Explore Melbourne’s heritage buildings

Tuesday 10 January 2012, 11:29 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events and Places and Style

Tour groups already zigzag around our streets and laneways, learning about the city’s history, shops, chocolates and other charms, but a new series of tours is hitting the pavement, this time celebrating Melbourne’s architecture.

Architect Esther Sugihto, landscape architect Mark Skiba and urban designer Andy Fergus run Melbourne Architours. The tours are split into three time periods: Settlement to Marvellous Melbourne, Federation to Art Deco and Modernism to Contemporary.

Federation to Art Deco is running this Sunday morning, covering both well-known buildings and some that are off the beaten track. One of the guides’ favourites is Mitchell House on Elizabeth Street. ‘It’s quite prominent, it’s been well restored and it was quite progressive at the time it was built,’ says Esther Sugihto.

Another signature Art Deco building on Melbourne’s skyline is the Manchester Unity building on the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets. The tour takes in the timber and brass features inside this stunning building – the first in Melbourne to have an escalator.

As well as covering design features, the tour guides talk about the architects behind each building and put them into a historical, political and economic context.

Esther Sugihto reveals that the guides and tour groups find there is so much to talk about that they usually continue the conversation over a drink or coffee.

‘After the tours we sit around and discuss what everyone’s thoughts are and how the city is progressing,’ she says. ‘It’s such a design-rich city, and the tours are really about creating awareness of how the built environment is changing and evolving.’

At the moment this dedicated trio of archiphiles is running one tour per month, with only 15 places available for each. However, private tours can also be arranged. Full details are at Melbourne Architours.

Christmas sleigh circling Melbourne

Wednesday 14 December 2011, 10:08 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, windows glistening.
A beautiful sight,
We’re happy tonight.
Walking in a city wonderland.

The City of Melbourne has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland this December with exciting new decorations scattered throughout the city.

One of the best ways to see festive Melbourne this year is from a seat on the new City Circle Sleigh Tram.

Just like a Christmas present, the iconic tram has been wrapped in blue, red and gold, complete with stars and lights.

The merry makeover from City Circle Tram to City Circle Sleigh took place at the Yarra Trams Preston workshop.

The design was printed on vinyl and applied to the heritage tram by a team of specialist craftsmen. They followed up the body application with hand-painted details. Electricians then fitted festoon lighting, including more than 5000 tiny LED lights.

The City Circle Tram is one of Melbourne’s most famous tourist attractions. It offers visitors a free tour of the sights around the city and Docklands.

About the City Circle tram:

• each tram does nine laps Sunday to Wednesday of the City Circle route and 12 laps Thursday to Saturday
• the City Circle loop is 7.4 kilometres and takes one hour
• on average, the City Circle trams carry 275,000 passengers every month, or 3.3 million people a year
• 67 per cent of the passengers are from outside the Melbourne metropolitan area
• one third of passengers travel the full circuit of the city.

The City Circle Sleigh will run every day until Christmas Eve, from 10am to 6pm Sunday to Wednesday and from 10am to 9pm Thursday to Saturday. It returns on Boxing Day (after Santa completes all his hard work on Christmas Day) and will stay in service until mid-January 2012.

Marvellous Melbournalia

Tuesday 6 December 2011, 4:11 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events and Places and Style and Things

Do you love Melbourne? Its creative inhabitants and its world-class shopping? Then Melbournalia is the place for you.

Spread across four locations, Melbournalia is a fun new shopping experience that has magically popped up for the Christmas season.

What makes it all so very Melbourne, you ask?

The idea. A chain of pop-up shops filled with pressies perfectly designed for posting (postal service included) in time for Christmas.

The products. All achingly awesome and sourced from over 30 of Melbourne’s most talented product designers.

The locations. Housed in warehouses, coffee shops and studios, these unconventional venues couldn’t be more Melbourne if they tried.

Expect thoughtful gift ideas, intriguingly presented and beautifully packaged. You’ll find Melbournalia at the following quintessentially Melbourne locales:

Shop #1: Home
Tractor Home
First Floor, Rear 126 Franklin Street, Melbourne
Tuesday to Friday: 11am – 6pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 4pm

Shop #2: Captains
Captains of Industry
Level 1, 2 Somerset Place, Melbourne
Tuesday to Friday: 11am – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 4pm

Shop #3: Parlour
The Nicholas Building
Level 3, Room 3, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Tuesday to Friday: 11am – 6pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 6pm

Shop #4: League
League of Honest Coffee
8 Exploration Lane, Melbourne
Tuesday to Friday: 7am – 4pm

Melbournalia’s pop-up shops are open until Christmas Eve, 24 December 2011, vanishing after the big day – much like the man in red himself.