Works are officially underway to transform Elizabeth Baillie House into a unique hospitality and entertainment district.
The approved lease will see Blackoak make a substantial investment in new facilities at no cost to the Town, including carrying out the restoration works to restore the heritage-listed buildings. Blackoak will also pay rates, taxes, outgoings, insurance and ongoing maintenance costs. The deal also includes a lump sum upfront payment of $2 million that will go towards the Town’s upgrade of Elizabeth Baillie Park, and the Town will receive ground lease rent from year 21.
A Revitalised Precinct
The revitalised precinct will feature a wide range of facilities and cater for a unique mix of uses, including:
- In the Rotunda building: a retail tenancy, café and a bakery.
- In the Mildred Creak building: a bar, bistro and micro brewery, with indoor and outdoor spaces, and a community space and function venue available for hire.
- Other spaces include: a gelateria, museum, gallery, and art studio.
- A childcare center and petting zoo
- Outdoor spaces for community markets and produce gardens
- Landscaping to create sweeping lawns, a variety of alfresco areas, and active play spaces.
Concept visuals
Latest updates
2025
- At the 18 March 2025 Council Meeting, Victoria Park Council unanimously endorsed the renaming of Edward Millen House and Edward Millen Park to Elizabeth Baillie House and Elizabeth Baillie Park. Read more here.
2024
- In August 2023, Vic Park Council approved the lease agreement and business plan for the redevelopment.
- Blackoak's final redevelopment plans were advertised for community comment from 7 December 2023 to 22 January 2024.
- At the 18 March 2024 Special Council Meeting, Council endorsed the development application and recommended it to be approved by the Metro Inner Joint Development Assessment Panel.
- On 28 March 2024, the Development Assessment Panel approved the application, citing the redevelopment as a positive, adaptive reuse of a heritage building that will contribute to the reactivation of a vacant site. Minutes from the DAP are available to view here.
- In early 2024, Blackoak launched their website for the revitalised precinct – check it out at www.edwardmillen.com.au
- In august 2024, all condition precedents in the lease agreement were satisfied, meaning works can commence.
- Site works commenced on Wednesday 21 August 2024, starting with preliminary work to prepare the heritage buildings for restoration. Watch this space, more details coming soon.
- On 30 October, Mayor Karen Vernon joined Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, Hannah Beazley MLA, and Blackoak Capital to turn the first sod at Edward Millen House and officially mark the start of construction to restore and redevelop the heritage-listed buildings | Read more here.
- In December 2024, the Town proudly secured a $2.2 million Lotterywest grant to support the redevelopment of Edward Millen Park | Read more here.
2023
- At the 15 August 2023 Council Meeting (item 13.5), Council endorsed the detail design and final plan to upgrade Edward Millen Park.
- At the 29 August 2023 Special Council Meeting (item 9.1), Council approved the final lease agreement with Blackoak.
- In October 2023, the former Hillview Clinic Building (an ancillary building to the main Edward Millen House) was demolished to allow for the future redevelopment of the precinct. Demolition of the building has long been part of the plans to redevelop the precinct. It was originally proposed during the master planning process for Edward Millen Park. The Development Application for the demolition was advertised for community comment from 9 March to 23 March 2023 and endorsed by Council on 4 April 2023.