Forum Theatre
150-162 Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
- 12 m tall · #983 in Melbourne
- 6 floors
- 1 businesses
What's available here Add a listing link
| Looking to | In this building | Area guide | Search the building |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease space | — | — | realcommercial.com.au ↗commercialrealestate.com.au ↗ |
Each link opens a Google search limited to that site.
97 years standing
- 1929Completed
- 1996Refurbished
- TodayStill standing
12 building permits · 6 news storiesFull timeline ↓
About Forum Theatre
Forum Theatre is a commercial building at 150-162 Flinders Street that serves as an indoor entertainment venue. Completed in 1929 to a design by John Eberson, it first opened as the State Theatre in February of that year. Union Theatres was the developer. It reopened in September 2017 after a major overhaul.
At a glance
Key facts
- Building type
- 🏢 Commercial
- Completed
- 1929
- Construction started
- 1929 Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Height
- 12 m Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
#983 of 1596 in Melbourne - Floors
- 6 Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Footprint
- 84 m²
- Architect
- John Eberson
- Businesses
- 1
- Car spaces
- —
- Strata plan
- TP814523 · 1 lots
- Planning zone
- CCZ1
- Permits on record
- 12
Score cards
Town Hall Railway Station 3 min walk · 6 tram stops within 400 m
66 cafés, 3 grocers, 4 medical within 250 m
52 street trees within 150 m · park 170 m away
6,775 people pass daily nearby · 46 licensed venues within 200 m
Calculated from PTV timetable stops, the City of Melbourne business census, street trees, pedestrian sensors and liquor licences.
The building team
The people and companies behind the design, construction and management of Forum Theatre.
Location & neighbourhood
Getting around
Train station3 min · 210 m
Train station3 min · 225 m
Tram stop1 min · 79 m
Tram stop3 min · 216 m
Tram stop3 min · 232 m
Straight-line walking estimate. Source: PTV GTFS, CC BY 4.0.
Within a 3-minute walk
Who lives in Melbourne (CBD)
ABS Census 2016 via City of Melbourne (CC BY).
Businesses in Forum Theatre
1 businesses recorded in the City of Melbourne's latest business census.
Forum Theatre
Looking for space in Forum Theatre?
Timeline
Everything that has happened at Forum Theatre: listings, news, works, planning and history.
Planning & heritage
Planning controls
DDO1Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designDDO2Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designDDO2-A5Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designHO505Heritage Overlay: a permit is needed to demolish or change the outside of heritage placesHO653Heritage Overlay: a permit is needed to demolish or change the outside of heritage placesPO1Parking Overlay: controls on how much car parking new development can provideVicmap Planning, © State of Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning), CC BY 4.0. Plain-English summaries are ours. Check the planning scheme for exact controls.
Subdivision & permits
- Plan of subdivision
- TP814523
- Lots on the plan
- 1
- Owners corporation
- Not recorded
- Building permits on record
- 12
- Estimated cost of works
- About $10.8m
Costs are estimates declared on permits, not amounts spent. Stages of a project repeat its value, so we group them and count each project once. A value can cover a project spanning several buildings. Our calculation from City of Melbourne building permits, CC BY 4.0.
History of the site
How it's been recorded over time
City of Melbourne Census of Land Use and Employment, since 2002.
Community
What people say about Forum Theatre in public forums and groups, and reviews left here.
CBD - East > 150-162 Flinders Street - Forum Theatre > 32L / approval voided
Enthusiast thread tracking the proposed 32-storey hotel behind the Forum Theatre, with the title noting that its approval was voided.
Forum theatre seating - Lifestyle
A Whirlpool thread asking about seating at the Forum Theatre and which seats offer a good view.
Summaries describe what's discussed; they aren't our view or a statement of fact, and we don't name posters. The discussions belong to their sites.
Tenant reviews
No reviews of Forum Theatre yet. Be the first to tell future tenants what it's like.
Reviews are checked before they're published. No one is named without permission.
Rate and review Forum Theatre
Frequently asked questions
Is Forum Theatre residential or commercial?
Forum Theatre is a commercial building. The City of Melbourne lists its main use as entertainment/recreation - indoor.
When was Forum Theatre built?
Forum Theatre was completed in 1929.
How many floors does Forum Theatre have?
Forum Theatre has 6 floors above ground.
What businesses are in Forum Theatre?
The latest council census counted 1 business in Forum Theatre.
Is there office or retail space for lease in Forum Theatre?
See the commercial listings on this page, or search this address on realcommercial.com.au and commercialrealestate.com.au.
Who designed and built Forum Theatre?
Union Theatres developed Forum Theatre and John Eberson designed it. The building team section has the sources.
How tall is Forum Theatre?
About 12 metres, measured from the City of Melbourne's 3D building model. It's number 983 of 1596 buildings in Melbourne by height.
What public transport is near Forum Theatre?
Town Hall Railway Station is the nearest train station, about 3 minutes' walk. The nearest tram stop is Russell St/Flinders St #6, about 1 minute's walk.
What is the planning zone for Forum Theatre?
The site is in the Capital City Zone - Schedule 1 (CCZ1). It's also under a Heritage Overlay (HO505).
Does Forum Theatre have an owners corporation?
Plan of subdivision TP814523 has 1 lot.
Has any work been done on Forum Theatre recently?
The City of Melbourne has issued 12 building permits for Forum Theatre since 1995. The most recent was in May 2025.
Compare with nearby buildings
| Building | Type | Distance | Floors | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forum Theatre | Commercial | — | 6 | 1929 |
| Cavendish House Apartment | Mixed use | 57 m | 9 | 1927 |
That's Built compiles information from public records, research and contributions. Details are checked against multiple sources where possible but may contain errors and aren't professional advice. Sources: City of Melbourne building permits (CC BY 4.0), CLUE building information (CC BY 4.0), CLUE business establishments (CC BY 4.0), Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) (Open G-NAF EULA (CC BY 4.0 based)). Street View and business details © Google Maps.