8A_L&A_History-HoddleGrid

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 * Melbourne's Laneways and Arcades ** **Project compiled by Charlie, Velyan and Fred** //Dedicated to Beth Jackson//

History Some would argue Melbourne’s town plan is boring and not creative based, as it is on the timeless roman and even before that the Sumerian city grid. But the simplicity of the design has proved to be a very logical and functional layout exactly as it was in ancient times. Although private settlers had already settled the site of Melbourne the government agreed it would be a good location for the new city. It had great resources and a steady fresh water supply, above the Yarra falls. Boats could not go past the falls, but closer to the sea were free to navigate. It also seemed to be a good area for a dockland. 

In 1837 Governor Burke selected the surveyor Robert Hoddle to carry out the difficult task of surveying and designing the layout for Melbourne. There are some who believe that the plan was not only the work of Hoddle but also the work of Bourke Robert Russel and William Lonsdale. It was Bourke who expressed the idea of little streets, which were intended as access routs to service the city’s transport needs.

Hoddle’s initial design did not include laneways and alleyways however by the 1850s there were 50 name lanes and 112 rights of way. The lanes were used as delivery areas, accessing warehouses workshops and factories They were also unfortunately used as rubbish tips. The majority of Melbourne’s lanes were named after buildings, hotels, ships and other famous landmarks. Some of these lanes were renamed after complaints from locale residents that the unpleasant nature of some names had a negative affect on property values.



During the gold rush the laneways were packed with working people who lived and worked in the many workshops and factories. After the gold rush the returning diggers often settled in the laneways because they provided cheap accommodation employment shopping and entertainment. Other classes of Melbourne in search of entertainment and street prostitution also frequented the badly lit garbage strewn and foul smelling precinct. Laneways were also a haven for criminals and criminal activity. 

Before 1884 investors and developers purchased cheap land in the laneways in order to clear out the residential slums and industrial areas and redevelop the laneways into desirable districts that would serve the growing middle classes. It was at this time that Melbourne’s arcades were built as fashionable shopping and service areas for Melbourne’s rich. The elegant block arcade inspired by the Galileo of Milan is a very good example of this development, being one of the first areas of Melbourne to have electric lighting and adorned with beautiful mosaics soaring arches and other ornamental architectural features.

The history of Melbourne’s hidden gems is one from hidden slums populated by the poor and criminal classes to middle and upper class fashionable destinations



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