Marvellous Melbourne’s lanes and arcades

Part 1

The 3 images below are of Cathedral Arcade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CathedralArcade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CathedralArcade2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CathedralArcade3.jpg

The 2 images below are of Scott Alley

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ScottAlley1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ScottAlley2.jpg

The 9 images below are of Centre Place

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace6.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace7.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace8.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LustreLounge1.jpg

The 3 images below are of Australia on Collins

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/AusonCol3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/AusonCol1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/AusonCol2.jpg
Floor mosaic.

Part 2

The 5 images below are of Block Arcade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockArcade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockArcade2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockArcade3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockArcade4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockArcade5.jpg

The 3 images below are of Block Place

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockPlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockPlace2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlockPlace3.jpg

The 3 images below are of The Causeway

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Causeway1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Causeway2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Causeway3.jpg

The 5 images below are of The Royal Arcade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/RoyalArcade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/RoyalArcade2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/RoyalArcade3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/RoyalArcade4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/RoyalArcade5.jpg

The 2 images below are of Equitable Place

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/EquitablePlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/EquitablePlace2.jpg

Stunning shots.

Some of those lane shots remind me of Genova.

Part 3

The 12 images below are of The GPO

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO6.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO7.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO8.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO9.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO10.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO11.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GPO12.jpg

The 2 images below are of Bligh Place

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlighPlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BlighPlace2.jpg

The 2 images below are of Bank Place

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BankPlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/BankPlace2.jpg

The 2 images below are of McKillop Street

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/McKillop1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/McKillop2.jpg

The 6 images below are of Hardware Lane

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HardwareLane6.jpg

BEST. LANEWAY. PHOTOS. EVARRRRRRRR!!!

:rock:

Yuh very cool!

:rock:

Collector, check your Private Messages (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/private.php?) :D :D :D

Gotta love laneways and streetscapes. Fantastic shots.

holy shit great pics... one of the best tours ever of what makes Melbourne so different and so much more appealing to the rest of the major cities in Australia. (right click... save as...)

Brilliant Peter. 10/10

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

Thanks all! :)
As some of you know, especially the members from Melbourne, I've only covered about half of them, so expect part 4, 5 and possibly more down the track. :cheers:

M e l b o u r n e i s C L A S S ! !

Y'know there's a lot of money to be made from Melbourne architecture tours just like Chicago's. Let's say $20-$30 per person. 8-10 people per group. One group per hour. Lotsa de casha. It will help with Melbourne's tourism. All we need are experts like the Collector. Hmmmmmmm......

Hey, great pics Collector (as usual) :) . Especially the Block Arcade, Cathedrial Place and the GPO. But do you reckon you've even covered half the laneways? Melbourne has so many! :lol:

I have one question, tho about this photo:

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace1.jpg

Is that a piece of Lord Mayor John So's "Laneway Art" on that wall in the background?

For those out of Melbourne, this has been a controversial programme. Basically the City of Melbourne is spending huge sums of public money on "artworks" which get shoved down the back of laneways where it could be argued no-one sees them. It can also be argued they make the laneways more interesting. (You decide)

The Robert Hoddle statue (http://artshub.com.au/ahau1/news/news.asp?Id=65693) is the most controversial. The man who designed Melbourne's wide streets (therefore allowing the retention of trams much later on) is honoured by a statue in a filthy old laneway. Hmmmm....

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/14/1248/507/E3_Balcombe_Pl_507-001-L.jpg

Anyway, I was wondering if that "I http://auctions.yahoo.com/html/images/icons/gift/valentines.gif NY" sign is one of the "artworks" I have missed?

It's "I http://auctions.yahoo.com/html/images/icons/gift/valentines.gif NY Melbourne" and yeah, I'd say it is.

I like the fact that you can forever be exploring Melbourne’s streets and laneways and find yourself always coming across something new and unexpected, like art for art’s sake.
Sure, some of it is esoteric and controversial, but hey, that’s art.
One thing I would like to see though, is a series of large, no, make that huge statues of prominent Melburnians such as Hoddle, Deakin and Fawkner erected around the city on prominent sites.
Statues add so much to a streetscape. :cool:

Speaking of things I would like to see….

