For the past century,the stunning vantage point has been closed to the public due to the need for repairs. That was until 2012,when $20 million were provided by the federal government. Repair,conservation and restoration works began in 2018,including the reinstatement of the Dome deck,and were completed in 2020.
From the end of this month the promenade will be open for four tours a day for a maximum of 30 people. It will also be available for hire for public events,from cocktail parties to weddings.
From 1880 to the early 1920s,a visit to the Dome was hugely popular,according to Dr Michelle Stevenson,head of history and technology at Museums Victoria,who has overseen the project for the past 10 years.
“It really was this incredible attraction,touring the Dome was one of the key things you could do,” she says,adding that more than 4000 people visited on Cup Day in 1880.
During the 1880 International Exhibition,there was also a camera obscura on the deck,a precursor to the camera as we know it,which projected an image onto a table of everything that was happening in the gardens below. Apparently,the show was one of the few events women could attend unchaperoned and a number of couples were caught with their beaus in hidden spots that weren’t as hidden as they may have hoped.