The Block producers have acquired three historic buildings in Sunbury, a Melbourne suburb that was once a separate regional town but is now fully integrated into the city’s expanding boundaries. These structures originally formed part of the Sunbury Lunatic Asylum and will serve as the filming location for the show’s 23rd season in 2025, returning to heritage renovations after two consecutive seasons dedicated exclusively to new construction projects.

The three buildings, officially designated Building 1, Building 2, and Building 3, were transferred from Victoria University to the state government in 2018. They are situated within Jacksons Hill, a 193-hectare residential estate developed since 1995 around the grounds of the former asylum. The site’s origins date to the 1860s, when it functioned as the Sunbury Industrial School before being converted into an asylum in 1879. The facility underwent multiple expansions until its closure in 1968, after which it operated as the Caloola Training Centre until 1992.

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Before selection, the buildings underwent a 2017 adaptive reuse assessment. Building 1, formerly the Female Infirmary Ward, features expansive single-story rooms ranging from 70 to 130 square meters and was found to be in fair structural condition. Building 2, originally the Female Admission and Special Wards, contains smaller rooms across two levels and presented greater adaptation challenges. Building 3, the former Male Hospital, offers adaptable single-story layouts and was judged the most practical for renovation. All three are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as part of the wider Caloola precinct.

Sunbury’s buildings continue a recent trend in The Block productions, where heritage sites have taken center stage. Previous seasons included the renovation of a 1980s-era motel in Phillip Island and expansions at a Daylesford property.