Planning For Melbourne's Future

In 1949 the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works was asked to formulate a plan that would estimate the future needs of Melbourne. From information gathered through surveys, inspecting every street and alley to determine its use, this was made possible. "Planning for Melbourne's Future" is photographed and directed by Geoffrey Thompson and is an examination of this plan. It is a rare and honest account of the deficiencies and lack of planning made to prepare Melbourne for an increase in future population growth.
Planning for Melbourne's Future (1954) is just one of the many films we have been digitising. Discover more about the process on our website.
www.acmi.net.au
Film produced by Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and Cine Service.
Directed by Geoffrey Thompson.

[@kcildid]

It is very interesting to see that we are still suffering the problems of the 50's.

[@marko.cakarevic]

These problems are still present in Melbourne in 2024. Uncontrolled urban sprawl with inadequate infrastructure is the neverending problem here.

[@caba.vrc1]

60 years later 5 million

[@lachlanmillsteed6825]

the dramatic music tho 😮‍💨

[@StKildaBlvd]

Right?? 😂

[@UnitedKingdomGovernment]

Thank Christ this plan and the later 1969 transportation plan never really materialised. Half of this beautiful city would be a freeway or 10 lane wide arterial

[@leakmasters270]

Camberwell high school at 17:56.

[@moo80]

Amazing video, almost surreal as the Melbourne of 1949 is unrecognisable today.
Does anyone know which suburbs were shown between 8:11 and 10:15?

[@MMTB616]

As a child in the 1950s, I can remember areas like those shown in the section you mention. Box Hill South and Bennettswood were particularly bad. Sir Henry Bolte, bless his soul, put his foot down and insisted that roads be "made" and services provided in the expanding suburbia. After more than 60 years, it's hard to imagine the way it was. But the developers and the new homeowners had "freedom"! The Board of Works was later abolished - by Jeff Kennett?

[@lesleywilliams1210]

@@MMTB616 I recall being told that my Auntie felt civilisation had arrived, when the tramline was extended to Middleborough Road. We have home movies dating from the 60's of visiting family friends in places like Greensborough and Noble Park, also looking like that.

[@scana1979]

The then-derelict row of old shops depicted at 6:54 still stands in use (and better shape) today on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Most of the shops still stand with many of the derelict single level houses demolished for Housing Commission towers as part of the slum abolition movement. Being inner Melbourne many heritage shopfronts have been made eyesores with graffiti with the council being happy about it.
www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.7998804,144.9782302,3a,75y,127.8h,106.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJOB-ZMtMXRmPAh1jx4ivJw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu

[@paras5435]

Plan got screwed

[@EdBarton31]

Planning was shit back then and even worse now.

[@Tracertme]

A Propaganda video if ever I saw one

[@andyrob3259]

Take this down. Watching makes me depressed what we’ve become. Bloated. And lost.

[@handyandyaus]

Move somewhere else then!

[@Laconic-ws4bz]

MORE LIKE AN ASIAN CITY NOW.