![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.thejohnsonsjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/DSCF0470.jpg\" "\\"DSCF0470\\"")
<\/a>Melbourne Town Hall<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Clock tower in the Town Hall<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Stained glass dome in the Council Chambers<\/p><\/div>\n
The Old Treasury Building was built during the 1850’s Victorian gold rush and was home to the Victorian Treasury until 1879.\u00c2\u00a0 Since then the building has been used for government meetings and events.\u00c2\u00a0 Today it also holds a number of exhibits on the gold rush and history of Melbourne.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Old Treasury Building<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Inside the Gold Vaults<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Check out that gold!<\/p><\/div>\n
The Parliament of Victoria is made up for two chambers, the Legislative Council (Upper House) and the Legislative Assembly (Lower House).\u00c2\u00a0 Following in the Westminster tradition, the party having the support of the majority of Members in the Lower House forms the Government, while the opposition party forms the Shadow Government.\u00c2\u00a0 The leader of that majority party becomes the Premier of Victoria, which is currently John\u00c2\u00a0 Brumby.\u00c2\u00a0 Other important member of Parliament are the Governor, who is the Queen’s representative; the Speaker, who presides over the Lower House; and the President, who presides over the Upper House.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Victoria Parliament Building<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Legislative Assembly Chamber<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Sitting in the Speaker's chair (you can see her photo over my shoulder)<\/p><\/div>\n
I also visited the Intercontinental Melbourne Hotel, which is in a couple of my favorite buildings in the city.\u00c2\u00a0 The hotel consists of two heritage buildings \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the brick Romanesque-style \t\t\t\t\t\t Winfield Building and the Gothic-style Rialto \t\t\t\t\t\t Building.\u00c2\u00a0 The buildings were \t\t\t\t\t\t constructed in 1891 and originally housed wool stores and offices.<\/p>\n