Where to see the best street art in Melbourne

You don’t have to go far to see the best street art gallery in Melbourne city.  The laneway grids that alternate between the main roads made it a natural venue for mysterious street artists to display their talents.

In fact the City of Melbourne has approved some permits for street arts with the building owners agreement.  These legal street arts made Melbourne truly a city of art and culture.

Where are the best street art in Melbourne

These street arts change constantly and sometimes overnight.  It’s always a surprise to visit these places over time and view some of the best works.

The best street art locations in the vicinity of Melbourne CBD are:

• AC/DC Lane and Duckboard Place
• Hosier and Rutledge lanes
• Centre Place
• Flinders Court
• Union Lane
• Presgrave Place
• Russell Place
• Croft Alley
• Stevenson and Tattersalls lanes
• Drewery and Sniders lanes
• Caledonian Lane
• Corner 361 Little Bourke Street and Rankins Lane
• Finlay Lane
• Behind corner of Queen and Franklin streets
• Blender Lane

You can download a copy of the street art map for the locations mentioned above here.

Here are some of the best street art work.

AC/DC Lane and Duckboard Place

AC/DC Lane was formally named Corporation Lane but was changed to the current name as a tribute to the famous Australian rock band AC/DC.

A film clip of their music video, Long Way to the Top, was filmed along Swanton Street, which is parallel to AC/DC Lane.

Duckboard Place is another lane connecting to AC/DC Lane, which provides a large gallery board of street artists.

Start your walk at the junction of Flinders Lane and AC/DC Lane.

These were the street arts during the time of photography.  They may be different by the time you visit AD/DC Lane.

Some of the smaller work on window panes.

Others at the end of AC/DC Lane.

At the end of AC/DC Lane, look to your right to see a large painting on the wall.

This short connecting lane to Duckboard Place has many arts on the wall opposite of the restaurant, A Hereford Beefstouw.  Click here for the restaurant’s menu.

Turn into Duckboard Place to view more street arts.

Mary Fortune Wine Bar is located on Duckboard Place.  Click here for more details.

Exit Duckboard Place and head for your next street art gallery.

Hosier and Rutledge lanes

Hosier and Rutledge Lanes are probably the most visited lanes for best street art.

In fact the City of Melbourne has registered number 1 and 3-5 Hosier Lane as legal street artwork.  You can witness street artists at work on these addresses.

You can start at either end of Hosier Lane and enjoy the street art gallery.

Here is a street artist working on registered address by City of Melbourne.

Further along here are more street art.

At Rutledge Lane junction, which is a ‘U’ lane joining back to Hosier Lane, the whole lane is covered with street art.

Walk along Hosier Lane towards Flinders Street, which is the end of Hosier Lane.  Here are more street art before exiting Hosier Lane.

Presgrave Place

Presgrave Place is a short dead end lane, which you have to enter from Howey Place.

The street art in Presgrave Place is quite different from the usual street art, which are mainly done with aerosol paint.  The street arts here are three dimensional made with picture frames, plastic toys and other materials pieced together to deliver a message.

This is definitely one place you have to visit to appreciate different form of street art.

Here is a map to help you get to Presgrave Place.  When you enter Howey Place, look out for Phillippa’s Bakery.  Phillippa’s Bakery is just at the beginning of Presgrave Place.

 

Take your time to view each piece of art work.

Many are of individual picture frames.

Croft Lane

Croft Lane is a short lane, which you can only get to from Little Bourke Street in Chinatown.  The Chinese Mission Church marks the entrance to this short lane.

The interesting thing about Croft Lane is not only the street art on the walls but also a laboratory themed bar at the end of the lane.

The bar is called Croft Institute.  The setting is a school laboratory, with informal benches and tall stool seats as you would see in a laboratory class room.  Don’t be surprised if some of your drinks come in laboratory glass wares.  Check out their website here.

As you turn into Croft Alley, there are more street art and Croft Institute is at the end of the alley.  It’s quiet in the daytime but at night the alley comes alive.

Flinders Court

Flinders Court can be accessed from Flinders Lane after Elizabeth Street.  Here is a map to show you the location of Flinders Court.

The street art gallery starts right at the beginning of Flinders Court as you enter from Flinders Lane.

Many of the street art here are cartoon and caricature art.

Here are some of them.

We hope you have enjoyed the best street art of Melbourne.  Please leave us a positive comment below.

Thank you!