Mushroom Group is preparing to farewell one of Australian music’s most storied addresses, with its longtime headquarters at 9 Dundas Lane in Melbourne’s inner-south suburb of Albert Park now on the market.
The former biscuit factory has housed the independent music company since 1980, giving the building an almost half-century connection to Melbourne’s music community. Mushroom Group, founded in 1972 by the late music entrepreneur Michael Gudinski, was initially based nearby in St Kilda before relocating to Dundas Lane.
Inside the Albert Park headquarters, artists including Kylie Minogue, Jimmy Barnes, Split Enz, Skyhooks, Archie Roach, Paul Kelly, Hunters & Collectors, Yothu Yindi, Vance Joy, The Temper Trap, Vika & Linda, Dan Sultan and The Teskey Brothers signed deals.
The property has also served as the spiritual home of Frontier Touring, which has produced tours for Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and Foo Fighters, among many others. Frontier Touring is now one of more than 20 businesses operating under the Mushroom Group banner.
A deeply personal farewell
For Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski, the sale represents more than a change of office. The son of Michael Gudinski said the building’s importance extends across both his own life and the wider company’s history.
“Dundas Lane has been an incredible part of Mushroom’s history and is globally renowned in the music industry,” he said.
“I’ve been coming here my entire life, and it’s hard to overstate what this place means to everyone at Mushroom. As we look ahead, finding the right custodian to carry Dundas Lane’s storied history into its next chapter is incredibly important to us. It will be sad to leave so many memories behind, but we’re excited for what the future might hold for this iconic address.”
Mushroom Group described the headquarters as both a physical part of its own story and a landmark in Australia’s music history, adding: “If the walls could talk, they’d have one hell of a story.”
Inside the Albert Park property
The site occupies a 525-square-metre freehold corner landholding with three street frontages. It offers approximately 1,080 square metres of building area, combining the scale and character of a warehouse with a rooftop terrace.
Its two principal levels each contain approximately 490 square metres, while an additional upper-level office and rooftop terrace component spans approximately 100 square metres.
Marshall White and Stonebridge have been appointed to represent the property, acting under instructions from Advise Transact. The Dundas Lane site is currently listed for sale.
The decision comes as Mushroom Group prepares to consolidate its Melbourne operations at a standalone, warehouse-style building on Little Collins Street in the city’s East End. The company announced the move earlier in the year.
The new premises will accommodate staff and operations spanning domestic and international touring, record labels, talent management, event curation and production, music publishing, creative services, booking agencies, merchandising, brand and marketing services, film production and distribution, neighboring rights and other areas of the group’s business.
A milestone era for Mushroom
The sale follows a period in which Mushroom Group has reflected extensively on its history. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 with several releases and events connected to its artists and founder.
Those projects included the all-star covers collection Mushroom: 50 Years of Making Noise and the theatrical release of Ego, The Michael Gudinski Story, a documentary about Michael Gudinski. His death in 2021 was mourned by many of the stars with whom he had worked.
The anniversary celebrations culminated in a concert at Rod Laver Arena led by acts from the Mushroom family.
What Happens Next?
Mushroom Group’s operations are set to shift to the Little Collins Street building, while the search begins for a new owner of 9 Dundas Lane. As Matt Gudinski made clear, the company is placing particular importance on finding a custodian capable of carrying the property’s music legacy into its next chapter.