Traversing Melbourne’s Laneways

VICTORIA

In the past ten years or so, graffiti has become cool again. Instead of a mar on the face of a neighborhood, “street art” is now popping up all over metropolis’ near you. But for the city of Melbourne, there has always been a home in the Laneways, a grid of streets and alleyways dating back to the Victorian era. A place where up and coming restaurants and trendy bars meet the reality of homelessness and poverty, the Laneways blur the two. For me it wasn’t a question; I had to see it for myself.

Before You Go

The Laneways are down in the heart of the CBD and date all the way back to the mid 1800’s. During that time, it wasn’t exactly the nicest part of town. While these pedestrian alleyways have seen quite a rejuvenation through recent gentrification, it’s not all spray paint and unicorns down there. Some alleys such as AC/DC and Hosier are rife with people and completely safe to explore while others are quite sheltered from the crowds. There are over 40, some without any identifying name except for “Corporation Lane #…” and can be quite spread out. Feel free to explore to your hearts content, just be mindful while you’re doing it.

Getting There

I’m not going to lie. Getting down to the CBD was such a cluster fuck that I now couldn’t clearly identify what side of the city we even parked on. What I do know is that all the parking is metered so make sure to give yourself more time than you’d expect (because I did two hours and that was a monumental mistake) and try to park near a metro station because the trolly is your friend.

Where to Start

Some would argue that there’s a pretty clear and concise way to these in order so that you get the most bang for your buck. After having done them, I strongly disagree. Many of these little roads are pedestrian only, have exits that go through other buildings or malls, and some are only a few hundred feet long. I say pick one that’s on the outer edge of the grid and work though it like a zig zag. You’re not going to get it all but you’ll get some good coverage. By the time you get to the other side, you’re going to be so fucking tired that you won’t care if you missed one or two spots anyway.

Hosier

Probably the most popular of all the Laneways less AC/DC, you’re going to find Hosiers one street west of Russell between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane.

Higson

Opposite Hosier to the east is Higson. If you’re zig zagging, access this Laneway from Oliver and back to Flinders Lane for easy access to AC/DC and Duckboard. If you’re specifically looking for Yoda, this is where you’ll find him, arguably worse for the wear.

AC/DC Lane

While not necessarily the longest, this was probably my favorite because it connects in a large U around the back to Duckboard and some of the art was just spectacular.

Royal Arcade

This building is of significant historical significance to Melbourne as the first arcade, the land selling in 1837 for £20. Located near the Causeway between Bourke and Little Collins streets, this multi-use building connects cafes, stores, and art directly to Elizabeth Street.

These are just a few of the goodies the Laneways have to offer. Unfortunately for myself and my rental car, I hadn’t expected there to be so much to explore and had to jet back to the car before I got a ticket in the mail.

If you’re leaving the area and headed south, hop over the river and check out the best dumplings in the world at the South Melbourne Market. So good I had them both days I was in the city (soft are better than fried in my op).

xoxo, The Bitter Bitch