Catani Memorial Clock Tower Chimes

Thank you for your interest in the Catani Memorial Clock Tower chimes project.

More than 80 years after appearing on the St Kilda foreshore, the Catani Clock Tower will be completed as first envisaged when bell chimes ring out later this year. In April we asked for your feedback on the frequency and timing of the digital chime to be installed. The information provide on this page summarises the feedback we received.

In total there were 212 responses to the survey. Of these, 197 were supportive of the project and 15 objected to the installation of chimes.

Recommendations from Cultural Heritage Reference Committee

Council’s Cultural Heritage Reference Committee met recently to review the responses to the surveys. The Committee has recommended the following:

Weekday start time 8 am.
Weekday finish time 10 pm.
Weekend start time 9 am.
Weekend finish time 10 pm
A bell to ring on the hour and toll the hour.

The Committee also made suggestions about muting or reducing the volume of the Clock Tower speakers that face residences to address concerns around sound. These recommendations have been reported to Council.

Next steps

The chime audio file is being researched to ensure a bell toll that resonates with Carlo Catani’s history and connection to St Kilda.
It is anticipated that the digital chimes will be installed towards the end of August.
We will be requesting your feedback on the volume of the chimes on site once installed.
An event to celebrate the installation of the chimes will be organised once the chime installation and testing is complete.

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about the project our Arts Team and a project manager will be available onsite at the following time to discuss how we are planning to mitigate any impacts on amenity.

When: Thursday 22 August between 4 to 6 pm
Where: Catani Memorial Clock Tower

Document Library

Carlo Catani (1852 - 1918) set the design principles for the St Kilda foreshore as a cosmopolitan Mediterranean-style entertainment and promenading parkscape. His vision included a prominent public clock tower as the centrepiece.

After the death of Carlo Catani in 1918, a fundraising campaign was launched to erect a memorial on the old rotunda site on the Esplanade. A clock tower was delivered after a design competition was held in 1930 – but without a bell. Architect Norman Schefferle’s winning design allowed for a bell to be added later.

Digital chimes with directional speakers will be installed in the Clock Tower, minimising the impact on residents. Clock experts have recommended against a physical bell due to considerations including structural issues.

The installation of digital chimes to complete the Clock Tower is part of a program of events to honour and celebrate Carlo Catani’s design and engineering contributions to the City of Port Phillip and the State of Victoria.

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:

Name	Arts Team
Phone	Assist 03 9209 6777
Email	artheritage@portphillip.vic.gov.au