Num Pon Soon building

Num Pon Soon District Society headquarters, Melbourne

Num Pon Soon District society HQ, Melbourne

Image Courtesy of: Heritage Council Victoria

The Num Pon Soon building was erected in 1860-61 by Lowe Kong Meng, merchant and a prominent member of Melbourne's Chinese community. The building served as a club house for the Sam-Yup Society, providing accommodation and support for Chinese immigrants from the districts of Nanhai, Punyu and Shute in Guangdong Province. Designed by Kerr & Knight, the architects for Melbourne's Parliament House, it combines elegant High Renaissance composition with occasional oriental motifs.