Description

For thousands of years, the land around Birrarung (the Yarra River) has been Melbourne’s meeting place – an area of cultural significance for First Peoples and a place of creative expression. Today the site is home to the Melbourne Arts Precinct; a vibrant creative community and the artistic heart of our city.

Since opening in 2022, Fed Square has been the gateway to the art precinct – and is recognised as the civic, cultural and community heart of the city. For over two decades, crowds have gathered at Fed Square to celebrate culture and heritage.

The site on which the Square is built has an expansive history that includes being used as a morgue, a fish market and a railway station. In 1997, London-based Lab Architecture Studio, in association with the Melbourne architects Bates Smart, were appointed to design the city’s public square.

In 2019, Fed Square was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, the youngest building in Australia to ever be recognised in this way. Today, Fed Square delivers a vibrant calendar of celebrations, festivals, flag raisings, national days, religious festivals, sporting events and more. It is also the gateway to the Melbourne Arts Precinct and home to three of Victoria’s major institutions: ACMI, the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) and the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.

What's On

This free walking tour will provide participants with the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes at Fed Square, Melbourne’s iconic gathering space and gateway to its Arts Precinct.

Participants will visit the hidden network of tunnels and labyrinth maze underneath the Square, learning all about the history of Fed Square’s unique architecture and design features. For the first time, the tour will also visit the recently opened Test Garden at Fed Square.

A booking fee waiver for this program is made possible thanks to Melbourne Arts Precinct.