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[title]Fed Square has become such a constant in the lives of Melbourne locals and visitors alike, at times it’s hard to remember a life before it. Since opening in 2002, it’s been there for some of the biggest moments in recent Australian history, hosting protesters, partiers and diehard sports fans alike, and home to cultural events that helped shape Melbourne into the downright incredible place it is today.
To celebrate Fed Square’s 20th anniversary in October, they’ve put together a video highlighting some of the most significant moments in the history of the Square, from the recent Melbourne Arts Precinct announcement this year all the way back to the throngs of soccer fans who gathered at the Big Screen in 2006 to watch Australia play in the World Cup finals for the first time in 32 years. A word of warning: this video will summon deep feelings of nostalgia.
To take you on a trip down memory lane, we’ve rounded up 20 of the most defining moments in the history of the Fed Square. While it was hard to whittle it down to just 20, the list captures the essence of just how important Fed Square has been to our city. Buckle up, you’re in for a ride.
1. The opening (2002) Local architecture firms Lab Architecture Studio and Bates Smart partnered to produce the winning design of Fed Square, in response to an international design competition held by the Victorian Government. The final design caused much controversy because of its bold and aspirational form.
2. No war protest (2003) Over 100,000 people marched through the city to Fed Square to protest against the then-impending war on Iraq. It was believed to be Melbourne's largest peace rally.
3. Melbourne Prize (2005) Fed Square has hosted the November exhibition for the Melbourne Prize since its inaugural year. Rotating between literature, music and urban sculpture on a three-year cycle, the prize rewards excellence and talent that enriches public life.
4. Diwali Festival (2006) The Hindu festival Diwali was held for the first time at Fed Square, marking the first of many cultural festivals being celebrated there.
5. World Cup (2006) Thousands of soccer fans headed to the Big Screen to watch Australia play in the World Cup finals for the first time in 32 years. In the final minute of the game, Italy got a controversial penalty shot, which won them the match.
6. Light in Winter Festival (2007) The annual Light in Winter Festival first began in 2007 and ran for a number of years at Fed Square, featuring prolific art and artists including ‘Solar Equation’ by Rafael-Lozana-Hemmer (2010), ‘Helix Tree’ by Ramus (2013) and ‘Radiant Lines’ by Asif Khan (2014).
7. National Apology (2008) Crowds gathered at the Big Screen to watch Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's National Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples whose lives were affected by government policies of forced child removal and assimilation.
8. Opening of Screenworlds at ACMI (2009) Film greats Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Adam Elliot attended ACMI Screenworld's exhibition opening. The exhibition went on to run for ten years.
9. Oprah Winfrey visit (2010) Oprah met crowds of Melbourne fans at Fed Square as part of her Australian tour.
10. Queen Elizabeth II visit (2011) Thousands of people waited to greet Queen Elizabeth II as she walked along a red carpet collecting flowers from the crowd. Later that day, she boarded a specially designed ‘royal tram’ along St Kilda Road to Government House.
11. Cadel Evans win (2011) Four-time Olympian and the only Australian winner of the Tour de France, Cadel Evans, was welcomed by tens of thousands of people at Fed Square, following his clinching of the yellow jersey.
12. Tanderrum Festival (2013) The year marked the first time the Tanderrum festival was held since the European invasion, happening at Fed Square. Tanderrum is a ceremony bringing together the Wurundjeri/Woiwurrung, Boon Wurrung, Taungurung, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation.
13. Koorie Heritage Trust opening (2015) First Nations-owned and not-for-profit arts and cultural organisation Koorie Heritage Trust opened at Fed Square, and has since hosted several contemporary Aboriginal art exhibitions and programs.
14. 250,000 poppies (2015) Over 250,000 individually handwoven poppies covered the square to honour fallen ANZAC soldiers. The project was first started by Lyn Berry, who put a call out to the public for handmade poppies to honour her father who served in WWII.
15. 200 Years of Australian Fashion exhibition (2016) Staged across four large galleries at the NGV Australia, 200 Years of Australian Fashion showcased the work of contemporary designers alongside key designs from the past 200 years.
16. New Digital Facade (2018) The Big Screen at Fed Square underwent a multi-million dollar technological refurbishment to create the world's first digital canvas, featuring a 24/7 stream of sports, art, news and cultural events.
17. Heritage-listed status (2019) Fed Square was officially heritage listed in 2019, anointing it as a cultural icon of Melbourne and protecting it from major changes.
18. Foodfuturesystem by Joost (2021) Joost Bakker’s living, no-waste eco-house was home to celeb foodies Matt Stone and Jo Barrett from Feb-Nov 2021, where they spent their days harvesting, cooking and eating the food this 100 per cent sustainable modern urban farm produced while all waste produced by the house was fed back into the house’s systems.
19. Survived pandemic lockdowns (2020-2022) The square closed for the first time ever in 2020 during the first Covid-19 lockdown, then eventually reopened with an awe-inspiring program featuring installations like ‘Sky Castle’, ‘Cupid's Koi Garden’ and Candlelight Concerts.
20. Melbourne Arts Precinct (2022) Fed Square just became part of the recently announced Melbourne Arts Precinct. The $1.7 billion project is set to transform the area, attracting visitors, creating jobs and establishing vibrant new creative spaces.
Find out more about Fed Square's 20th Anniversary.
