Image: Getty Images
Laneways and Arcades
Whether they are lined with graffiti or adorned with beautiful accents, Melbourne's laneways and arcades are a uniquely cool Melbourne experience.
Table of Contents
Whether they are lined with graffiti or adorned with beautiful accents, Melbourne's laneways and arcades are a uniquely cool Melbourne experience.
Melbourne’s original town plan included a laneway at the back of each street with the same name. For example, Flinders street has all of the shopfronts and Little Flinders street provides entrances at the rear of the properties. As a result, laneways are an integral part of getting around in the CBD. Melbourne city council started revitalising disused and forgotten laneways in the 1980s including creating rooves over some of them in which case it is renamed to an arcade. The result is a network of vibrant laneways and arcades throughout the CBD.
Some laneways are famous for their street art (Hosier Lane and Union Lane are the most well-known). The walls are continually painted over with artworks and graffiti based on political commentary, cultural references or just striking artwork.
Other lanes are lined with boutique cafes and bars and make very cool places to have a drink or grab a bite to eat. Centreway Arcade and Tattersals Lane are good examples of these.
