Discovering the former Repatriation Clinic in 2013 was a catalyst for the establishment of ANVAM. ANVAM’s founders were struck by the historical connection of this building to the wellbeing of the Veteran Community, and that its size, location and layout lent itself to the creation of a truely unique centre of wellbeing for the Veteran Community.

This page provides background to the former Clinic, and status of the initiative to work with governments since 2013 to find a way to realise this vision.

To lend your support to this initiative please consider:

• Writing to the Minister responsible for the property, Hon Pat Conroy MP. (Example letter)

• Donating to ANVAM to support ANVAM’s work and ongoing lobbying efforts.

• Volunteering with ANVAM.

The former Repatriation Clinic: a place for veterans wellbeing.

“The building is exceptionally important. It tells an IMPORTANT story about the experiences of veterans and has strong connections with the Veteran Community.”
Simon Ambrose, National Trust (Vic) CEO, 2020

“The main reason it is important is its cultural CONNECTIONS;
the synergies of its placement and the historical place it is, that will enhance veterans wellbeing and save lives.”
Tanja Johnston, ANVAM Founder, 2020

The Benefits

ANVAM’s primary objective is to support the physical, social and mental health and wellbeing of the Veteran Community. In line with ANVAM’s objective are the further benefits the establishment of a public facing national arts and cultural institution for the Veteran Community within the former clinic will deliver. These benefits are linked to Australia’s National Defence and National Resilience, per the National Defence Strategy 2024, which emphasises that ‘People are Defence’s most important asset.’

Statements like ‘Defence is focused on recruitment, retention and skilling initiatives to grow the workforce and make Defence an even more attractive employer’ (para 5.8) point to the need for innovative initiatives that focus on positive multi-faceted engagement with ADF members. This includes the call for more diverse teams, which is precisely the benefit of the arts.

The Veteran Community, too, is an untapped national resource that could contribute to National Resilience. This one institution has the unique potential to provide additional benefits in strengthening the ex-ADF capability as a national resource towards the National Resilience imperative:

• taking a whole-of-government approach to advancing shared economic and security interests (para 2.5)

• partnerships will help address challenges that require effective coordination between all levels of government, including threats to… social cohesion (para 2.5)

• National resilience also requires the Commonwealth to work with states and territories to develop alternative capabilities for crisis response and recovery (para 2.5)

• use diplomacy to reduce tensions and create pathways for peace and stability (para 7.2)

Project History.

ANVAM Established. The vision to transform the former Repatriation Clinic was born in 2013, and from that ANVAM was founded. The Clinic’s history, size, location and availability make it ideal to be a national arts and cultural institution celebrating veterans creativity, facilitating veterans telling their stories and as centre of arts based wellbeing for the veteran community. Discussions with the Department of Defence in 2013 concluded that a lease was not viable due to refurbishment costs and claims from the department’s Joint Health Command that there is no value of the arts for veterans’ health and wellbeing. Just two years later in 2015 Defence established a twice yearly residential multi-medium arts based recovery program consistent with the program ANVAM had described to Defence in 2013 as part of its vision for the former Clinic.

Engagement. On the basis that it was unable to offer support, Defence advised ANVAM to approach Government to pursue this vision for the former Clinic. On behalf of the Veteran Community ANVAM has engaged with ministers responsible for the Defence Estate including:

1. Hon Stuart Robert MP,

2. Hon Dan Tehan MP,

3. Hon Michael McCormack MP,

4. Senator Hon David Fawcett,

5. Senator Hon Linda Reynolds CSC,

6. Hon Darren Chester MP,

7. Hon Melissa Price MP,

8. Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP,

9. Hon Richard Marles MP, and

10. Hon Pat Conroy MP.

Centenary of World War 1. During the Centenary of World War 1, in 2016, the Federal Government agreed to support the off-market concessional sale of this unique WW1 linked building to the Victorian State Government or Melbourne City Council. At the same time the Australian Labor Party announced its policy to support ANVAM’s vision with $10m funding support should it win the 2016 election. The State Government elected not to pursue the off-market sale in 2019.

