Graduate House (University of Melbourne)

The Graduate Union is a residential college and a conference and event centre in Melbourne (Victoria, Australia); as well as a private club for graduates of all Universities across the world.

Affiliated with The University of Melbourne as its eleventh college, The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne Incorporated is located on the corner of Grattan Street and Leicester Street, Carlton, just south of The University's main Parkville campus and in the vicinity of University Square.

The unique feature of The Graduate Union is a focus on graduates. The residential facility, for example, has no under-graduates. Rather, the 120 residents are post-graduate students (e.g. masters and doctoral) from all over the world; or post-graduate fellows and scholars visiting Melbourne on sabbatical, or as part of an education, research or professional development partnership with a university in Victoria.

The Graduate Union celebrated its centenary in 2011, having originated on the 4th of May 1911 when a group of graduates met for the purpose of founding an association. Less than two months later, The Melbourne University Graduates Association was formed with Sir John Monash as its first president for the three years before his commencing of war service in 1914.

Following strong support from Sir Robert Menzies and a large bequest from Sir Sydney Myer, The Graduate Union purchased and renovated old terrace houses – including Gladstone Terrace – in the late 1950s and the 1960s. With a further bequest from Stella Langford in the late 1960s, three neighbouring terrace houses on Leicester St were added to the total complex.

In 2011, The Graduate Union comprises three linked buildings. The newest is the Stella Langford wing fronted by three terrace facades and holding three new conference/event rooms and luxury apartments. The middle section (main building) holds offices, conference rooms and a restaurant and bar on the ground floor, together with three floors of rooms with separate bathrooms and a multi-storey car park. The oldest section of The Graduate Union retains the comfort and elegance of its long history. It contains resident facilities (kitchen, dining room, lounge) together with a library and rooms with shared bathrooms.