Portholes to the Underworld walking tour
+ Add to ItineraryDescription
Every single day people walk the streets of Melbourne unconsciously passing over iron covers and plates: portals to thousands of kilometres of underground drains, pumps, pipes and cables which have serviced utilities such as gas, sewage, plumbing and telecommunications for more than a century. The often-historic inscriptions on these covers reveal much of Melbourne’s infrastructure development since the city's early days.
What's On
Join our South Melbourne walking tour, led by Port Phillip Guided walks team member, Tobias Nash, to identify these mysterious pavement portholes cast by councils, local plumbers, Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) as well as other government and private entities.
Shamrock Hotel and Frank Cullen's Plumbing, South Melbourne, c1890, Port Phillip City Collection. J Danks and Co. Photo: Courtesy Tobias Nash. S C Prouse Plumber, South Melbourne. Photo: Courtesy Tobias Nash. Hydrant cover. Photo: Courtesy Tobias Nash. MMBW. Photo: Courtesy Tobias Nash.
Important Details
Tour/event summary information
Sunday 27 July
Walking tours run 10am + 2pm
Running for 2 hours in groups of 30
Bookings
Bookings required—$7 booking fee applies
First release tickets: 12pm Wednesday 2 July
Second release tickets:Â 10am Saturday 5 July
Meeting Point
Meet on the corner of Tope and York Streets, South Melbourne. This tour will conclude at South Melbourne Town Hall, Bank Street, South Melbourne.
Accessibility
Partially wheelchair accessible, Accessible parking nearby
The walking tours will be conducted through the streets and laneways of South Melbourne. The terrain and bluestone laneways may not be suitable for wheelchairs in some spots. There is street parking available with some disability parking in the area.
