The Jolimont Centre is a commercial building in Canberra, Australia. It is also the city's long-distance coach station.
History In the late 1920s, a timber building named the Jolimont Building was erected in Civic, on a block bounded by Northbourne Avenue, Alinga, Moore, and Rudd Streets. The building had originally been manufactured in England in 1899 for use at Jolimont railway station in Melbourne.At last, a plan to develop the Jolimont site Canberra Times 13 October 1981 page 2 It was partially damaged by fire in 1969, and was demolished in 1977.
In 1978, approval was granted for the construction of a hotel complex and a long-distance coach terminal.Jolimont site to be used for tourist complex Canberra Times 24 October 1978 page 1 After the project had not commenced in 1981, Lend Lease Development began work on a six-storey commercial and office complex, which was initially tenanted by the Department of Resources and Energy, the Canberra Tourist Bureau, Prime Television, Trans Australia Airlines, and radio station 2CA.Topping-Off Ceremony Canberra Times 16 September 1982$20m Jolimont Centre opens Canberra Times 6 May 1983
During the construction phase, the building was sold to AMP.AMP Society buys $18m Jolimont Centre project Canberra Times 16 December 1981 A two-storey General Post Office was also built.Canberra GPO Canberra Times 10 April 1983 page 12 It opened on 5 May 1983, with Ansett Pioneer and Greyhound using the coach terminal for services to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney."Jolimont tourist centre" Canberra Times 5 February 1985 page 6New Greyhound terminal Canberra Times 5 May 1983 page 21 Later, CountryLink, Deluxe Coachlines, McCafferty's, Murrays, Transborder Express, Trans City, V/Line and FlixBus began using the terminal.Travel times Canberra Times 30 May 1986Run across the Nullarbor marks the beginning Canberra Times 30 November 1986Countrylink in Canberra Canberra Times 28 September 1994Sydney to Melbourne McCafferty's
The 1993 Jolimont Centre siege saw the centre rammed by a vehicle rigged with petrol and gas canisters.Announcers tell of escape Canberra Times 30 November 1993 page 6Siege Man Sent Note, Flowers Sydney Morning Herald 1 December 1993Jolimont IR workers take early holidays Canberra Times 8 December 1993 page 3 The commercial space has since been converted to a Novotel hotel.Novotel Canberra Novotel
Coach operators FlixBus to Sydney and MelbourneGlobal bus operator launches very first Australian service Australasian Bus & Coach 20 November 2025 Murrays to Narooma, Sydney and WollongongTimetables Murrays V/Line to Bairnsdale and WodongaCanberra - Melbourne via Bairnsdale Public Transport Victoria
References