{"id":"melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975","name":"Melbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975","slug":"melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174213,"registerId":"vic-melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Melbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act\n1975\nAct No. 8685/1975\nVersion incorporating amendments as at 9 August 2000\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title and commencement 2\n2. Revocation of Orders in Council 2\n3. Land shown cross-hatched in Schedule shall cease to form part\nof a public road 3\n4. Land shown hatched and cross-hatched may be reserved as a\nsite for Victorian Arts Centre 3\n5. Land may be granted to Victorian Arts Centre Building\nCommittee 3\n6. Governor in Council may enter into agreements 4\n7. This Act not affected by Melbourne (St. Kilda-road\nUnderpass) Lands Act 1969 5\n8. No compensation payable 5\n9. Repealed 5\n__________________\nSCHEDULE—Land in the City of Melbourne 6\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 7\n1. General Information 7\n2. Table of Amendments 8\n3. Explanatory Details 9\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act\n1975\nAct No. 8685/1975\nVersion incorporating amendments as at 9 August 2000\nAn Act relating to Certain Lands in the Cities of Melbourne and\nSouth Melbourne.\nPreamble\nWHEREAS by Order in Council dated the 3rd\nFebruary, 1914 certain Crown lands in the City of\nMelbourne containing 5388 square metres more or\nless and known as Snowden Gardens were\npermanently reserved as a site for ornamental\npurposes and were vested in the Corporation of the\nCity of Melbourne by Order in Council dated the\n13th November, 1917 pursuant to the provisions of\nparagraph (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the\nPrince's Bridge Approach Act 1900:\nAND WHEREAS the lands delineated and shown\ncross-hatched on the plan in the Schedule are part\nof City-road part of Riverside-avenue and part of\nSt. Kilda-road in the City of Melbourne:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient that the said\nOrders in Council should be revoked and that the\nsaid part of City-road the said part of Riverside-\navenue and the said part of St. Kilda-road should\nbe closed in order that the lands delineated and\nshown hatched and cross-hatched on the plan in the\nSchedule may be reserved as a site for the\nVictorian Arts Centre:\nAND WHEREAS it is necessary to confer certain\npowers on the Victorian Arts Centre Building\nCommittee:\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n2\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows (that is to say):\n1. Short title and commencement\n(1) This Act shall be cited as the Melbourne\n(Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975.\n(2) This Act shall come into operation on the day on\nwhich it receives the Royal Assent.\n2. Revocation of Orders in Council\n(1) The Order in Council dated the 3rd February,\n1914 permanently reserving certain lands in the\nCity of Melbourne containing 5388 square metres\nas a site for ornamental purposes is hereby\nrevoked.\n(2) The Order in Council dated the 13th November,\n1917 vesting the said lands in the Corporation of\nthe City of Melbourne is hereby revoked.\n(3) Any other Order in Council and any proclamation\nso far as it reserves or affects or purports to\nreserve or affect the said land shall also be\nrevoked and notwithstanding anything in any Act\nsuch land shall be deemed to be unalienated land\nof the Crown freed and discharged from all trusts\nencumbrances reservations limitations and\nrestrictions whatsoever and from every estate or\ninterest therein.\ns. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n3\n3. Land shown cross-hatched in Schedule shall cease to\nform part of a public road\nThe lands delineated and shown cross-hatched on\nthe plan in the Schedule shall cease to form part of\na public road and all rights easements and\nprivileges existing for the public or claimed by\nany person in or in connexion with the land as a\npublic road shall cease and determine and the land\nshall be deemed to be unalienated land of the\nCrown freed and discharged from all trusts\nencumbrances reservations limitations and\nrestrictions whatsoever and from every estate or\ninterest therein.\n4. Land shown hatched and cross-hatched may be\nreserved as a site for Victorian Arts Centre\nThe land delineated and shown hatched and cross-\nhatched on the plan in the Schedule may pursuant\nto the Land Act 1958 be permanently reserved as\na site for the Victorian Arts Centre.\n5. Land may be granted to Victorian Arts Centre\nBuilding Committee\n(1) The Governor in Council may notwithstanding\nanything in the Land Act 1958 grant to the\nVictorian Arts Centre Building Committee the\nland shown hatched and cross-hatched on the plan\nin the Schedule.\n(2) A grant under sub-section (1) shall be subject to\nthe condition that all landscape and garden areas\nestablished on the land shall be laid out to the\nsatisfaction of the council of the City of\nMelbourne and thereafter maintained by the\ncorporation of the City of Melbourne at the\nexpense of the grantee and to such other\nconditions reservations and exceptions as the\nGovernor in Council thinks fit.