Melbourne Council. Melbourne, Lord Mayor, Rt Hon Sally Capp, indicated in 2020 that Melbourne City Council may consider acquiring the property on a concessional basis in support of the veteran community and ANVAM’s vision for the property. At its October 2021 meeting Council resolved not to make an offer for the clinic citing the level of deterioration due to low maintenance levels making the risk too high for Council.

Anything but…. Following Melbourne City Council’s decision to decline to acquire the Clinic the Minister, Hon Melissa Price MP, announced on 17 February 2022 the property was no longer surplus without an idea of what it would be used for. The Department undertook an options study for adaptive reuse of the clinic by commissioning heritage architect firm Lovell Chen. The Department indicated the best use it can identify is meeting rooms. Despite the strong community support for ANVAM’s proposal it was sidelined as an option to be considered with meeting rooms and childcare the only suggestions considered.

The Government undertook $5million of remediation works in 2022 to resolve issues of water ingress causing considerable damage greatly reducing the funding required to complete ANVAM’s remediation of the property once in its control.

During 2022 the new Albanese Labor Government came to power. Invitations to the new Government to honour its 2016 promise were not taken up. During the election campaign ANVAM was informed that the proposal was not supported by the ALP as an election promise because it was for a ‘museum’ despite other new museum’s receiving funding commitments from the ALP. Reassurances were offered that despite this, it would be supported once the ALP was in office.

Following the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) of 2022/23 the Government commissioned an Independent Defence Estate Audit in August 2023, to which ANVAM was required to re-submit its evidence of its sustainability to operate from the building. ANVAM provided this evidence and then met with the Estate Audit for half an hour on 14 December 2023. It was described to the Audit in the presentation and brief how the proposal would deliver in support of the DSR objectives including National Defence and National Resilience through support for current and ex-serving veterans, Defence’s people capability including recruiting, retention and the new cultural blueprint, veterans mental, physical and social health and wellbeing, veterans employment, the Government’s REVIVE cultural policy, Creative Australia’s arts and health agenda and Foreign Affairs cultural diplomacy program.

Opportunity Lost. In July 2024 the government announced the urban Precincts and Partnerships Program (uPPP) grant opportunity, that would potentially fully fund the remediation of 310 St Kilda Rd. ANVAM wrote to the government requesting a letter of support that, should ANVAM be successful with a grant, would make the building available to ANVAM for the proposed purpose. The response on 10 September 2024 was “The Government’s consideration of the Defence Estate Audit remains ongoing. Defence will provide further consideration of ANVAM’s proposal once the outcomes of the Defence Estate Audit are finalised”. The Audit was submitted to the government in December 2023.

First Nations support. On 17 October 2024 a Cultural Consultation was held with representatives of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Aunties Charley Woolmore, Gail Smith and Julieanne Axford. The outcome of this consultation was the support of the Corporation towards ANVAM’s proposal for the site. In the Corporations Letter of Support it said “We hold the veteran community in the highest regard and hope that government supports ANVAM to, in turn, support veterans in this place through more innovative and culturally aligned approaches to wellbeing for the veteran community and community in general. The prospect of this place being used for other purposes does not appear to align culturally, nor for its best possible use.”

Consultation & Support.

An advisory committee has supported ANVAM to advise ARM Architecture in the development of a concept design for 310 St Kilda Rd. Committee members include:

• Chair - Dominik Kul (ANVAM Board Member & Head of Operations)

• Dr Graeme Blackman AO (former National & State President National Trust)

• John Castles AM (past President Royal Australian Institute of Architects)

• Robin Grow (President Australian Art Deco & Modernist Association)

• Tanja Johnston (ANVAM Founder, Heard of Arts Programs & Visual Arts)

• Bruce Copland (ANVAM Curator)

• Emma Jackson (Performing Arts)

• Michael Godfrey (ANVAM Secretary, Technology)

• Observers - Melbourne City Council

ANVAM will use the concept design as a basis for consultation with the veteran and veteran arts community, to further mature the vision for a veterans’ cultural institution in the Melbourne Arts Precinct.

“It is probably the BEST SITE in town for an interface between a practicing artist and the community.”
Prof Ian McDougall, ARM Architecture, 2020