The Sweet Stuff opens to the public on Friday 31 October 2025 at Tasma Terrace, 6 Parliament Place, East Melbourne.
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Open Thursday to Saturday, 11.00am to 5.00pm
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On Saturday, 1 November, access will be from 11.30am.
This is the first time Tasma Terrace has been open to the public for over five years.
Images: 2025_TheSweet Stuff_Media Images (these will be updated withe event & exhibition images in first week of November)
Tasma Terrace, the historic home of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), will reopen its doors to the public this October with The Sweet Stuff - a vibrant new exhibition celebrating the artistry of dress and design through the lens of confectionary-inspired fashion.
After more than five decades as the National Trust’s headquarters, the restored ground floor of this iconic 19th-century terrace will once again welcome visitors. This time, reimagined as a cultural hub for fashion, art, and conversation. The newly launched gallery and boutique spaces will host a rotating program of exhibitions, creative collaborations, and retail experiences that explore sustainability, artistry and the stories embedded in what we wear.
Curated by the National Trust, The Sweet Stuff playfully examines the parallels between fashion and confection - from the ‘piped’ embellishments of an Edwardian gown to the sugar-sweet colours of post-war frocks. Drawing on the National Trust’s Costume Collection, the exhibition brings together historical garments and accessories that celebrate the artistry of making and the indulgence of style.
Tasma Terrace’s revitalisation marks a major step in the Trust’s mission to connect heritage with contemporary creativity and people. With its retail offering, heritage resource library, and program of talks and workshops, the Tasma Terrace invites the community to engage with heritage through diverse forms of expression - blending conservation, collaboration, curiosity, and celebration.
The Sweet Stuff opens to the public on Friday 31 October 2025 at Tasma Terrace, 6 Parliament Place, East Melbourne.
Quotes from Collette Brennan, CEO, National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
“Tasma Terrace has always stood as a symbol of heritage activism and now it also becomes a living expression of creativity and community. This reopening marks a new chapter where the past inspires the future through design, fashion and imagination.”
“We’re reopening the doors of Tasma Terrace to celebrate its history, re-energise it, and add new layers to it. The Sweet Stuff is a delicious beginning - an invitation for everyone to experience heritage through the key elements of creativity, artistry and conversation.”
“Tasma Terrace reminds us that heritage isn’t static - it evolves. By connecting our reinvigoration of one of our beloved buildings with our costume collection and sharing contemporary ideas of sustainability and design, we’re showing how the National Trust champions preservation and progress and creativity and community.”
Contact details:
Brook Powell
National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
E: [email protected] | P: 0414 516 884