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/EasternArcade2.jpg
Former Eastern Arcade, now Allans
131-135 Bourke Street
This exotic Moorish façade was built in 1894 as part of an upgrade of the 1872 arcade that once ran right through the block to Little Collins Street.
Wouldn’t it be great if someone decided to restore this, to add to the already impressive list of arcades?
The original plans still exist as far as I know.
http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/EasternArcade1.jpg
The Eastern Arcade, Bourke Street
Architects: Hyndman & Bates
1892 design for extension.

bloody fantastic shots, so much to do in the alley's of melb. Melbourne must have alot of places like this because i don't see mutch of it in brisbane. What makes a place want to expand into the alleys? when i spose they could be potentially dangerouse at any given time.

Laneways provide a more intimate human scale and space for restaurants and shops. :cool:
They help you escape from vehicle air and noise polution as well, and since there is a lot of pedestrian traffic, there is little danger. :)

Fantastic pics.....looking through them brought back a lot of happy memories, thanks!

How cool is this pic? Stubbs Lane in 1956:
http://www.statelibrary.vic.gov.au/pictures/0/0/2/im/pi002168.jpg

Check out this pic of Geddes Lane (the land which is next to the Rialto) in 1963: http://statelibrary.vic.gov.au/jcollins/0/1/9/im/jc019179.jpg

imagine what our great great grand kids will think of all these pics we take?

senario - "I'm kinda sad they knocked down the Rialto, My great great grand dad used to work in that old thing"

Sorry- i'm getting silly but just think for a moment how well documented this era has become in terms of still photography - wonderful for the future - keep on clicking.

Check out this pic of Geddes Lane (the land which is next to the Rialto) in 1963: http://statelibrary.vic.gov.au/jcollins/0/1/9/im/jc019179.jpg

You can see the mighty Federal in the background deviod of all its architechtual features and looking rather sad. It was demolished not long after this. :cry:

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

The Block Arcade is my most favourite. :)

The GPO is a huge disappointment. That so-called arcade in there looks like shite :(

The Eastern Arcade - Wow, now thats something worth restoring to its former glory. I hope someone with innitaitive will do this in the near future! :yes:

wow very very nice lanes and arcades. That is definetly a great feature that Melbourne has.

wow! this city is so gorgeous! amazing mix of old and new. what sort of protection do old buildings have in Australia?

wow! this city is so gorgeous! amazing mix of old and new. what sort of protection do old buildings have in Australia?

Up until probably the last 20 years or so, very little. We have lost so many grand and beautiful structures to 60's and 70's monstrosities (read: Fish markets, Coffee palace, etc), before there was any heritage protection. Now there is strong protection for any historical building/ site and it can be a lengthy process to gain approval for any type of (re)development.

Stu

Best thread of its kind on the forum. Well done Collector, you do us proud.

Part 4

The 6 images below are of Degraves Street

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Degraves6.jpg

The image below is of ACDC Lane

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ACDCLane1.jpg
AC/DC now current name for lane
From The Melbourne Yarra Leader 15/9/2004

Australian rock band AC/DC, which has sold millions of records worldwide, will finally be immortalized in Corporation Lane.
Off Flinders Lane, the alleyway is home to rock music bar Cherry.
The famous music video for the band’s hit, it’s a long way to the top, was filmed on Swanston Street in 1975.
Councillors have continually backflipped since AC/DC fans floated the renaming idea earlier this year.
The proposal provoked anger from Tim Cooper, who owns Rosati restaurant on the corner of Flinders Lane and the laneway, and from property owner Piero Gesualdi.
They said the lane should be named after Flinders Lane’s rag trade.
But, at last Thursday’s planning meeting, councilors finally agreed to rename the lane after AC/DC.
Cr Kimberley Kitching, who moved the recommendation, said all types of people should be recognized for their contribution to society, not just politicians and army generals. :)

