Category Archives: Melbourne CBD

Secret Places – disappearing Melbourne

A little laneway off Exhibition Street, Melbourne CBD,  leads to a dead-end and an old building that won’t be long for this world…

Old Building

Not a lot of time left for this old Building

Off the hip: Bookstore window

A bit of a wonky shot. Shooting from the hip takes a little getting used to. I liked the shop window display – it had a busy-ness that appealed to me with the books covering random subjects.  After processing I realised that there was not a single book displayed that I have read. I did find one on birds that I will have to go back and possibly purchase. From memory it was 6 books for $50 not Books for $50 – my wonky aim again…

Melb CBD Bookstore

Melb CBD Discount Bookstore – click to enlarge

Off the Hip: Eyes of Youth?

Part of the “Shooting from the hip” series.

Drops of Youth?

Drops of Youth?

Things you find in the Street

Walking along Bourke Street looking for interesting angles I came across this guy and his two friends standing at the Corner of Bourke and Swanston Streets.

Swanton St Statue

Smoko break on Swanston Street.

Duckboard Place: Food, Art, Music…

Part 2 of the ACDC Lane loop brings us to Duckboard Place – the Laneway that takes us back around to Flinders Lane. It has some very good restaurants, an after hours pop-up bar, residential accesses and great wall art.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

 Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place – I think the plumbing is a piece of Industrial Art – it goes up several stories.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

ACDC Lane: Art and Music

Near Hosier Lane is another Laneway, ACDC Lane, named in honour of the rock band AC/DC . The Lane circles back to Flinders Lane via Duckboard Place. Many of the walls have large colourful pieces. Along with the great art are several good restaurants and a famous Bar and live music venue – Cherry.

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

Street Art, ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Next Post – Duckboard Place

Protest Art: Posters, Stencils, Stickers, Balaclavas

Amongst the large murals and spray-painted images in Hosier  and Rutledge Lanes are quite a few smaller ones. Many are comments, statements, protests and funny thoughts. I like finding these more unusual images.

(Update: I walked through Hosier Lane today and many of the larger pieces that I have posted over the last few days that were taken a few weeks ago are now gone or are partially obscured by other artists work. Much of the new work seems to be large ornate tags rather than pictures  – I will have a look after the long weekend coming up)

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Pirate Empire – Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD

Melbourne Laneway Street Art

Continuing from yesterday’s post on some of the recent street art in Hosier Lane during May. Another week or two and much of this will be gone and covered by other pieces (or a mess of tags until an artist claims a chunk of wall).

Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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And finding treasure in colour…

I have now explored much of the Melbourne CBD looking for good pockets of street art. There are a few major spots (like Hosier Lane, Croft Alley and ACDC Lane) that I will keep returning to as the art changes almost on a daily basis – especially in Hosier Lane – the most active and visited of the Street Art Alleys. Below is some of the Hosier Lane artwork taken a few weeks ago.

18 May 2015 – Hosier Lane (Part 1)

Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Street Art,  Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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Looking for treasure in monochrome….

A recent sunny lunchtime found me wandering the back streets and laneways looking for interesting shots of old Melbourne.

I find that converting the image to black and white removes the clutter of modern colours and distractions and allows me to see the old bones.

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall – woman are only allowed on one side of this wall…

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrinis, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrini’s, Melbourne CBD

A beautiful space to study…

The State Library reading room has to be one of the best spots in the CBD to sit and study. It is also a good place to photograph from one of the many nooks on the several floors above the main room. I have been here a number of times to view the galleries, the art, and to watch people study.

Click on photo for a larger view

State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

State Library, Melbourne CBD

State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

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State Library, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

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PonyFish Island Padlocks

The padlocks have been removed. 20,000 signs of committed love cut from the sagging wires of the foot bridge. Stored in buckets until the City Council can figure out what to do with them. They lasted for 3 years and due to their weight and that other cities like Paris were removing their padlock chains (apparently because the fad is over) we have lost ours too. A few weeks ago I just happened to be on the river after work with a friend and we stopped to take a few practice pics of the evening views and the city skyline as the light faded and the city lights kicked in.

Yarra Walking Bridge, Melbourne CBD

Ponyfish Island (with bar) under the Yarra Walking Bridge, Melbourne CBD

Padlocks on the Yarra Walking Bridge, Melbourne CBD

Padlocks on the Yarra Walking Bridge, Melbourne CBD

Padlocks on the Yarra Walking Bridge, Melbourne CBD

Padlocks II

Yarra Dusk, Melbourne CBD, 4 May 2015

Yarra Dusk from the Southbank, Melbourne CBD

Yarra Dusk, Melbourne CBD, 4 May 2015

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Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside

Exploring the alleys around Bourke St Mall, looking for art, colour and food, I came across this little gem with a nice bit of sunlight managing to hit the wall deep in a narrow laneway only 2 metres wide.

Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside, Melbourne CBD

Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside, Melbourne CBD

Narrow Laneway BW, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

A narrow Laneway looking out to the Bourke St Mall

Croft Alley: a colourful, hidden gem

Paynes Place is a nondescript,  bin strewn laneway  in Melbourne’s China-Town off Little Bourke St. There is however a large mural at the end of the lane.  Turning the corner,  a small walkway called Croft Alley leads you down past restaurant back doors and overflowing, smelly rubbish bins to wonderful walls of ever-changing street art with amazing colours. Turning another corner, and walking to the very end,  you find the entrance to strange bar with a science lab theme called the Croft Institute. There is quite a bit of intact art in Croft Alley without the crowds that often fill up the more famous Hosiers Lane. ( I still haven’t had a good look at Hosiers due to a fashion shoot, a TV presenter filming, tour groups and an impromptu macarena dance outbreak with about 50 people.)

Chinatown BW, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Paynes Place, Chinatown, Melbourne CBD

Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Croft Alley Chinatown

Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Urban Melbourne: Laneways, Decay & Colour

Across the road from where I now work are many laneways leading into and around Melbourne’s Chinatown District. While the street facade can be newer and full of shops, the side lanes leading to the backstreets can expose the history and patina of the older buildings. This is the historical, original side of Melbourne I quite enjoy trying to find. My lunchtimes are now spent exploring the laneways and looking above the street level. While there are not many birds, there are many other interesting subjects to find.

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD – off Bourke St

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Urban Decay II

Turn any corner in a laneway and you could find colourful street art..

Graffiti dog, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Graffiti dog, Melbourne CBD