headquarters in Carlton, Australia
Victorian Trades Hall is a neoclassical building at the corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets in Carlton, Melbourne. It houses meeting rooms, a large hall, a bar, and a bookshop focused on political and labor literature.
The original timber structure was built in 1859 after Melbourne trade workers received a land grant from Premier John O'Shanassy. Over the following decades, the building was expanded and replaced by the current stone structure.
The roof displays four flags - the Australian Flag, Eureka Flag, Aboriginal Flag, and red flag - each representing different values in the labor movement. These flags serve as visible symbols of the ideals and struggles that shaped the place.
The building sits on a busy corner in Carlton and is easy to reach by tram or bus, with several stops nearby. Many areas inside are open to visitors, though some rooms are reserved for members.
This building is considered the oldest continuously operating trade union headquarters in the world, a distinction no other labor institution can claim. On the roof, four flags fly side by side: the Australian flag, the Eureka flag, the Aboriginal flag, and the red flag.
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