Let’s Walk under the Rainbow of Melbourne’s 7 Best Street Arts

Melbourne is one of the best places in Australia to appreciate arts. While fine arts and indigenous arts are heavily showcased here, you should explore many corners of the city to find the best street arts in Melbourne. 

Melbourne is recently known for Flash Forward, a state project to highlight historical landmarks in the city. Involving hundreds of painters, graffiti artists, lighting specialists, and other artistic experts, this project brought forward some of the most stunning artworks. You can see where the people of Melbourne got their love and pride for their city’s arts!

Here are seven highlights of these street arts you must know.

AC/DC Lane

A must-visit for rock n’ roll fans, the AC/DC Lane is located in an old hub for Melbourne’s grunge rock fans. A part of it used to be the location of Cherry Bar, a hangout place for local rock bands and fans in the past. The AC/DC artworks also remind everyone that the group is considered a cultural ambassador for Melbourne. 

Once you are satisfied with the artwork appreciation, you can try one of many restaurants gracing this area. The diversity of Melbourne means you can find a lot of culinary riches here, from Italian to Peruvian.

Mornane Place

Mornane Place, located behind Grossi, offers colorful, unique, and even adorable street art. You can see all types of murals here, from the beautiful Venice by Micah Nagle to impressive David Bowie and even cute kittens with swords. Many artworks were made on the surface of old-timey brick walls, adding a subtle European town atmosphere.

Once you explore the street arts, you can treat yourself to delicious Italian food and wine. One recommendation is Arlechin, an elegant wine bar and late-night dining establishment.

Duckboard Place

Duckboard Place is not far from AC/DC Lane so you can explore two spots in one trip. Historically an entertainment district for World War Two soldiers, this place is now full of colorful, bold, and even surrealist street art. The entire location evokes an old-school grime neighborhood atmosphere, making it a cool place to explore and take photos.

Duckboard Place is close to rich and diverse eateries. You can find Chinese and Indian restaurants and a Danish steakhouse nearby.

Hosier Lane

Hosier Lane houses some of the best street arts in Melbourne. Walking on its labyrinth of alleyways gives you “color attacks” from all directions. Located close to the Forum Theatre and Federation Square, Hosier Lane is a home for urban artists, graffiti artists, and mural painters.

You can see all types of artwork here. From portraits to abstracts, from psychedelic paintings to cultural and religious motifs, and even some artworks dedicated to social issues and criticisms.

Presgrave Place

Presgrave Place is a lesser-known street art location that is worth of visit. Located near Little Collins Street, this place offers magnificent sights of multimedia art on historical red brick walls. Murals and graffiti are mixed with frames, vases, discarded dolls, and other repurposed artistic objects.

Unlike many street art locations in Melbourne, Presgrave Place has never been rebuilt or renovated. It has authentic urban grime and a vintage atmosphere that add a unique atmosphere to the artwork. The artwork types you see here are more personal and adventurous—a perfect segway from all the giant, colorful murals.

Meyers Place

Meyers Place is the “urban jungle” of Melbourne, the work of local artist Mike Makatron. His street arts adorn the walls and partitions in the form of lush, dense tropical jungle paintings. Some artworks depict the clear message of development versus nature, such as a painting of a computer being swallowed by foliage and flowers.

Aretha’s Fitzroy Mural

The Converse Fitzroy store has a unique mural created by Aretha Brown, an indigenous Gumbaynggir artist. The artwork is a part of Converse’s project to celebrate the history and culture of the First Nations. Her black-and-white mural is bold and inspired by Indigenous paintings.

What makes this mural unique is the environmentally-friendly paint, which has the ability to absorb pollutant materials when activated by UV rays. A perfect material to be used in a dense, modern city like Melbourne.

Still not satisfied with these best street arts in Melbourne? Check out the other street art venues or explore the top art galleries in Australia. Make sure your artistic side gets the nourishment they need when visiting Melbourne!