The best street art in Melbourne CBD

Melbourne is one of the street art capitals of the world, and the laneways of its CBD illustrate it perfectly. From Hosier Lane to ACDC Lane, via Meyers Place or Little Bourke Street, get ready to discover a lot of monumental murals, painted by internationally renowned artists. To help you not miss anything, here is the ultimate guide to where to find the best street art in Melbourne CBD!

The most beautiful murals in the CBD

See also

The best street art in Fitzroy and Collingwood
The best street art in Brunswick and Brunswick East
The best street art in Prahran, South Yarra and Windsor
The best street art in St Kilda
The best street art in South Melbourne

I can’t begin this guide without mentioning Hosier Lane. Located just opposite Federation Square, it’s the most famous alley in Melbourne. There is not a single square inch of this laneway that is not covered with paint, including the bins! But it's not my personal favourite. The walls here are constantly repainted, and no mural survives for long. This is part of the DNA of street art, an ephemeral art form by nature, but I find that Hosier Lane has become in recent years mainly a less interesting collection of tags and graffiti. One exception however: the stunning portrait of an Aboriginal boy by the Melbourne artist Matt Adnate which overlooks the lane since 2014. Don’t forget to look up to admire it!

A little further on is AC/DC Lane, named after the famous Australian rock band. I personally like it a lot more than Hosier Lane. It’s much less busy, and I find the murals more beautiful here. It's also the best place to realise how ephemeral street art is. The pictures below have all been taken at the exact same spot, between 2016 and 2023! All of them were painted by Mike Makatron, in collaboration with other artists.

As an extension of AC/DC Lane, Duckboard Place is home to two huge murals that I particularly love. On the right, a man carrying a tree by Fintan Magee, on the left, these beautiful flowers by Steen Jones.

There are many more murals on AC/DC Lane and Duckboard Place: the portrait of the Korean singer Rosé as seen on the cover of her 2024 album Rosie by Ling, another one by Lukas Kasper, many “hippie animals” by John Murray… and a small artwork by Banksy! It depicts a rat with a parachute, and it can be found on the side of a door in a corner of Duckboard Place.

Let’s head towards the Parliament. At the intersection between Bourke Street and Meyers Place, Mike Makatron painted a real jungle that echoes the climbing plants on the neighbouring building.

You will also find down AC/DC Lane this 3D sculpture of the band's singer Bon Scott, literally bursting through the brick wall! It was created by Mike Makatron as well.

Not far from Hosier Lane, on the wall of the famous cafe Brunetti at the corner between Flinders Lane and Flinders Way, you will find this gorgeous mural by Lisa King.

Stay on Flinders Lane but head back towards Hosier Lane. Shortly after crossing Russell Street, head down Higson Lane on the right. There you can see the portrait of a 2024 Melbourne icon, Pesto the penguin from the Melbourne Aquarium, represented by Lukas Kasper. Still in that same laneway, I also really like this enigmatic face painted by Chimp One.

In the same area of the CBD, take a detour to the two following alleys. On Strachan Lane (off Exhibition Street), you can admire the faces of a man and a woman looking at each other by Adnate and Vincent Fantauzzo - there used to be a beautiful dancing portrait of Cindy Lauper also by Vincent Fantauzzo in this laneway, but it has sadly been covered by tags since (I left the photo below as I really loved that one). On Beaney Lane (off Russell Street) you will see two enigmatic faces, by Adnate and Heesco.

Focus: Mike Makatron

Mike Makatron is an Australian artist, born in the Yorke Peninsula and currently based in Melbourne. He has travelled and created work around the world. He also painted a large number of murals in Melbourne. His style is easily recognizable. Very colourful, often psychedelic and with an abundance of details, his murals represent nature in all its splendour but with a touch of fantasy, sometimes regaining control over a world abandoned by man.

Mural by Mike Makatron on Gallaghers Place

Retrace your steps and take Drewery Lane between Lonsdale and Little Lonsdale Street. There you will find three murals: the reproduction of a naked selfie of Emily Ratajkoswki and Kim Kardashian by Lushsux (on Sniders Lane), a spooky geisha by Jazmishap (on Drewery Place), and the face of a woman by Asal Nili.

To end this tour of the best street art in Melbourne's CBD, head to Southern Cross Station. Opposite the station on Spencer Street, you can admire the portrait of a blue woman by Sofles. Around the corner on Lonsdale Street, don't miss this huge mural by Smug, depicting his grandparents.

There are a few murals close to Melbourne Central. First, head to Tattersalls Lane. There you will find the splendid portrait of a woman with black hair painted by Adnate and Shida, just above the club Section 8.

Finally, still in the same area, head to Little Bourke Street. There you will see four fantastic murals, painted respectively by Smug, Rone, Adnate and Fintan Magee.

Turn right on Lonsdale Street after Tattersalls Lane. You can’t miss this beautiful tree by Mike Makatron and Conrad Bijzak, on a large wall above a parking lot.

Then go down Elizabeth Street and turn right onto Little Collins Street. Two lanes on either side of the street house two magnificent murals. To the right along the length of Gills Alley you'll find a collaboration between Adnate, Tommy Day and Salad Bowl, with two stunning faces at either end. Opposite, on Equitable Place, I really like this powerful and colourful artwork by Jewsri, an artist from the Gadigal aboriginal community.

Focus: Rone

Rone (pseudonym for Tyrone Wright) is an Australian street artist born in Geelong and based in Melbourne. Active since the early 2000s, he has painted a large number of murals around the world. His generally monochrome portraits most often represent women with mysterious faces. He is particularly famous for appropriating ruined or abandoned places, and adapting his work to the setting. This was notably the case for his exhibition ‘Time’ in the buildings of Flinders Street Station in Melbourne.

A mural by Rone in Hawthorn

What are your favourite murals in the CBD of Melbourne? Did I forget to mention some of them? Send me a message to let me know!