[1] Starting in the late 1870s, this block of Collins Street was home to the city's most fashionable stores, such as milliners, glove-importers, portrait painters, photographers and hairdressers.

Businesses such as George's Emporium, Allan's and Glen's music and Mullens' Bookshop and Lending Library drew the cream of Melbourne society.

In later years, Australia on Collins was criticised as "a poor man's temple to the great god of commercialism" and included in a list of Melbourne's worst buildings by The Age newspaper.

[9] In April 2014, then owners LaSalle Investment Management (LIM) announced that the "dysfunctional" centre would be closed for a redevelopment costing$30 million.

[17] As of 2018[update] the centre had 35[18] operating stores that included clothing, footwear and cosmetics outlets, as well as a food court.

Key tenants include Swatch, Coach, Furla, The Kooples, Tag Heuer, Birkenstock, Bremont[19] and Leica.