In my post From a Palace of Industry to a place for Dog and Cat Lovers, I posted some photos and told the story behind this building, I described its use over it’s 140-year history. It started its life hosting the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880–81 then in mid 1901 it was the venue for the opening of the first Parliament of Australia and then, for some 25 years up until 1927, it was the venue for the Victorian Parliament. I also briefly mentioned that in 1919 it became an emergency hospital for the influenza epidemic that was sweeping the world and which became known as the Spanish Flu. More than just a makeshift hospital, it was also used as morgue during the 1919 pandemic. History does repeat itself doesn’t it! Today, just over a 100 years later, this building, the Royal Exhibition Building and one of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings, set in the beautiful Carlton Gardens, a historic Victorian-era park with museum and theatre, playground, open sports grounds including basketball and tennis courts, is being used as a vaccination centre, a place to vaccinate Melbournians against the COVID-19 pandemic and thus once again, part of the response to a global health crisis. My hope is that this repeating history stops there and I shudder to think that this beautiful place could become more than just a vaccination centre!
Brief COVID-19 history: It first appeared in China on November 17, 2019, and according to the World Health Organization, within a year it infected more than 75 million people and led to more than 1.6 million deaths worldwide and by 18 August 2021, there have been 208+ million confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 4+ million deaths!
Wishing that you all stay safe and well
