MONTSALVAT

Montsalvat, located close to where I live in Eltham is an interesting mixture of buildings set on 12 acres. Artist and architect Justin Jorgensen purchased the land in 1934 and with a dedicated group of volunteers established an artist’s colony of painters, sculptors, poets, and musicians. Building materials used were rescued from many of the old beautiful building sites being demolished in Melbourne to make way for modernisation. Extensive use was also made of mud bricks, rammed earth, mud stone and bush timbers combined with slate flooring and stained glass windows. The community’s quest was to be self sufficient as they operated a dairy and small farm.

Many of the descendants of the original community today inhabit the adjoining cottages as sculptor’s painters and musicians. The appearance is of a European Castle with its adjoining chapel surrounded by the artist’s residences, which were once stables and storehouses.