162:
east west through the middle of the blocks to allow for rear access to the long, narrow allotments. These were to be 1 chain (66 ft; 20 m), but Bourke's suggestion of keeping the allotments the standard size by making the main streets narrower was resisted by Hoddle, leaving them as surveyed, so they became 1/2 chain (33ft; 10m), taken out of the depth of the blocks either side, the end result making the allotments smaller than usual. As per the
Darling regulations, the area around the grid was reserved for future expansion and government purposes, and some blocks and allotments were held back from sale and were allocated for government use, a market and a church. The first land sale, of allotments around a block reserved as the site for the Customs House, took place in the settlement on 1 June 1837.
491:
123:
49:
542:
33:
244:, were largely replaced by commercial uses by the 1950s, with residential not making a return until the 1990s with the conversion of older buildings. Since the 2000s this has accelerated with numerous high rise apartment buildings and student housing projects. The CBD still retains a central role for retail, with flagship department stores, specialist shops, and luxury brands, and the upper floors of older buildings and down the city's famous
166:
view on the matter, and the
Darling regulations made no mention of including a central square (as either desirable or not). Instead, simple grid plans, with lots or blocks set aside for public buildings and sometimes a park, were standard practice across Australia in government settlements, to facilitate the creation of regular allotments for sale. Notable exceptions include the five central squares of the privately developed plan of
419:
115:
490:
107:
142:, next to a natural shipping basin, just below a rocky outcrop known as 'the falls', above which the water was usually fresh. It was placed to run roughly parallel to the course of the river, with its western half closest to the basin, and spanned the mostly gently undulating area between the small hills of
259:
165:
The lack of a public square or formal open space within the grid was criticised as early as 1850, and it has been claimed that
Governor Bourke specifically discouraged the inclusion of such spaces “to deter a ‘spirit of democracy’ from breaking out”. However there is little evidence that Bourke had a
134:
in order to regularise the fledgling unauthorised settlement. The unusual dimensions of the allotments and the incorporation of narrow 'little' streets were the result of compromise between Hoddle's desire to employ the regulations established in 1829 by previous NSW Governor Ralph
Darling, requiring
327:
All major streets are one and a half chains (99 ft; 30 m) in width, while all blocks are exactly 10 chains (660 ft; 200 m) square. The total dimensions, including widths of streets, are thus 93.5 chains (6,170 ft; 1,880 m) by 47.5 chains (3,140 ft; 960 m). The
299:
Official planning strategies in the 1980s and 90s did not use the phrase 'Hoddle Grid'; for instance the State
Government's "Central Melbourne : Framework for the Future", published December 1984, identifies it as 'the formal city grid' (p25), while the City of Melbourne's 'Grids and Greenery',
281:
The term 'Hoddle Grid' emerged in common use only in the 21st century. While it has long been well known that Robert Hoddle laid out the central grid of streets most commonly referred to as 'the City', it was not traditionally named after him. In the 19th and early 20th
Century the focus was more on
193:
Robert Hoddle remained the surveyor for the district until 1853, and laid out all the surrounding subdivisions in a north south, east west grid, excepting the area between La Trobe Street and
Victoria Street, which is sometimes included in the 'Hoddle Grid', and is usually officially included in the
161:
The streets were surveyed 1 1/2 chains (a chain being 66ft, so they were 99ft; 30m), the blocks at 10 chains (660 ft; 200 m) square, with allotments 1 chain (66 ft; 20 m) wide, as per
Darling's Regulations). However, at Governor Bourke's insistence, 'little streets' were inserted
808:
295:
The phrase 'CBD' or
Central Business District appears in the 1960s, probably within the publication of the 'Borrie Report' in 1964, and the subsequent Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme, enacted in 1968. CBD is still the most common phrase to refer to the central grid area of Melbourne.
216:
The Hoddle Grid and its fringes remained the centre and most active part of the city into the mid 20th century, with retail in the centre, fine hotels, banking and prime office space on
Collins Street, medical professionals on the Collins Street hill, legal professions around
92:, extended to La Trobe Street the next year), establishing the first formal town plan. This grid of streets, laid out when there were only a few hundred settlers, became the nucleus for what is now Melbourne, a city of over five million people.