The 5 images below are of Hosier Lane

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HosierLane1.jpg
MoVida at 1 Hosier Lane, 100 meters from Federation Square and sitting comfortably in this ultra cool city environment has recently become one of my favourite destinations.
It’s all about food (tapas), wine, enjoying yourself in the Spanish way (tapas), and did I mention the delicious tapas on the menu.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HosierLane2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HosierLane3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HosierLane4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HosierLane5.jpg

The 3 images below are of George Parade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GeorgeParade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GeorgeParade2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/GeorgeParade3.jpg

The 2 images below are of Manchester Arcade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ManchesterArcade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ManchesterArcade2.jpg

Part 5

The 13 images below are of Melbourne Central

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral4.jpg
….In the daytime the arcades at Melbourne are affluent in well-dressed womankind.

George Augustus Sala 1885

It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same 120 years later.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral6.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral7.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral8.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral9.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral10.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral11.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral12.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LtLonsdale1.jpg

Extracts from The Age
Date: August 19 2005
By Adam Morton

MELBOURNE'S heart has been "reconquered" as a place for eating and drinking, study and recreation, and the number of people living in the CBD has risen eight-fold in a decade.

Places for People project manager Jan Gehl, a Danish architect who has been visiting Melbourne for 25 years, said the CBD had transformed from being the hole surrounded by the "doughnut"of suburban dwellers, to the "miracle of the Yarra".

"There will be three times more people sitting and standing and listening and enjoying Melbourne today compared to 10 years ago," Professor Gehl said.

The study found pedestrian traffic in the CBD on weekday evenings nearly doubled to more than 90,000 a day in the decade to 2004.

Other increases include:

_ 275 per cent more outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars.

_ 177 per cent more seats at kerbside cafes.

_ 809 per cent more apartments.

_ 62 per cent more students living and/or being educated in the CBD, up to nearly 82,000.

The length of CBD laneways in use has multiplied by a factor of 10, from 300 metres to 3.43 kilometres, including 500 metres of completely new space. Professor Gehl said Melbourne had increased the quality of its streets, the number of squares, parks and trees, and upgraded trams and lighting.

"If one should make a list of what a city could do to make it more friendly for people and more inviting, most of these things would be in that list," he said.

^^
Now that is what makes Melbourne unique. People may say many european cities comprise laneways, but I can tell you after having travelled overseas they are very different. Melbourne laneways have a different feel, they are more NEW WORLD and have a certain vibe and quirk about them. Melbourne may not have pretty views and a hilly landscape in the immediate inner suburbs, but is about the urban experience, and in my belief the urban experience at a human scale is what makes a city.

great photos! i love melbournes lanes! very unique!

One of my fav brick structures in oz. the 9storey 50m/165ft Coops Shot tower is an amAzing structure! in 1890 it was taller then most bldgs in melb, even APA! (to roof). It took some 60 years until a bldg was built higher to the roof due to 40m/132ft height limitation!

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral8.jpg

Great work Collector you do Melbourne proud. I'm also one who loves the Shot tower and love to stop and stare on my way to uni (I don't take the short cut to RMIT).

Up until probably the last 20 years or so, very little. We have lost so many grand and beautiful structures to 60's and 70's monstrosities (read: Fish markets, Coffee palace, etc), before there was any heritage protection. Now there is strong protection for any historical building/ site and it can be a lengthy process to gain approval for any type of (re)development.

Stu


We have to thank state premier Dick Hamer for the protections he introduced in the early 1970s and the trade union movement for their green bans. Had Henry Bolte continued on his way we would have also lost the Royal Exhibition building, Princess and Regent Theatres, The Windsor Hotel and Flinders St station to name a few. The only major loss I can think of since then was the Australia building in the early 1980s.

Yes, things have been a lot worse. They could have been like Perth.

Class.

