State Library of Victoria
304-328 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
- 6 floors
What's available here Add a listing link
170 years standing
- 1856Completed
- 2014Refurbished
- TodayStill standing
37 building permitsFull timeline ↓
About State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria is a community building at 304-328 Swanston Street, Melbourne, with 6 floors above ground. Construction started in 1854 and the building was completed in 1856, with Joseph Reed named as its architect.
At a glance
Key facts
- Building type
- 🏛 Other
- Completed
- 1856 Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Construction started
- 1854 Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Height
- —
- Floors
- 6 Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Footprint
- 1,033 m²
- Architect
- Joseph Reed Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Car spaces
- —
- Strata plan
- PP5514C · 1 lots
- Planning zone
- CCZ1
- Permits on record
- 37
Score cards
State Library Railway Station 2 min walk · 9 tram stops within 400 m
186 cafés, 16 grocers, 8 medical within 250 m
64 street trees within 150 m · park 246 m away
31,158 people pass daily nearby · 42 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 State Library of Victoria.
Location & neighbourhood
Getting around
Train station2 min · 182 m
Train station3 min · 239 m
Tram stop1 min · 70 m
Tram stop1 min · 117 m
Tram stop1 min · 118 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).
Being built nearby
48-50 A'Beckett Street43 floors · 349 m awayapprovedTimeline
Everything that has happened at State Library of Victoria: listings, news, works, planning and history.
Planning & heritage
Planning controls
DDO1Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designDDO10Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designHO751Heritage 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
- PP5514C
- Lots on the plan
- 1
- Owners corporation
- Not recorded
- Building permits on record
- 37
- Estimated cost of works
- About $80.7m
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 State Library of Victoria in public forums and groups, and reviews left here.
More Melbourne Grandeur: The Classical SLV
Enthusiast thread about the State Library of Victoria's classical architecture.
State Library of Victoria and Parliament House, a tour of
Thread titled as a tour of the State Library of Victoria and Parliament House, covering both buildings.
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.
Resident reviews
No reviews of State Library of Victoria 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 State Library of Victoria
Frequently asked questions
Is State Library of Victoria residential or commercial?
State Library of Victoria is neither homes nor offices. The City of Melbourne lists its main use as community use.
When was State Library of Victoria built?
State Library of Victoria was completed in 1856.
How many floors does State Library of Victoria have?
State Library of Victoria has 6 floors above ground.
Who designed and built State Library of Victoria?
Joseph Reed designed State Library of Victoria. The building team section has the sources.
What public transport is near State Library of Victoria?
State Library Railway Station is the nearest train station, about 2 minutes' walk. The nearest tram stop is Melbourne Central & State Library stations/La Trobe St (Melb... #6, about 1 minute's walk.
What is the planning zone for State Library of Victoria?
The site is in the Capital City Zone - Schedule 1 (CCZ1). It's also under a Heritage Overlay (HO751).
Does State Library of Victoria have an owners corporation?
Plan of subdivision PP5514C has 1 lot.
Has any work been done on State Library of Victoria recently?
The City of Melbourne has issued 37 building permits for State Library of Victoria since 2000. The most recent was in February 2025.
Compare with nearby buildings
| Building | Type | Distance | Floors | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Library of Victoria | Other | — | 6 | 1856 |
| QV1 Apartments | Residential | 105 m | 36 | 2004 |
| QV2 Apartments | Residential | 105 m | 8 | 2004 |
| Abode 318 | Mixed use | 142 m | 58 | 2014 |
| 335-347 Swanston Street | Student accommodation | 152 m | 15 | 1941 |
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.