12 hidden gems in Melbourne CBD - part 2

The CBD of Melbourne is by far the area of the city that attracts most of the tourists. Between its countless laneways and arcades, its huge shopping malls, or its splendid Victorian buildings, there is indeed no shortage of attractions! But beyond the most popular places there are also several unsuspected treasures, which are just as worth the detour. Discover with me 12 hidden gems in Melbourne CBD – this is part 2, click here for part 1.

Melbourne's CBD as you've never seen it before

Summary

7/ Old Treasury Building
8/ Guilford Lane
9/ The Great Petition
10/ Cathedral Arcade
11/ Alpha 60
12/ Flinders Street Station photobooth

Hidden in plain sight would be a good way to describe this rather imposing building, located right next to the State Parliament on Spring Street. However, a large number of Melbournians are unaware that an exceptional object can be found there: the largest gold nugget ever found in Australia! Or in reality a replica of this 72 kg block of pure gold, nicknamed the Welcome Stranger and discovered in 1869 by two Cornish miners. It is part of a very interesting exhibition on the history of Melbourne and the gold rush in northern Victoria in the 1850s and 1860s. Another must-see is the Melbourne Panorama, showing the city photographed from the same vantage point in 1862 and 2012. Entrance is free, so don’t miss this visit!

7/ Old Treasury Building

8/ Guilford Lane

The CBD of Melbourne is known for the previously mentioned arcades, but also for its numerous laneways, each with their own distinct atmospheres. Among the most famous, there are Degraves Street and its cafes, Hosier Lane and ACDC Lane for street art, or the multiple restaurants of Hardware Lane. But one of my favourites is slightly off the beaten track, close to Melbourne Central in the north of the CBD: Guilford Lane. This gorgeous laneway is lined with red brick buildings, which blend perfectly with the dozens of green plants carefully tended by its residents. The contrast with the modern glass towers that dominate it couldn't be greater! There are several cafes there, including one of my favourites in Melbourne, Krimper Cafe.

It might be a bit of an exaggeration to call this sculpture a "hidden gem", but the story behind it is worth telling. In 1891, nearly 30,000 Victorian women signed a petition demanding the right to vote. It took six months to gather all the signatures, and the final document measured over 260 meters long! It's the largest known petition of the 19th century, and with such dimensions, it deserves its nickname "Monster Petition". The original is kept in the Victorian Archives. This monument, located near the State Parliament and St Patrick's Cathedral, was created by artists Susan Hewitt and Penelope Lee in 2008.

9/ The Great Petition

But did this petition have an impact? Not immediately. Women were allowed to vote nationwide in 1902, making Australia the second country in the world after New Zealand to grant them the right to vote. It took another six years in Victoria (1908). But with one exception: Aboriginal women. Indigenous Australians were not given the right to vote before the 1960s...

10/ Cathedral Arcade

I wonder how many people walk past this tiny arcade every day without suspecting its existence. Located on the corner of Swanston Street, Melbourne's busiest street, and Flinders Lane, Cathedral Arcade is a true hidden gem. It's very short and you can easily miss its entrance at number 37 on Swanston Street (or at the other end at 227 Flinders Lane), right next to a much more modern Subway, but it's worth the detour. Its leadlight arched ceiling is a true marvel! It was built in 1926, and today it houses a cafe (the aptly named Cathedral Coffee) and a vintage store, among other things.

I'm not really into shopping myself, and I'm not including this independent fashion label on this list for the clothes it sells, but for its location. Or rather, the location of one of its stores. Since its creation in 2005 in Fitzroy, Alpha 60 has expanded to eight shops in total, including in Sydney, Perth, and Wellington. But the one I'm focusing on here is on Flinders Lane. First, locate the florist Pollon Flowers. Ignore the other Alpha 60 store on its right when facing it, and instead head for the discreet entrance on the left. Go through the door, climb the stairs, and discover a stunning room, the former Chapter House of the neighbouring St. Paul's Cathedral. Not a bad location for a clothing store!

11/ Alpha 60

12/ Flinders Street Station photobooth

You might be wondering what a photobooth is doing on this list? Because it’s not just any photobooth, it is a piece of history. It has been continuously operating since 1961, and thousands of Melbournians and visitors have had their portraits taken there. From 1972 to 2022, it was a man named Alan Adler who kept it running. He owned several other photobooths across Melbourne, and to ensure that they worked properly, he regularly took pictures of himself, making him the most photographed man in Australia! He sadly passed away in December 2024, at the age of 92. But the story doesn’t stop there. In 2018, Jess Norman and Chris Sutherland were having their first date, and decided to immortalise the moment by taking a photo of themselves. Alan had just been notified that he would have to remove the photobooth due to work at the station, and had put up a sign with his phone number reading “Please use this photobooth now. After the 23rd May, this machine will no longer be here”. Jess and Chris found it really sad and got in touch with him. The photobooth was eventually saved and relocated to its current location on Flinders Street, and in 2022, after years of learning Alan’s tricks, the couple officially took over. Remember their stories when you will have your picture taken there!

See also: The most photographed man in Australia

Make sure to visit the first part of this article, so you don't miss any hidden gems in Melbourne's CBD!