Shot Tower Museum (Central Melbourne)

The Coop’s Shot Tower is a heritage-listed, 50-metre red-brick tower built in 1889–90 for manufacturing lead shot. It was once the tallest building in Melbourne’s CBD. The tower is now enclosed by a 20-storey glass cone at Melbourne Central, designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa.

To make shot, workers carried lead bars to the top of the tower and melted them in a vat. They poured the molten lead through a colander, allowing it to fall into a water tank below and cool into small spheres. The shot was dried, sorted by size and packed for use in shotguns and other products. Melbourne Central states that up to 25 million pellets could be produced per hour.

The Coop family also made other lead products, including weights, nails and solder. The tower is one of the city’s significant reminders of Melbourne’s industrial history.

The Shot Tower Museum is on the second floor of the tower. It explains the shot-making process and includes photographs and displays about Melbourne’s history. Access is through the R.M. Williams store.

The giant Marionette Watch hangs in Shot Tower Square beside the Shot Tower. On the hour, a compartment opens and marionettes and Australian birds appear to perform to "Waltzing Matilda". The display is a separate attraction from the Shot Tower Museum.

Opening Hours:

Check current opening hours

Cost:

Free

Review:

The museum has displays about the manufacture of lead shot, including equipment used in the process, as well as an exhibition about Melbourne’s history and development.

Some of the historical milestones covered include:

1837

Surveyor Robert Hoddle prepared the street plan that became known as the Hoddle Grid. Lonsdale Street marked the northern edge of the early settlement.

1847

Melbourne was proclaimed a city. St Francis’ Church, established in 1841, is the oldest church in Victoria on its original site.

1851

The Port Phillip District separated from New South Wales and the Colony of Victoria was established. The discovery of gold helped drive Melbourne’s rapid growth.

1889–90

Walter Coop’s shot tower was built. The 50-metre tower became the tallest building in Melbourne.

1891

Illustrations showing how shot was made were published in the Illustrated Australian News. The museum’s displays explain this process.

1961

Shot production at the city tower ceased.

1970s

The City Loop project and redevelopment of the area led to the preservation of the tower as a heritage building.

1991

Melbourne Central opened. The 20-storey glass cone, designed by Kisho Kurokawa, was built around the preserved shot tower.