Sydney has nothing to compare when it comes to laneways

http://www.statelibrary.vic.gov.au/pictures/0/0/2/im/pi002168.jpg
I'm loving that picture, looks like the bronx or somthing.

Yes, some of the artwork in the lanes is rubbish, but some is quite good, as long as the 'major' lanes dont get the artwork it's all good.

Yes i'd like some statues, on corners ect, middle of roads if there is room on the median strip.
What i really want for Swanstone street, is a big archway like the Arc du triumph, at the north end of swanstone street, where the tramtracks split, so then when you are standing at the shrine you can see that at the other end, and vice versa.

Sydney lost most of its great old laneways when the developers went crazy in the 60's & 70's, what a crying shame.
Melbourne's "street feel" is a class above anything else in Australia and these pics prove it.

Melbourne's "street feel" is a class above anything else in Australia and these pics prove it.
^^I agree...Melbourne may not have beautiful natural surroundings like other cities yet it has gems like these, but it's a shame when an internet poster does a better job of promoting them than the Victorian government.

Bravo Collector :cheers:

^^LOL :lol:
The Victorian Tourist Bureau should be paying me.
Thanks for the comments everyone. :)
More to come....

What about the laneways in the old suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy, Brunswick, Collingwood, Abbotsford etc..

I heard that the Brisbane City Council commissioned a study on Melbourne's lanes to develop it's own laneway strategy ...

Interesting, since Brisbane has even less lanes than Sydney, but apparently it will have an influence on new building development and routing pedestrian traffic through the city (just without any of the character) kind of like the way Melbourne's QV and Melbourne Central re-developments have tried to artificially capture the spirit of lanes. Apparently Brisbane wants to connect the popular inner city squares and parts of Fortitude Valley with a network of lanes. I think this strategy even had a bearing on the Queensland developer that has invested in conversion of the Degraves Lane / Ramada / Mutual Store restoration (which is looking very nice indeed, but don't know what truth there is in that rumour).

Adelaide has more potential for laneway development, but Melbourne is definately the king of lanes. Fortunely Melbvegas has a few extra lanes up its sleeve that could easily be converted.

Nice shot of the lane at the Rialto :sad:. The Federal is a big loss. I still can't believe anyone would want to knock something like that down.

Sydney lost most of its great old laneways when the developers went crazy in the 60's & 70's, what a crying shame.
Melbourne's "street feel" is a class above anything else in Australia and these pics prove it.

I agree 100 percent

Collector, you just know you have to start a "lost arcades" thread after all the positive feedback in this one. Hee.

Hey, great pics Collector (as usual) :) . Especially the Block Arcade, Cathedrial Place and the GPO. But do you reckon you've even covered half the laneways? Melbourne has so many! :lol:

I have one question, tho about this photo:

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CentrePlace1.jpg

Is that a piece of Lord Mayor John So's "Laneway Art" on that wall in the background?

For those out of Melbourne, this has been a controversial programme. Basically the City of Melbourne is spending huge sums of public money on "artworks" which get shoved down the back of laneways where it could be argued no-one sees them. It can also be argued they make the laneways more interesting. (You decide)

The Robert Hoddle statue (http://artshub.com.au/ahau1/news/news.asp?Id=65693) is the most controversial. The man who designed Melbourne's wide streets (therefore allowing the retention of trams much later on) is honoured by a statue in a filthy old laneway. Hmmmm....

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/14/1248/507/E3_Balcombe_Pl_507-001-L.jpg

Anyway, I was wondering if that "I http://auctions.yahoo.com/html/images/icons/gift/valentines.gif NY" sign is one of the "artworks" I have missed?


Brisbane is doing a similar thing - there is art evywhere. Basically developers must contribute a % of their development costs to the arts which means that we have sculptures, images ect ect all over the city - much of it is crap. But if your an artist in Brisbane then you have it made:)

By the way, whats with the mopedbikes? Everytime I go to Melbourne there are 7 or 8 parked around the city and always in the same place. That yellow one has been there for years. Are they there for show? If they are it seems odd that they haven't taken off in popularity as they have in Brisbane, though could be the weather.