303:
More recently the Encyclopedia of Melbourne, published in book form in 2005, and online in 2008, calls it the "City Grid', while another entry on Roads, describing the wider subdivision of Melbourne, calls the central area 'the Hoddle grid'.
197:
This has meant that the original grid sits at a marked angle to the rest of the city, and is easily recognised on any map. Most inhabitants of Melbourne know all the streets of the Hoddle Grid by name, and the order they occur.
530:
for one mile, to an east west line (now Victoria Street/Parade) marking the northern extent of the government reserve outside the central grid. The rest of metropolitan Melbourne generally follows this grid pattern.
286:, the grandest thoroughfare, with the most expensive and exclusive buildings along its length, while the western and northern edges comprised unremarkable low rise residential and light industrial development.
237:
on the western edge was the terminus for country trains, as well as more suburban lines. Up until 1930s, the river bank west of Queen Street River was lined with wharfs for cargo and passenger ships.
497:
221:, and warehousing along Flinders Lane and in the western end. Government buildings like GPO, State Library, Supreme Court, and Customs House occupied various blocks, while
859:
225:
and a government precinct developed on the east side of Spring Street. The swampy area to the south soon hosted rail lines, with many suburban trains converging on
717:
695:
170:(also 1839), and the axially placed, though not central, church square set aside in the 1829 plan for Perth. Most of today's well known public squares, such as
739:
332:. The majority of Melbourne is oriented at 8 degrees clockwise from true north - noting that magnetic north was 8.05° E in 1900, increasing to 11.7° E in 2009.
1160:
265:
292:
The "Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme Report", published by the Board of Works in 1954 refers to the area as 'The Central Business Area'.
130:
The grid of streets that is now central Melbourne was laid out by surveyor Robert Hoddle when he arrived in early 1837 with New South Wales
1165:
1121:
258:
852:
138:
The placement of the grid was determined firstly by the fact that the fledgling settlement was already established at that point on the
65:
679:
632:
64:
is the contemporary name given to the approximately 1-by-0.5-mile (1.61 km × 0.80 km) grid of streets that form the
622:
84:, it lies at an angle to the rest of the Melbourne suburban grid, and so is easily recognisable. It is named after the surveyor
226:
1170:
1097:
845:
322:
245:
234:
201:
The whole town was at first accommodated within the Hoddle Grid, but the huge surge in immigration brought about by the
968:
500:
A ~180 degree panoramic image of the Melbourne's Hoddle Grid roughly centered on the easterly direction; the original
456:
222:
151:
887:
344:
69:
300:
published 1987, picks out the skewed grid of streets in various graphics, but only names it as 'the city centre'.
978:
953:
897:
501:
466:
446:
357:
283:
218:
122:
988:
958:
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73:
41:
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grid's longest axis is oriented 70 degrees clockwise from true north, to align better with the course of the
1107:
1030:
963:
546:
451:
249:
147:
522:
spacing around the central city grid. The origin of this grid, marked on the 1837 map, was on the crest of
48:
948:
922:
441:
423:
386:
241:
187:
902:
362:
912:
376:
135:
square blocks and wide streets, and Bourke's desire for rear access ways (now the 'little' streets).
101:
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505:
202:
126:
Each "block" was further subdivided into twenty allotments, each 1920 m (76 perches) in area.
171:
32:
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675:
628:
471:
206:
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in the centre of the grid coincided with the lowest point and roughly paralleled an existing
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1053:
1035:
1022:
973:
927:
917:
461:
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210:
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By the 1950s the phrase 'Golden Mile' comes into use, describing Collins Street itself.
943:
527:
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230:
131:
81:
418:
1154:
1040:
907:
892:
371:
367:
352:
85:
1077:
1058:
829:
190:, were created in the 20th century, by widening streets and demolishing buildings.
