Heritage

Historic Australia Buildings in Colombo (කොළඹ ඓතිහාසික ඕස්ට්‍රේලියා හවුස් ගොඩනැගිල්ල)

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Lying between Mudalige Mawatha and Chatham Street and facing York Street in Colombo, the Australia Building today houses Laksala, the state-owned handicraft marketing organization. Erected in 1900, this structure stands as one of the many colonial-era commercial landmarks of Colombo Fort.

Architectural Features

This three-story red-brick building was designed by architect Edward Skinner and constructed by Walkers (Manathunga, 2005/2020). Its design blends Edwardian Baroque and Neoclassical influences with adaptations suited to Colombo’s tropical climate. A long corridor with wide semi-circular arches runs along the sides, providing shade for pedestrians. The polished brickwork, large wooden doors, and elegant staircases add to its elegance.

Originally, the building featured large domes at the top, inspired by Indian Mughal architectural styles, though these have since been removed during later renovations (Manathunga, 2005/2020). The present façade displays alternating horizontal bands of red and cream bricks, adding rhythm and distinction. A stone plaque above the main entrance still reads “Australia Buildings,” with the date “1687” inscribed alongside the VOC (Dutch East India Company) symbol and “1900”.

The Story Behind the Name

The building’s name has long intrigued visitors. According to Karunanayake (2023), the story begins in 1895, when the old Millers building on York Street—a single-story, neglected structure—was auctioned. The buyer was Kerri Davies, an Australian timber merchant with close business ties to R. B. Carson, founder of Carson Cumberbatch & Co. Davies commissioned the construction of a new building to house Millers Ltd. and, in honor of his nationality, named it the Australia Building.

What to Note on the Building

The Stone plaque above the main entrance that reads “Australia Buildings,”
Stone plaques below the above, which reads 1687 with the VOC logo on the left and the stone plaque reading 1900.
Beautifully designed ornate pillar capitals on 2nd and 3rd floors
Balustrades composed of panels, each featuring elaborate, swirling, and interconnected scrollwork or arabesque patterns.

References

Karunanayake, H. (2023, March 5). The Building Boom That Transformed Colombo Over 100 Years Ago. The Island. Retrieved September 16, 2025, from https://island.lk/the-building-boom-that-transformed-colombo-over-100-years-ago
Manathunga, S. B. (2020). කොළඹ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය: පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක (3rd ed.). Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka. (Original work published 2005)
Skeen, G. J. A. (1906). A Guide to Colombo : With Maps: A Handbook of Information, Useful Alike to the Visitor and the Resident (6th ed.). A. M. and J. Ferguson, “Observer” Office. (Original work published 1892)
Welandawe, H., & Weerasinghe, J. (2016). Urban Heritage in the WRMPP. (unpublished)

Also See

Map of Historic Australia Buildings in Colombo

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Route from Colombo Fort to Historic Australia Buildings
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