I heard that the Brisbane City Council commissioned a study on Melbourne's lanes to develop it's own laneway strategy ...

Interesting, since Brisbane has even less lanes than Sydney, but apparently it will have an influence on new building development and routing pedestrian traffic through the city (just without any of the character) kind of like the way Melbourne's QV and Melbourne Central re-developments have tried to artificially capture the spirit of lanes. Apparently Brisbane wants to connect the popular inner city squares and parts of Fortitude Valley with a network of lanes. I think this strategy even had a bearing on the Queensland developer that has invested in conversion of the Degraves Lane / Ramada / Mutual Store restoration (which is looking very nice indeed, but don't know what truth there is in that rumour).

Adelaide has more potential for laneway development, but Melbourne is definately the king of lanes. Fortunely Melbvegas has a few extra lanes up its sleeve that could easily be converted.

Nice shot of the lane at the Rialto :sad:. The Federal is a big loss. I still can't believe anyone would want to knock something like that down.

Yep - my Partner and I were down there only a few months ago taking literally hundreds of pics for BCC. Unfortunatelly they are on his computer. As you said Brisbane does have laneways but they need to be protected, same in the Valley. BCC is encouraging developers to keep laneways intact and help create new ones to enhance connectivity within the CBD - LOL planner speak;)

^^
By the way, whats with the mopedbikes? Everytime I go to Melbourne there are 7 or 8 parked around the city and always in the same place. That yellow one has been there for years. Are they there for show? If they are it seems odd that they haven't taken off in popularity as they have in Brisbane, though could be the weather.

Vespas (wasps) the real scooters, not the cheap and crappy alternative mopeds that you may find in Brisbane, and they are popular. I always see dozens of them everyday zipping around everywhere. :)
The yellow one you see in the photograph is owned by someone who works or runs one of the many restaurants in Centreway Place.
The advantage of them apart from their manoeuvrability, is that you can park them on footpaths anywhere in town. :)

^^


Vespas (wasps) the real scooters, not the cheap and crappy alternative mopeds that you may find in Brisbane, and they are popular. I always see dozens of them everyday zipping around everywhere. :)
The yellow one you see in the photograph is owned by someone who works or runs one of the many restaurants in Centreway Place.
The advantage of them apart from their manoeuvrability, is that you can park them on footpaths anywhere in town. :)

They are all over Brizzy too. Did you know that sales of Vespas, scooters, aprilas ect in Brisbane were higher than in the southern capitals during 2001/02 and 03!! Not bad for a city half the size to outsale the southern capitals. As I said it must be the weather up here that make them so much more popular than down south. It is interesting though to see them as 'art' in Melbourne - I never would have though of something as common as a scooter as art.

The far superior public transport system in inner Melbourne is also a reason why you may see less scooters. Why scoot around town when you can catch a tram to nearly everywhere?

They are not art, does seeing the same car in your driveway every day mean that it is an art installation?

The far superior public transport system in inner Melbourne is also a reason why you may see less scooters. Why scoot around town when you can catch a tram to nearly everywhere?

They are not art, does seeing the same car in your driveway every day mean that it is an art installation?
Its just that I keep seeing the same ones in the same places every time I'm there - I've even seen that yellow one and the one outside GPO featured in tourist pamphlets. I just thought they were some kind of promotion to make the place look more 'funky'.

There are a few 'feature' scooters parked around Melbourne. The owners of the 'European/Supper Club' on Spring St and 'Bond Store' behind Eureka in Southbank always have a Vespa parked outside for show. I think they may own other cafe's in the CBD also, so no doubt there is a Vespa parked outside of them too (they used to own Cafe Segovia off Block Arcade, but think they sold it).

Its just that I keep seeing the same ones in the same places every time I'm there - I've even seen that yellow one and the one outside GPO featured in tourist pamphlets. I just thought they were some kind of promotion to make the place look more 'funky'.

