A Heritage Walk

When we visited relatives in Melbourne recently we stayed in the city and were surrounded by beautiful old Heritage listed buildings. So each day I would set off and wander around the city to have a look at them. It was easier for me to walk rather than find out which tram to catch although you can catch trams around the CBD for free which is great for tourists.

The first morning after we arrived it didn't take me long to realise that we were staying not far from Flinders Street Station. It is beside the river so I was able to get my bearings from that and knew I had to head the other way if I wanted to walk around the CBD. If you happen to visit Melbourne don't go to Flinders Street Station at peak hour unless you want to be caught in the crowds of people heading from there to and from work. It was quite daunting for someone coming from a regional city especially when everybody seems to be listening to music or 'something' through those wireless earphones in their ears. 

Planning where to go takes a lot of concentration and caffeine especially at the hour of the morning when I would normally be in bed but daylight saving time was still going in Victoria when we were there :-) 

Our accommodation Breakfree on Collins was in a very central position which meant that I could go out walking for a couple of hours then come back to eat and rest and head out again. If anyone plans on staying there just be aware that the units are above offices which are on the lower floors and  reception is actually on the 6th floor. Thankfully I booked one with a balcony which is very very small but at least it meant that I could open the outside door and breathe in some 'fresh' air as the 'climate control' in the unit was very hard for me to cope with as I wasn't used to it. 

The balcony was actually at the side of the building and looked out onto another building but I could still see the trams going past out the front. It was good enough for us, was comfortable and the staff were wonderful. Underneath was a great Italian restaurant Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana and cars could drive along the laneway  next to the restaurant to get to a Wilsons carpark which are dotted around the CBD.  You can see how wide the laneway is in the above photo.

These are the little balconies at the side of the building above the laneway which is Manchester Lane. There are lots of laneways in Melbourne's CBD. 

Across from Flinders Street Station is St.Pauls Cathedral which any Aussies watching the news would have seen in the background when the animal activists blocked the road yesterday to protest during peak hour. This is one of the busiest intersections in Melbourne and I am sure that travellers on the trams and buses weren't impressed. Hopefully some of them got to work on time and nobody died when the ambulances couldn't get through the blockade.

The cathedral is so peaceful inside and I meant to go back and take some photos but didn't get there. You pay $5 if you want to take photos of the interior but it would be well worth it. I can imagine it would be a nice place to retreat to to get away from the crowds and the noise outside.

Another old church is Scots Church in Collins Street. There were three grand old churches in the same block. Well worth a visit when in Melbourne. 

Then there is the sad tale of the Melbourne General Post Office which ceased operating as a post office several years ago. In recent years it has been home to retailers and restaurants including the Swedish clothing company  H & M.

Somehow the modern H & M sign just doesn't look 'right' on this old building....

...with its beautiful architecture.

The interior has been restored after a fire several years ago.

I wasn't terribly impressed with the store but then again, I am not into fast fashion these days and would prefer to shop at an Op Shop. LOL!

At least the building isn't being left derelict I guess. 

Some friends in Melbourne recommended the Nicholas Building in Cathedral Arcade not far from Flinders Street Station. It is easy to miss this arcade as there is scaffolding around the building and the street outside is extremely crowded plus there are often homeless people lying around there as well which I found very distressing.

The arcade has an amazing leadlight roof dome which is quite stunning.

The Nicholas brothers made their fortune from Aspro which they formulated after World War 1 cut off the German supplies of Bayer's Aspirin. They commissioned the architect Harry Norris to design the building which was completed in 1926. Apparently it is home to several galleries, offices and retail stores but I only ventured up to the first floor to Luccello Vintage Haberdashery and Fancy Goods and, once again, meant to go back and head up to the other floors but ran out of time. I had wanted to have a look through Kimono House Japanese Textiles and Craft but needed to go up to the second floor. 

It was an old building so I didn't really want to go up in the lift but nearly got lost on the first floor as it was a bit of a rabbit warren so thought I would come back with my son in case I got lost again and we could see what was on the upper floors. Time got away from us though. 

The other really well known arcade in the Melbourne CBD is the Royal Arcade where I found a couple of Op Shops which, of course, I had to check out. However, I didn't think they were as good as our Vinnies in Ruthven Street which is THE best Op Shop. When visiting these old buildings you really need to look up at the beautiful ornate ceilings but try not to be bowled over by all the other tourists. It is easy to tell who are tourists and who are locals as lots of Melbourne locals wear black. True story!Also the tourists would walk slowly and look at the sights so that was a giveaway too. 

Now I need to put all my photos and videos onto a USB and send them to my grandchildren in the Outback to show them what life is like in the Big Smoke. I think they will find the trams fascinating!