Flinders Street, Melbourne.html



Flinders Street
Length	2 km (1 mi)
General direction	West-East
From	Wurundjeri Way, Docklands, Melbourne
via	Melbourne CBD
To	Spring Street, East Melbourne, Melbourne
Major junctions	Spencer Street King Street / Kings Way William Street Queen Street Elizabeth Street St. Kilda Road / Swanston Street Russell Street Exhibition Street / Batman Avenue Toll Road

Flinders St, facing east from the intersection of Elizabeth St

Flinders Street is a notable street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Running roughly parallel to the Yarra River, Flinders Street forms the southern edge of the Hoddle Grid. It is exactly one mile (1609.344 m) in length and one and half chains (30.1752 m) in width. It is named for the explorer Matthew Flinders, who was (erroneously) credited with discovering Port Phillip Bay at the time of its naming. It extends eastwards as far as Spring Street and the Treasury Gardens, and westwards past Batman's Hill to the Melbourne Docklands. As the closest street to the river, Flinders Street serviced Melbourne's original river port. Customs House, now the site for Victoria's Immigration Museum, is situated on Flinders Street.

Flinders Street Station, located at the intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Streets, 1927.

The street is home to Flinders Street Station, the central station in Melbourne's suburban rail network. Tram routes 48, 70 and 75, as well as the City Circle route, run along Flinders Street, and the Flinders Street Viaduct runs parallel to the street, linking the cities two major railway stations.

Other landmarks on Flinders Street include Federation Square, St Paul's Cathedral, Young & Jackson, the Banana Alley Vaults, Melbourne Aquarium and Batman Park, which adjoins the Yarra River. It was once home to the Melbourne Fish Market, an ornate building constructed in 1890, covering 23,000 square metres, and of similar design to Flinders Street Station. The market was demolished between 1958 and 1960.

In 1961 an overpass was built over the intersection with King Street. This led to a decline in property value in the western end of Flinders Street, a trend which has continued to the present day. Halfway through 2005, the State Government finally implemented a plan to demolish the overpass, which was completed at the end of the year.

Images

Northern side

Sir Charles Hotham Hotel on the corner of Flinders and Spencer, built in 1914, it is one of the last works by architect William Pitt	1908 building	Hosie's Hotel. Built in 1955 for the 1956 Summer Olympics to the design of Mussen, McKay and Potter. Features a colour mosaic mural of Geometric abstract art.	Former Empire Building. Built 1905 to the design of Nahum Barnet
Former Mutual Store (now apartments) on the corner of Degraves Street. Building 1891 to the design of Reed, Smart & Tappin.	Ackman's Building, on the corner of Degraves Street. One time office space for Australia Post, currently a backpacker's hostel.	Yooralla House. Streamline Moderne building.	Former SEC Headquarters. Art deco skyscraper.
1950s design Port Phillip Arcade mural	Young and Jacksons Hotel	St Paul's Cathedral: the north face and the spire	Former Metropolitan Gas Company (1892), by architects Reed, Smart & Tappin in the Venetian Gothic style
Former Ball & Welch Department store buildings (1898), by architects H.W & F.B Tompkins. Two additional storeys added in the 1980s.	Former Masonic club buildings built in the 1920s. Converted into apartments with additional top storey in the 1990s.	Forum Theatre, opened 1929	The old Herald and Weekly Times building. Built in 1921 to the design of H.W & F.B Tompkins

Southern side

Flinders Street Station main entrance

Flinders Street Station west facade

Melbourne Aquarium, Yarra River facade

External links

• Large picture of Flinders Street Station
• Notable locations on Flinders Street