\ns. 3\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n4\n6. Governor in Council may enter into agreements\n(1) Notwithstanding anything in any Act the\nGovernor in Council may upon such terms and\nconditions as the Governor in Council thinks fit\nand upon such conditions as the council of the\nmunicipal district in which the land is situated\ndeems necessary grant to the Victorian Arts\nCentre Building Committee any authority\nnecessary or expedient to enable the Committee to\noccupy all or any of the parts of the roads known\nas Riverside-avenue, City-road, South-gate, and\nSturt-street that abut lands reserved under this Act\nor under the Melbourne South Land Act 1946\nfor any portion of the Victorian Arts Centre or for\nconstructing and maintaining in, on, over, or\nunder any of those roads any bridges, ramps,\nstairs, or pedestrian ways, service tunnels, pipes\nand cables for any of the purposes of the Centre\nand areas to be used for ornamental purposes or\nfor the recreation, convenience, refreshment, or\namusement of the people.\n(2) The Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee\nmay enter into agreements with the councils of the\nCities of Melbourne and South Melbourne with\nrespect to the maintenance and management of\npedestrian ways and the areas referred to in sub-\nsection (1) to be used for ornamental purposes or\nfor the recreation, convenience, refreshment, or\namusement of the people.\n(3) Each such council may do or suffer anything\nnecessary or expedient for carrying any such\nagreement into effect and where any such\nagreement is entered into between the Victorian\nArts Centre Building Committee and both\ncouncils each council may do anything necessary\nor expedient for carrying the agreement into effect\nin the municipal district of the other council.\ns. 6\nS. 6(1)\namended by\nNo. 9179\ns. 2(1).\nS. 6(2)\namended by\nNo. 9179\ns. 2(2).\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n5\n7. This Act not affected by Melbourne (St. Kilda-road\nUnderpass) Lands Act 1969\nThe operation of this Act shall not be affected by\nthe Melbourne (St. Kilda-road Underpass)\nLands Act 1969 or anything done under that Act.\n8. No compensation payable\nNo compensation shall be payable by the Crown\nin respect of any act matter or thing done under or\narising out of this Act.\n* * * * *\n__________________\ns. 7\nS. 9\nrepealed by\nNo. 9863 s. 2.\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n6\nSCHEDULE\nLAND IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE\n═══════════════\nSch.\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n7\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Melbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975 was assented to on\n2 May 1975 and came into operation on 2 May 1975: section 1(2).\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n8\n2. Table of Amendments\nThis Version incorporates amendments made to the Melbourne (Snowden\nGardens) Land Act 1975 by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1978, No. 9179/1978\nAssent Date: 8.11.78\nCommencement Date: 8.11.78: s. 1(3)\nCurrent State: All of Act in operation\nStatute Law Revision (Repeals) Act 1982, No. 9863/1982\nAssent Date: 5.1.83\nCommencement Date: 5.1.83: s. 1(2)\nCurrent State: All of Act in operation\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 8685/1975\nMelbourne (Snowden Gardens) Land Act 1975\n9\n3. Explanatory Details\nNo entries at date of publication.\nEndnotes","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: facilitating the construction of the Victorian Arts Centre on the Snowden Gardens site and adjacent road closures. The only amendments since 1975 (in 1978 and 1982) were minor technical updates—expanding the list of roads the Building Committee could access and repealing a spent section. There has been no scope creep; it has not been repurposed for other developments or expanded beyond the original Arts Centre project."},"complexity_factors":["Only 8 operative sections (one repealed)","No defined terms section—terms used have ordinary meanings or refer to specific named entities (e.g., 'Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee')","Minimal cross-referencing—only references to the Land Act 1958, Melbourne South Land Act 1946, and Melbourne (St. Kilda-road Underpass) Lands Act 1969","Simple conditional logic—mostly direct commands ('shall cease', 'may grant') rather than nested conditions","Single purpose legislation with straightforward sequential operation: revoke old orders → close roads → reserve land → grant land → allow agreements","No exceptions to exceptions or complex provisos","Physical scope defined by reference to a map/plan in the Schedule rather than metes and bounds descriptions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a short Victorian law from 1975 that clears the way for building the Victorian Arts Centre (now known as the Arts Centre Melbourne) on the banks of the Yarra River.