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781:
767:
Report on a planning scheme for the central business area of the City of Melbourne
565:
1092:
1045:
1017:
329:
139:
114:
37:
788:. School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
572:. School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
1009:
110:
Schematic plan of Hoddle's allotments for the village of Melbourne, March 1837
1136:
1123:
1004:
869:
53:
508:
is on the right side (south). Photographed from the Rialto Observation Deck
205:
in the 1850s quickly outgrew the grid, spreading into the first suburbs in
17:
518:
Robert Hoddle also surveyed a separate north-south grid of streets at one
175:
167:
309:
183:
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One-way westbound, except two-way between Market and Spencer Streets
417:
404:
One-way westbound, except two-way between King and Spencer Streets
155:
121:
113:
105:
47:
31:
519:
841:
106:
248:
host a busy nightlife of numerous bars and restaurants, and a
394:(frequently incorrectly written as Latrobe or LaTrobe)
118:
Robert Hoddle's survey of the town of Melbourne in 1837
672:
A City Lost and Found - Whelan the Wrecker's Melbourne
740:"Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme 1954: Report"
1070:
997:
936:
880:
52:Satellite image of Melbourne at night, showing the
36:Aerial view of the city centre looking east. The
27:Layout of the Melbourne central business district
610:. Melbourne: City of Melbourne. pp. 25–29.
595:. Melbourne: City of Melbourne. pp. 25–29.
233:, the gateway to the city from the south, and
853:
608:Melbourne: The City's History and Development
593:Melbourne: The City's History and Development
8:
744:Policy and Strategy - Planning for Melbourne
657:Melbourne:The City's History and Development
240:Residential uses, most notably the slums of
624:Urban Nation: Australia's Planning Heritage
860:
846:
838:
557:
809:"The well-heeled, sterile city blues"
7:
769:. Melbourne: Melbourne City Council.
659:. City of Melbourne. pp. 25–31.
66:Melbourne central business district
429:Perpendicular to the Yarra River:
25:
627:. Csiro Publishing. p. 103.
1161:Streets in Melbourne City Centre
540:
489:
257:
88:, who marked it out in 1837 (to
422:Trees surrounded by buildings,
227:Flinders Street railway station
56:of its major roads and streets.
323:Lanes and arcades of Melbourne
1:
807:Millar, Royce (6 July 2002).
720:. The Argus. 19 February 1954
718:"City has Glamour after Dark"
340:Parallel to the Yarra River:
698:. The Argus. 7 February 1956
313:newspaper as early as 2002.
213:(Emerald Hill), and beyond.
1166:Urban planning in Australia
547:Australian Roads portal
152:Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
1187:
786:Encyclopaedia of Melbourne
696:"Green Heart Plan in City"
674:. Black Inc. p. 214.
621:Freestone, Robert (2010).
320:
99:
68:, Australia. Bounded by
42:Melbourne Cricket Ground
40:is on the right and the
307:The phrase appeared in
1137:37.81417°S 144.96306°E
670:Annear, Robyn (2005).
426:
387:Little Lonsdale Street
242:Little Lonsdale Street
235:Spencer Street station
127:
119:
111:
57:
45:
1171:Melbourne City Centre
765:Borrie, E.F. (1964).
655:Lewis, Miles (1995).
606:Lewis, Miles (1995).
591:Lewis, Miles (1995).
421:
363:Little Collins Street
125:
117:
109:
100:Further information:
51:
44:is in the background.
35:
1142:-37.81417; 144.96306
937:Longitudinal streets
830:Magnetic Declination
377:Little Bourke Street
102:History of Melbourne
1133: /
1103:Port Phillip Arcade
881:Latitudinal streets
414:North-south streets
203:Victorian gold rush
427:
372:Bourke Street Mall
186:, and Melbourne's
172:King George Square
128:
120:
112:
58:
46:
1116:
1115:
504:(or "the city").