Thats right, we place scooters around the city to fool unsuspecting queenslanders. Its not people parking them infront of where they live/work, thats what we *want* you to think. We have actually have created an entire industry around making wax scooters just to make Melbourne look cool and European. We call the wax scooters "wooters" here in the secret underground. But I've already said to much, my confession of the dirty truth will surely stir my fellow conspirators into violence. Alas I must flee!

Uewepuep, what would the scooters be called if they were made out of honey?

^^ :lol: :rofl: :laugh: :lol:

haha :D

Could somebody tell me what now stands on where the Eastern Markets & Gun Alley used to be?

BTW, is the former Eastern Arcade now only used for Allans Music or other shops too?

The Eastern Market site is now occupied by the very large 1960s AXA building.

Is the former Eastern Arcade now only used for Allans Music or other shops too?
Allan's moved out and now DIMMEY'S has moved in and it looks like it occupies the entire arcade. >(
Dimmey's, DFOs and the likes should stay out of the city centre. :bash:

The Eastern Market site is now occupied by the very large 1960s AXA building.


The AXA building is on the old Western Market site. The SX1 office tower and the base of SX2 is on the site of the Eastern Market.

Allan's moved out and now DIMMEY'S has moved in and it looks like it occupies the entire arcade. >(
Dimmey's, DFOs and the likes should stay out of the city centre. :bash:

Thanks. What sort of store is Dimmeys?

The AXA building is on the old Western Market site. The SX1 office tower and the base of SX2 is on the site of the Eastern Market.

Are there any pics of SX1 & SX2?

Thanks. What sort of store is Dimmeys?
About the same as the $2 and Reject shops selling cheap crap from China.
I agree these low class dives have no place in Bourke Street.
I think the Allans building was once the Star Theatre built in the 19th century before it was converted into an arcade.

Opps, I did mean the Western Market. Silly me!

Part 6

The 3 images below are of Niagara Lane

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/NiagaraLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/NiagaraLane2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/NiagaraLane3.jpg

Warehouses at 23–31 Niagara Lane

From Walking Melbourne, The National Trust Guide to The Historic and Architectural Landmarks of Central Melbourne.

George De Lacy Evans designed these unusually decorative and narrow brick warehouses (in an equally narrow lane) in 1887 for Henry Marks, a furniture dealer. Goods were hauled up by rope to a door on each level – the American ‘barrel-hoist’, with its own little roof, survives on each building.

The 2 images below are of Campbell Arcade

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CampbellArcade1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CampbellArcade2.jpg

Campbell Arcade

Also known as Degraves Street Subway, Campbell Arcade was built to provide a subway exit from Flinders Street Station and relieve commuter congestion on Flinders and Swanston Streets. First proposed in 1926, building began in 1952 and cost £300,000. It was opened to much fanfare in 1955 and admired for its ‘black granite columns, pink wall tiles, neat shops and show windows.’
While it remains an icon of 1950s public works architecture, since 1994 it has also been home to fringe artists, who use the arcade’s large display cases as exhibition space.

The 10 images below are of the Q.V. Complex.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV5.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV6.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV7.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QV8.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QVone3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/QVone1.jpg

:applause:

Awesome....

Best thread ever !!!!!!!!!!!

Nice work Collector.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/Queen'sArcade1957.jpg

The Queen’s Arcade above facing Collins Street and below, one of the shops inside.
The arcade was demolished to make way for The City Square.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/ArcadeShop.jpg

I want a cake from Daisy Dels! (I bet they were really sweet & 'sickly' though).

...

