Apple's plans for its first flagship store in Australia have been dealt another blow, with The Age reporting that the proposed location in Melbourne has won Heritage Protection status until late 2018.

The Victorian branch of Australia's National Trust is said to have nominated Federation Square for protection earlier this month, shortly after Apple submitted revised blueprints for the planned store on July 19.

newfederationsquaredesign

Apple's revised Federation Square design

The Heritage Protection status means no work on the square can take place until December 21, 2018 without explicit permission from the National Trust. With Apple not hoping to start construction until next year, the date on its own isn't a problem, but the move by Heritage Victoria suggests that permanent protection is the final goal.

The construction of the new store would require the demolition of the well-known Yarra building, which has infuriated Melbourne residents and led to major protests suggesting the public space should not be given over to a corporation.

In February, Melbourne's City Council backed a motion to lobby for a new store design, and Apple's revised plan was positively received by the Federation Square leadership, but it looks as if public community groups have yet to be convinced.

"The interim protection order allows us to take stock and think about what makes Fed Square truly special," said Citizens for Melbourne president Tania Davidge, speaking to The Age. "Hopefully, after eight months of discussion behind closed doors, Victorians will now have the opportunity to have a say about the future of their public, cultural and civic square."

federationsquarenewdesign2

Another view of the new design

The city of Melbourne's Heritage portfolio chair Rohan Leppert said the public backlash to the proposed Apple store proved that Federation Square "is a site of state significance", and said he was glad that Heritage Victoria was taking the proposal to permanently protect Federation Square seriously.

"Heritage Victoria's decision to apply an IPO formalises these public heritage values and is very welcome, as is the exceptional leadership of the National Trust," he said.

Despite the square being granted temporary protection status, the state government is still siding with Apple on the issue. Responding to the news, tourism and major events minister John Eren said it would be "unprecedented" to heritage list a site that is only 16 years old.

"To do so could lead to significant implications for future projects," Eren told The Age. "This will not stop us delivering the Metro Tunnel and other vital projects that are good for Melbourne and good for jobs."

Top Rated Comments

-BigMac- Avatar
60 months ago
Melbournian here.

I sincerely apologize to Apple for all the bs that this situation is arising to.

Let Apple build their redesigned store in Fed Square. Theres a damn 7-11 there for goodness sake.

What a joke.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wanted797 Avatar
60 months ago
Welcome to Australia, where we complain our cities are dead, boring and old, but jump up and down as soon as someone dare suggest redeveloping anything.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
steve62388 Avatar
60 months ago
Heritage for something that's only 16 years old?!? Sounds more like it's an anti-corporation move to me.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abstract Avatar
60 months ago
Federation Square is a city square. It has significance because people loiter there. Locals? Maybe. Well, not really. A lot of tourists mixed with locals. If the Australian Open (tennis) is on, it’s packed. Festivals? Some of them take place there.

“Heritage” significance, though? That’s a laugh. The place didn’t even exist until 16 years ago, and people today still think it’s hideous. The ONLY reason the area, with its visually busy stone aesthetics and monolithic buildings, garish hobbled steps that people don’t even like sitting on, is because that space is what we have. That could have been said about ANYTHING that’s built there, and that includes a nice Apple Store, but people just like what they know, no matter how bad the current space is. Again, it’s what we have, and we do use it.

What’s there isn’t worth protecting. Same goes for that Terminal Bar or whatever it’s called. Yes, I’ve had a beer there a few times. It’s not a nice place, which is quite surprising because it faces the river and the balcony should be better designed to take advantage of that. Somehow, they messed it up.

Same goes for the other restaurants and bars in Federation Square. None of it is worth keeping untouched and unchanged.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joelhinch Avatar
60 months ago
Australian here. Would love for it to be revamped.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iMacC2D Avatar
60 months ago
You didnt address the 7-11 which is taking up “valuable” Federation Square space. For what sort of cultural addition?
I constantly hear this argument, but no matter how I approach it, it always feels like a massive stretch to compare a small retail store selling foods, snacks, drinks and public transport passes (which itself is a public service) to a large, multi-level consumer electronics retailer selling phones and laptops that would involve demolishing an entire existing building to fit.

They're both commercial businesses, but worlds apart in the service they offer to the community. After all, it stands to reason that someone passing through Fed Square may want to recharge their public transport pass, or grab a snack. It offers a service to the members of the public already using the square.

There's no reason someone casually passing through Fed Square would suddenly need a new phone, or tablet, or computer so quickly that they couldn't wander a few blocks over to a store placed within a dedicated dense-commercial zoned district. That's the problem. The Apple Store doesn't need to be there. It could be anywhere else. Apple wants it there because it serves well for their brand image.

But Apple's brand image shouldn't take precedence over the wishes of the people of Melbourne on how their public space is used. The people should be allowed to formally have a say in the matter, and from what I understand both the Andrews government and Apple have so far denied them their right to do so.

Hopefully Fed Square receives permanent heritage protection status, if only to enforce due process and consultation on what should and shouldn't be constructed there.

But @first-to-tea explained it better than I ever could, so anyone unaware of the situation should have a read of their post above.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Hero0009

Best Apple Deals of the Week: Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 Gets Massive $250 Discount, Along With Year's Best AirPods Prices

Friday March 24, 2023 10:23 am PDT by
We saw a lot of great deals on Apple products and related accessories this week, including Samsung's iMac-like Smart Monitor M8 for $250 off, a 30 percent off spring sale at Anker, and the year's best prices on numerous AirPods models. All of these deals are still available to purchase right now, so we're recapping them and more below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these ...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...