Wandering around our immediate neighbourhood is like tripping through history - old and new. Stroll along leafy walks by the river then cross Princes bridge into the CBD, down Flinders Street and back across Queens Bridge and home. A great circuit.
What you see is always a matter of perspective!
With its iconic ornate lights atop the City of Melbourne’s coat of arms emblazoned with Vires Acquirit Eundo - ‘We gather strength as we go' (Virgil), Princes Bridge was completed in 1888. It was built on the site of one of the oldest river crossings in the city.
The window work is quite lovely and the clocks icon.
City Hatters began trading as a hat shop, beneath the clocks at Flinders Street Station in 1910. Originally it was the Station Master’s office when Flinders Street Station was built (finished in 1909).
A fascinating place to rummage. Hearns Hobbies - another Melbourne landmark. Shortly after WWII, it was opened by the Hearns brothers—three pilots. They starting out with a small collection of model kits and a dream to share their passion with others.
Remember these? I think they are all cemented over now. Sad! Could have made interesting, quirky alternative art spaces.
This old building at the bottom of what was once the old, granite-paved milk ramp leading to the station, was the Mid City news agency; it dabbled in all sorts of things. At one time it labelled itself ‘Liberated bookstore’ (self explanatory!) but more recently it offered watch and shoe repairs. Now rather sadly it’s boarded up.
‘Banana Alley vaults’ - the name stems from bananas being stored and ripened here before being sold. First occupied in 1893, the vaults were originally used by produce agents and fruiterers to store their goods before market, off loaded presumable at what was then Queens Wharf. That wharf became inaccessible when Spencer Street Bridge was built in 1930. Now they house an assortment of clients - Martial arts, coffee shop, hairdresser, gym, the infamous Subway ‘sauna’.
We live in an ever changing city, once the richest city in the world thanks to the Victorian gold rush, now burgeoning with growth - and sadly with COVID-19.
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