Chamber 1 - Tycos

Written By Gareth M.

Chamber 1 - Tycos, often not referred to by either of these names, it was the largest chamber, and the space with the highest ceiling at Tyabb Packing House Antiques.

It was often referred to simply as the "main chamber", because it was the largest and also the first chamber that a lot of people saw as they came into the building.

Before the Packing House had been renovated it was in this large space where a hardware shop operated from, and before that it had held the apple sorting area for the cool store.

From 1993-2023 the centre of Chamber 1 - Tycos held Antique Bed Specialists in the middle of this chamber.

Through from 1993 and early into the Packing House's operation it was discovered that while the roof appeared to be weather sealed, there were still small holes that while they didn't allow (much if any) rain into the building did seem to allow a build up of dust and dirt to come down onto the beds being presented for sale. 

At first Antique Bed Specialists put up extra large umbrella-type canopies to protect some of the beds, but as the 1990s progressed the problem didn't improve, and was especially with the white sheets set on the beds to show of their size and scale further highlighting the dust and dirt dislodged from weather along with the age of the building. Therefore an agreement in March 1998 between the owners of the Packing House and the owners of Antique Bed Specialists to jointly pay 50% each to install a plastic canopy roof below the ceiling of the main chamber. This second ceiling also helped to contain the heat in such a large space. 

Along the east side of the building (or the left upon entering the main chamber; the wall against the car park) the first half of the  chamber was Sheila Martland's space. Containing linen, lace and other such materials, bounded by some large cabinets to close this space off from the walk way.

She had this space from 1993 through to September 2019, after over 25 years within that space she decided to pull back from her expansive amount of space to Chamber 9 - Jonathon (located behind the front counter office). 

J. Edwards Jewellery took on all of this space in September 2019.

Along the next section of wall ahead of Sheila Martland's section was another space utilised by a few dealers throughout the years. Initially it was held by Faye White. Then it was notably the east wall that was painted a deep blue and was held until 2011 by Doreen Page, an antiques and small items dealer.

For a short time during 2011 it was utilised by Antique Bed Specialists for the sale of their furniture until the next dealer took on the space. 

In late 2011 a new dealer to the Tycos main chamber took over this blue-walled space, repainting it and making it their own. This was White Out Of The Box, this was also one of the first dealer to join the Packing House that was not selling antiques or old wares, but instead 'vintage-inspired' curated items to compliment antiques and old wares.

J. Edwards Jewellery had also been a mainstay of the main chamber for more than 2 decades from the late 1990s through to the present day. Originally it was located at a jewellery counter beside the front counter facing into Chamber 1, sharing a rear wall with the front office and Chamber 9 - Jonathon.

On west side of the chamber, just to the left of the entrance to Chamber 7 - Stewart held a cabinet that held Tyabb Clocks, a dealer who both sold and serviced clocks. Following the tumultuous events of the COVID pandemic the dealer who owned Tyabb Clocks decided to close.

And in the far right corner of Chamber 1 was Vintage Apple, who sold vintage inspired decorative fashion and specialist designer children's items, and sweets. They began in 2007 and were incorporated into Antique Bed Specialists' central area in September 2019.

Interiors of Melbourne, an upholsterer took on this space in September 2019. 

At the end of Chamber 1 - Tycos was a very wide space with the most windows and wide space at Tyabb Packing House Antiques. 

From 1993 through to 2013 Country Bumpkin held a space here for antiques, collectables and Americana.

From 2013 to 2019 Industria operated from this space. Industria had been an early dealer at Tyabb Packing House when it first opened, originally trading from Chamber 14 and Chamber 15 (Display and Museum) before leaving to trade away from the Packing House, opening a store on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.

Industria ceased trading at the Packing House in 2019. 

After 2019 this space was emptied and then utilised by several dealers including Dogs Republic (who were in the nearby Chamber 5 - Brammely) and Sheila Martland.

In 2021 Antique Bed Specialists took on half this front space in order to expand and display several items of furniture and other unique items like a weaving loom.

In 2022 Unique & Antique expanded from Chamber 3 - Granny Smith taking half of this end space.

In September 2023, Antique Bed Specialists ceased trading at Tyabb Packing House Antiques, and the space they had held was taken on by White Out Of The Box, expanding their available space into the central area of Chamber 1.

Note: Images have dates written in YEAR-MONTH-DAY format, as there is a mix of mediums of images with some having more exact dates than others.

More information

  • The Front Counter and front office, are both located off to the side of Chamber 1 - Tycos.

  • Chambers that have openings into Chamber 1: Chamber 3 - Granny Smith, Chamber 5 - Brammely, Chamber 6 - Rome Beauty, Chamber 7 - Stewart, Chamber 9 - Jonathon.

  • This chamber featured in an episode of “The Great Outdoors” in 2003, with Ernie Dingo walking around the Packing House.

  • In 2005 Visit Victoria produced TV shows, one of which featured the Packing House, including an interview with Sheila Martland conducted in this chamber.

  • Several angles of this chamber was featured on the Nine Network tourism show “Postcards” in 2007, including some with infographics around the footage.

  • Two angles of this chamber appeared on "Coxy's Big Break" - Season 7, Episode 19 - Yarra and Maribynong first broadcast: 20 June 2009 on Seven.

External links

Other obscurities

Front Counter | Front office | Lay-by room | Internal phone system | Fire and emergency systems | Power, Heating and Cooling

Gareth M.
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