quirky street art in melbourne

"Creativity mixed with cheap"


That's how I would describe Melbourne quirky street art. Even the graffiti has style.  







This seat sits proudly on a street corner in Fitzroy. Look carefully to see the blue car behind. This is an initiative of the local Council - a shared car with a dedicated parking bay. If you drive <10k km per annum, you can pay a monthly fee for the shared use of this vehicle.

What do you think this is?  


a)  post box
b)  fire hydrant
c)  coffee machine

Mysteriously solid, wooden double doors open directly onto the street in Fitzroy. Iron hinges and hand-fashioned bolt lock create a sense of protective strength for those behind these doors. The two metal moons and cutout stars, coupled with graffiti, create a firm sense of safety from external forces.

Eating and seating.  These are two recurring themes in Fitzroy.












Graffiti on the wall of a Spanish tapas restaurant. A booking was made one month in advance and we were placed on a waiting list. At the last minute we scored a table for 8.30pm. The food was incredible - beef cheek so tender it was scooped apart by a spoon. 




A very busy Fitzroy cafe called The Vegie Bar.  Incredible fresh dishes with a global influence. The philosophy is 'food should not be overworked and have minimum human involvement'. An outstanding cafe for quality, price, atmosphere and happy staff! Top marks, guys!














Left: A cleverly painted window at street level provides street art as well as internal privacy. As I clicked this photo a lady coming down the street stopped and waited for me to finish, before hurrying by on her way to church. I wished her happy new year but she did not respond.





Above:  Hidden amongst main thoroughfares are alleyways full of atmospheric cafes, teeming with hungry lunchtime patrons - a mix of business suits, grunge, gym junkies and penniless arty types.


Below: Cafe security consists of a garage-type roller door. Competition between cafes produces outstanding service and quality food. It's hard to buy a bad coffee here!

Below:  Bernadette Robinson's outstandingly versatile voice is showcased in this Australian play as she combines story telling and songs by Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to deliver a most moving and beautiful experience. Songs for Nobodies

A couple of hotties get dolled up for the show

Bikes are a popular form of transport. There are also frequent banks of pushbike hire around the city. Pickup from point A and drop off at point B. Cost is very reasonable and anything less than 30 minutes is completely free!

I liked the 'frowned upon' message in this sign

Above: Trams are distinctly 'Melbourne' with their constant ding ding. Crossing the road and walking across the Bourke Street Mall is particularly hazardous for the visiting tourist.
Below: A wall of art by the Vietnamese School kids covered a construction site on a busy street