Text from Walking Melbourne
The National Trust guide to the historic and architectural landmarks of central Melbourne

Royal Arcade
331-339 Bourke Street

Dating from 1869, this is the oldest arcade in Australia, and the oldest major retail building in the city. The architect Charles Webb was no doubt inspired by the early arcades of Paris and London, typically long and straight with a high glass roof and arched windowed storerooms above each shop as seen here. The south end houses Gog and Magog, figures of mythical giants copied from those in the Guildhall in London, standing guard on either side of a clock by a former local watchmaker Gaunt, that chimes on the hour. The shopfronts changed many times over the years, but as part of a restoration in 2002-04 by Allom Lovell & Associates, the original elegant shopfronts were reconstructed.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/RoyalArcade1960s.jpg
The Royal Arcade in the 1960s above and in the 1970s below.
http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/RoyalArcade1.jpg

^^


Vespas (wasps) the real scooters, not the cheap and crappy alternative mopeds that you may find in Brisbane, and they are popular. I always see dozens of them everyday zipping around everywhere. :)
The yellow one you see in the photograph is owned by someone who works or runs one of the many restaurants in Centreway Place.
The advantage of them apart from their manoeuvrability, is that you can park them on footpaths anywhere in town. :)

ha ha...and why someone visiting a city would remember something like the colour and postion of a few vespas is bizzarre.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/Queen'sArcade1957.jpg

The Queen’s Arcade above facing Collins Street and below, one of the shops inside.
The arcade was demolished to make way for The City Square.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/ArcadeShop.jpgGreat stuff collector.

Was the Melbourne City Council responsible for the demolition of this arcade? Talk about getting it wrong.

Was the Melbourne City Council responsible for the demolition of this arcade? Talk about getting it wrong.
Yep. :bash:

Great thread as usual, Collector!

Part 7

The 5 images below are of Howey Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HoweyPlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HoweyPlace2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HoweyPlace3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HoweyPlace4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HoweyPlace5.jpg

The 2 images below are of Lingham Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LinghamLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LinghamLane2.jpg

The image below is of Duckboard Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/DuckboardPlace1.jpg

The image below is of Lush Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LushLane1.jpg

The 2 images below are of Tavistock Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/TavistockPlace1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/TavistockPlace2.jpg

The 3 images below are of Highlander Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HighlanderLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HighlanderLane2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/HighlanderLane3.jpg

The 4 images below are of Southgate.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Southbank4.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Southgate1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Southgate2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Southgate3.jpg

Thanks you have some really nice places there.

[QUOTE=The Collector;12559301]Part 7img]http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/DuckboardPlace1.jpg[/img]

The image below is of Lush Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/LushLane1.jpg

The 2 images below are of Tavistock Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/TavistockPlace1.jpg

Love the phones on the wall. Who is the statue supposed to be. Seems like some russian communist leader.:)

:applause: you da bomb!

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbCentral5.jpg
Can anyone tell me where this is? Looks so familiar but I cant think of the name.

Melbourne Central

I agree that Melbourne's laneways are without parallel in this country, but was quite disappointed with Royal Arcade. I do not see what the fuss is about. The flooring looks so cheap and the structure itself is not very impressive. Block Arcade is more beautiful and intricate, but in my opinion both of these arcades do not even get close to QVB and strand arcade in Sydney.

Lush lane is teh awesome. Funniest is that when that installation first opened there were recorded phone rings coming from it that you could hear as you got closer.

The laneway art projects are freaking cool. I love the one further down Flinders Lane that looks like the Dr Who light.

Taken down Windsor Place.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/miss_verucasalt/crates2.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/miss_verucasalt/bins2-1.jpg

One man's trash is another [wo]man's treasure...:)

Everyone's favourite musician imortalised as stencil art. Photo from Broken Simulacra on Flickr.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/12/89642982_cd0595dbec_o_d.jpg

Everyone's favourite musician imortalised as stencil art. Photo from Broken Simulacra on Flickr.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/12/89642982_cd0595dbec_o_d.jpg

Ahhh - I love this city. :lovethem:

;12589028']Can anyone tell me where this is? Looks so familiar but I cant think of the name.


Thats Melbourne Central I believe...

