I grew up on the coast of Victoria, about an hour and a half from Melbourne. As a child, going to the city was always a special occasion. I was lucky that my parents loved the arts and I remember visiting the National Gallery of Victoria and running my fingers through the water that ran continuously down the waterwall at the Gallery's entrance arch, and lying on the floor under the spectacular Leonard French stained glass ceiling in the Great Hall.
It was here I first gazed in wonder at the art of Australian and international artists. Where I was introduced to Jackson Pollock, Arthur Boyd, John Brack, Tom Roberts and Sidney Nolan. And the thought provoking paintings of Frederick McCubbin. Artists and paintings I revisit to this day.
Nowadays I am lucky and grateful to call Melbourne my home. I live withing 6kms of the city and often walk there to take a look around on a weekend. Now there is even more to entice me into the city, on the basis of arts alone. Federation 'Fed' Square, Melbourne's active street art and many many independent galleries hidden in city side streets and lanes... are all waiting to be explored.
Degraves Street is a perfect place to meet friends or hang out by yourself, and if you want something a little more subdued, 'The Journal' is a favourite of mine (they do an awesome chai).
Flinders Lane, Degraves Street and the Nicholas Building are a great place to start if you want to find a few hidden treasures, or a great place to grab a coffee (or chai) and just soak up the atmosphere. There are any number of indoor and outdoor cafés to relax and watch the world go by.
What a great city we have just waiting to explore. So, to anyone who lives here, or has been to Melbourne as a visitor, I'd be interested to know... what do you love about Melbourne? Any hidden treasures you'd care to share or recommend for a visit?
3 comments:
I work in the city and Degraves St is a great place to visit but there's so much more I love: the many lanes with street art such as Union and Hosier lanes, Chinatown, the many different ways to walk from the city to Richmond Station alongside the Yarra, the brilliant food in the city including Hu Tong Dumpling Bar, Gog and Magog, the enamelled two headed horse that used to be in front of the art gallery and is now in Birrarung Mar ... too many favourites.
Hey Susan, have you done the Melbourne Street Art walking tour - it's great. Run by street artists themselves, it's 4 plus hours of finding all the hidden corners of the street art of Melbourne.
If you love street art, I highly recommend it...
http://www.melbournestreettours.com/
Lovely commentary. I've never made it across to your great country yet, but hope to within the next few years, and Melbourne is certainly a city I'd love to check out.
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