From Masters to Musicians

Tucked away behind a curtain of greenery in the centre front of the Ormond site is a stylish building which has had several different functions in College life, all of them significant.

Originally known as the Master’s Lodge, the building was completed in 1958 under Master Brinley Newton-John, who lived in Allen House with his family, including his nine-year-old daughter Olivia Newton-John. Shortly after the Lodge was completed, Davis McCaughey took over as Master and became the first to occupy the building, which was slightly extended to comfortably accommodate his family of six. 

The Lodge was one of the modernist buildings designed for Ormond by iconic Melbourne architecture firm Grounds, Romberg and Boyd, who were also responsible for some of the city’s most significant buildings including the National Gallery of Victoria. 

After 35 years accommodating Ormond’s Masters, the Lodge has been put to different uses in the last decade. Instead of being the Master’s home, the building housed the Centre for Ethical Leadership for several years before a new chapter in the building’s history opened in 2018.

That year Ormond converted the building into a dedicated to visual and performing arts hub. It created soundproof, fully-equipped music practice rooms and set up other spaces to host band and choir rehearsals. In addition, the central room became a light-filled space for musical performances. A grand piano funded by alumni donations was the finishing touch. 

But music is not the only art form facilitated by the Lodge. The building is also the focus of visual arts and design at the College, with tutorial and group work rooms for Ormond’s design students and dedicated spaces for visual arts practice. Given the architectural pedigree of the building, it could be put to no more fitting use.