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Closes public roads**: It shuts down parts of City Road, Riverside Avenue, and St Kilda Road (the bits marked \"cross-hatched\" on a map in the Schedule) so they stop being public roads.\n- **Cancels old reservations**: It revokes earlier government orders from 1914 and 1917 that had set aside Snowden Gardens as parkland under the control of Melbourne City Council.\n- **Reserves the land for the Arts Centre**: It allows the land (both the old gardens and the closed road sections) to be permanently reserved for the Victorian Arts Centre.\n- **Allows land grants**: It lets the Governor in Council (the Victorian Cabinet) grant the land to the Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee—the body set up to construct the complex.\n- **Sets conditions**: Any grant comes with strings attached—the gardens and landscaping must be approved by Melbourne City Council, and the Council must maintain them at the Arts Centre's expense.\n- **Allows road access**: It lets the Building Committee use bits of nearby roads (Riverside Avenue, City Road, Southgate, and Sturt Street) for bridges, ramps, stairs, pedestrian walkways, and service tunnels.\n- **Blocks compensation**: It explicitly says nobody can claim compensation from the government for anything done under this Act.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- The Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee (now defunct, having completed its job)\n- Melbourne City Council and City of South Melbourne (now Port Phillip)\n- Anyone who might have had rights over the closed road sections\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis Act was the legal foundation for one of Melbourne's most iconic cultural landmarks. Without it, the Arts Centre couldn't have been built where it stands today because the land was either public parkland or public roads. The Act is a good example of \"site-specific\" legislation—parliament passing a law to solve one particular problem for one particular building project."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on available information, this appears to be a single-purpose Act that remains focused on its original intent of dealing with the Snowden Gardens land in Melbourne. There is no indication of scope creep or significant amendments broadening its application beyond the original land parcel."},"complexity_factors":["Highly specific and narrow in scope — deals with a single parcel of land","Likely contains very few operative provisions given its subject matter","No apparent cross-references to complex regulatory frameworks","Full legislative text was not provided, limiting detailed analysis","Standard land dedication/transfer legislation of this era tends to be brief and straightforward"],"plain_english_summary":"This narrow Victorian Act deals solely with the legal status of a specific parcel called Snowden Gardens in Melbourne. It likely transfers or fixes ownership or use (for example as a reserve, park or public garden), affecting residents, visitors, the local council and nearby property owners.\n\nIt matters because it locks in the land’s designated public purpose and legal protections, preventing redevelopment or disposal without further legislative change and providing certainty for management and users."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendments recorded in the endnotes altered section 6 (1978) and repealed section 9 (1982). Those amendments adjusted the Act's arrangements for agreements and executive powers (s.6) while the core purpose—revoking earlier reservations and enabling reservation/granting of land for the Victorian Arts Centre—remains intact."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-references to the Land Act 1958 and prior Orders in Council (s.2, s.4)","Broad executive discretion vested in the Governor in Council to grant land and set conditions (s.5, s.6)","Extinguishment of public rights, easements and road status with legal effect on third-party rights (s.3)","Explicit no-compensation clause reducing financial exposure for the Crown but shifting costs to the grantee (s.5(2), s.8)","Requirement for coordination and agreement with municipal councils, creating administrative compliance and shared operational responsibilities (s.6)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act revokes earlier Orders in Council and removes public-road status for specific land in Melbourne so the Crown can reserve and grant that land as the site for the Victorian Arts Centre. It authorises the Governor in Council to grant land to the Victorian Arts Centre Building Committee and to enter agreements permitting occupation and construction on adjoining roads (s.2–6).\n\nThe Act shifts costs and duties: the grantee must lay out and fund garden maintenance (s.5(2)) and the Crown disclaims any compensation liability for acts done under the Act (s.8). Decision-making power lies with the Governor in Council and affected municipal councils."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975","history":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975/history","analysis":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/melbourne-snowden-gardens-land-act-1975/documents"}}