For a recent writing assignment, I spent a couple of hours doing one of my very favorite things in this beautiful city: Wandering through the laneways and arcades located in the heart of Melbourne, taking photos, and stopping to savor a cappuccino. Following is the article I wrote after I finished.
Originally designed by surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1837, the grid that makes up Melbourne’s CBD is characterized by several large streets that were designed to be wide enough for bullock carts. The laneways, in turn, were intended for servants, deliveries, rubbish bins, factories and workshops. Over the course of time, many became associated with crime. Although several have been demolished, today more than thirty separate laneways remain. Many have undergone revitalization in recent decades. Interspersed amongst the laneways are several arcades, most of which retain their original architectural features.
Suggested walking tours for Melbourne’s laneways and arcades abound online, in guidebooks, at Melbourne’s Visitor Centre. Recently I went on a walking tour of my own and made a few delightful discoveries. I began at Hosier Lane, which runs between Swanston and Russell streets, just north of Flinders Street. In the 1920s, it was a clothing-manufacturing lane, but today it is known for its urban art. The Spanish restaurant MoVida is located at the Flinders St end of Hosier Lane. It serves delicious tapas, as I discovered first hand. Reservations for the restaurant are required well in advance.
From the north end of Hosier Lane I headed west along Flinders Lane to Swanston St. One block north along Swanston is the iconic Manchester Unity building, completed in an astonishing eleven months in the height of the Great Depression. This beautiful building contains an arcade that features an elaborate mosaic floor, black marble tablets, polished brass and copper, and possibly best of all, the fantastic Switchboard Café. It is literally a hole-in-the-wall, but serves top-notch coffee in addition to several lunch options. Patrons can enjoy their coffee in a cozy alcove located just across from the café. I took a few moments to do just that with a perfectly made cappuccino.
My last stop was the Cathedral Arcade, but to get there I first walked west on Collins before turning south into the Centreway Arcade, a walkway that leads to one of Melbourne’s most famous and busy laneways, Centre Place (pictured at the top of the post). Vibrant and humming at almost any hour of the day, Centre Place contains several cafes, boutiques, and an alley with well-known street art. At the end of Centre Place, I turned east again on Flinders Lane, which is connected to Swanston Street by the 1925 Art Deco Cathedral Arcade.
Covered entirely by stained glass and lead lighting, the archway and dome of the Cathedral Arcade offer a respite from the busy streets just outside. One floor up can be found the delightful vintage haberdashery shop, l’uccello. Filled with gorgeous fabrics, unique gifts and relics from a bygone era, l’uccello is the type of shop that stirs the urge within to create something beautiful. It offers a welcome contrast to the souvenir shops below and is just one example of the many unique spots waiting to be discovered off the beaten track in the middle of Melbourne.
I love your writing Christie. God has gifted you and I am glad you are sharing that gift with us!
Posted by: plus.google.com/102392292101231883830 | 10/15/2013 at 07:32 AM
Thanks so much!
Posted by: Christie | 10/15/2013 at 05:55 PM
I love it! I imagined you meandering and taking your photos, what a joy! Wonderful article and pictures!
G and J had cleanings just this morning: no cavities! :)
Posted by: Shanda | 10/22/2013 at 05:08 AM