Part 8

The image below is of Oliver Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/OliverLane1.jpg

Text from The Age (Melbourne) Magazine

When Melbourne’s town blueprint was first laid out by Robert Hoddle, in 1837, there wasn’t a laneway in sight. Not for this gracious lady of a city were there to be these rabbit-warren backways of iniquity. Hoddle had plans for broad boulevards and streets (each 99 feet wide), a rarity in cities at the time. What he did not foresee was the imperative of commerce: as more and more land was bought up by enterprise, and the large-scale blocks of his grid were carved up by the need for access this way and that, laneways, alleys and dead-ends cropped up virtually ad hoc. Now in the city’s backways a precious, diverse pulse awaits any who want to try their feet out, going this way and that, preferably with time, mapless, and an open mind to spare.

The 3 images below are of Manchester Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ManchesterLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ManchesterLane2.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/ManchesterLane3.jpg

The 4 images below are of Caledonian Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CaledonianLane1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CaledonianLane2.jpg

The gritty inner-city St Jerome’s Laneway Festival is staged outdoors in Caledonian Lane.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CaledonianLane3.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/CaledonianLane4.jpg

The image below is of Melbourne Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbournePlace1.jpg

The image below is of Anthony Street.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Anthony1.jpg

From mere service backways that were dead at night, they are now often converted into apartment lined lanes.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/TavistockPlace1.jpg

Who is the statue supposed to be. Seems like some russian communist leader.:)
A dapper and suave Melburnian in all his sartorial splendour (clothing supplied by Fletcher Jones). :)

I agree that Melbourne's laneways are without parallel in this country, but was quite disappointed with Royal Arcade. I do not see what the fuss is about. The flooring looks so cheap and the structure itself is not very impressive. Block Arcade is more beautiful and intricate, but in my opinion both of these arcades do not even get close to QVB and strand arcade in Sydney.
IMHO, the Royal Arcade is simple and elegant and the Block Arcade is equal Numero Uno with the QVB in Sydney for all of Australia.
I like Sydney's Strand Arcade as well but I wouldn't say it's as good as Melbourne's Block Arcade. :2cents:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/acdc-unbolted-in-disappearing-act/2007/05/19/1179497350928.html

From The Sunday Age

AC/DC unbolted in disappearing act
Jason Dowling
May 20, 2007

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/ACDCLane.jpg

ONE OF Melbourne's most famous street signs has also become its most stolen one.

In a little over two years, six have gone missing.

Lord Major John So put up the first sign in AC/DC Lane, off Flinders Lane, sign in October 2004, to the sound of bagpipes playing It's Long Way to the Top. But since then there have been many replacements, and with much less fanfare.

The value of the signs to the thieves is probably far greater than the $120 it costs to replace each one.

The AC/DC signs have become a much photographed Melbourne tourist attraction, and the Melbourne City Council is struggling to continually replace them. Acting Lord Mayor Gary Singer it was disappointing.

"We all love rock'n'roll, but these people are stealing from the City of Melbourne community," he said.

"Melbourne's ratepayers are footing the bill for each stolen sign — it is both selfish and illegal."

And it is not only AC/DC signs disappearing from the city's lanes and streets. A total of 523 signs — at a cost of more than $60,000 — have been replaced by the Melbourne City Council in the past three years because they have been damaged or gone missing.

Senior Constable Adam West said stealing a street sign was outright theft, and offenders faced court and possible imprisonment.

Senior Constable Adam West said stealing a street sign was outright theft, and offenders faced court and possible imprisonment.


Let me get this straight. The city that was almost called Batmania, has a crime fighter whose name is Adam West?

To the batmobile!

^^ :lol:
Well spotted!

Part 8

The image below is of Melbourne Place.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/MelbournePlace1.jpg



Where's Melbourne place? I've never come across it. Also, can't wait for you to do Drewry Lane!

^^Melbourne Place is off Russell Street between Bourke and Little Collins Streets.
The cream brick wall you see on the right side of the photograph is part of the Hero Apartments at the north-east corner of Russell and Little Collins Streets. :)

^^ Spaseeba bolshoi maladoi chyelovik.

Absolutely amazing thread. I'll be in Melbourne in 2 weeks and now I'm more inspired than ever to seek out some of these places. If anyone knows of any other laneways or hidden shops behind unassuming doors and up random stairwells etc spill the secrets :)