472:Exhibition Street
408:One-way eastbound
406:One-way westbound
336:East-west streets
277:Use of the phrase
146:to the west, and
16:(Redirected from
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1088:Cathedral Arcade
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457:Elizabeth Street
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370:, incorporating
271:, Samuel Calvert
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223:Parliament House
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1083:Campbell Arcade
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1054:McKillop Street
1050:Manchester Lane
1036:Degraves Street
1023:Caledonian Lane
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923:Little Lonsdale
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462:Swanston Street
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409:
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392:La Trobe Street
382:Lonsdale Street
345:Flinders Street
338:
325:
319:
279:
274:
273:
272:
267:
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211:South Melbourne
132:Governor Bourke
104:
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90:Lonsdale Street
78:La Trobe Street
70:Flinders Street
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
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903:Little Collins
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528:magnetic north
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467:Russell Street
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447:William Street
444:
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434:Spencer Street
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396:(northernmost)
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358:Collins Street
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348:(southernmost)
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317:Specifications
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284:Collins Street
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269:Melbourne 1880
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231:Princes Bridge
219:William Street
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82:Spencer Street
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2:
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1098:Melbourne GPO
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1041:Hardware Lane
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1027:Causeway Lane
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913:Little Bourke
911:
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893:Flinders Lane
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681:9781863956505
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634:9780643096981
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524:Batman's Hill
521:
514:The Mile Grid
513:
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498:
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485:
481:
480:(easternmost)
478:
477:Spring Street
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437:(westernmost)
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368:Bourke Street
366:
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353:Flinders Lane
351:
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145:
144:Batman's Hill
141:
136:
133:
124:
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108:
103:
95:
93:
91:
87:
86:Robert Hoddle
83:
79:
75:
74:Spring Street
71:
67:
63:
55:
50:
43:
39:
34:
30:
19:
1118:
1108:Royal Arcade
1078:Block Arcade
1059:Niagara Lane
1031:Centre Place
873:
825:
813:. Retrieved
802:
790:. Retrieved
785:
775:
766:
760:
748:. Retrieved
743:
734:
722:. Retrieved
712:
700:. Retrieved
690:
671:
665:
656:
650:
638:. Retrieved
623:
616:
607:
601:
592:
586:
574:. Retrieved
569:
560:
538:
517:
484:
479:
452:Queen Street
436:
428:
400:
395:
347:
339:
326:
308:
306:
302:
298:
294:
291:
288:
280:
268:
239:
215:
200:
196:
192:
180:Martin Place
164:
160:
148:Eastern Hill
137:
129:
61:
59:
29:
1140: /
1128:144°57′47″E
1093:Howey Place
1046:Hosier Lane
1018:Block Place
1014:Bligh Place
874:Hoddle Grid
868:Streets of
566:"Grid Plan"
526:, striking
442:King Street
424:King Street
330:Yarra River
188:City Square
140:Yarra River
62:Hoddle Grid
38:Yarra River
18:Hoddle grid
1155:Categories
1125:37°48′51″S
1063:Punch Lane
1010:Bank Place
984:Exhibition
780:Lay, M.G.
570:eMelbourne
552:References
321:See also:
250:street art
1005:ACDC Lane
969:Elizabeth
870:Melbourne
811:. The Age
506:Southbank
252:culture.
54:grid plan
974:Swanston
928:La Trobe
918:Lonsdale
888:Flinders
535:See also
246:laneways
176:Brisbane
168:Adelaide
1071:Arcades
979:Russell
954:William
944:Spencer
898:Collins
815:11 June
792:11 June
782:"Roads"
750:11 June
746:. DELWP
724:11 June
702:11 June
640:11 June
310:The Age
207:Fitzroy
96:History
989:Spring
959:Market
908:Bourke
678:
631:
576:1 June
184:Sydney
80:, and
998:Lanes
964:Queen
229:near
194:CBD.
156:gully
949:King
817:2017
794:2017
752:2017
726:2017
704:2017
676:ISBN
642:2017
629:ISBN
578:2017
520:mile
60:The
872:'s
502:CBD
182:in
174:in
150:.
1157::
784:.
742:.
568:.
209:,
178:,
158:.
76:,
72:,
861:e
854:t
847:v
819:.
796:.
754:.
728:.
706:.
684:.
644:.
580:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
