Coop's Shot Tower
Coop's Shot Tower is a shot tower located in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, Australia. It was completed in 1889 and is 50 metres high. The historic building was saved from demolition in 1973 and was incorporated into Melbourne Central complex in 1991 underneath an 84 m-high conical glass roof.
| Coop's Shot Tower | |
|---|---|
Coop's Shot Tower, encased by the Melbourne Central cone | |
| General information | |
| Coordinates | 37°48′37″S 144°57′47″E |
| Completed | 21 June 1889 |
| Height | 50 metres (160 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | furnace firebricks foundations 40ft. deep walls 3 ft. thick |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 landing places |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | Messrs. Fenson and Hetherington |
Coop's Shot Tower is 9 storeys high, and has 327 steps to the top. The tower produced six tonnes of shot weekly up until 1961, when the demand for the lead shot dwindled, because of new firearm regulations. The tower was operated by the Coops family, who also managed Clifton Hill Shot Tower.
A museum called the Shot Tower Museum has been set up inside of the tower at the back of RM Williams and DJI (D1) stores, a tenant in the tower. The tower has been the site of fatalities in 1903 and 1922.
The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.